Bug Bux Podcast

Insurance probably isn't the sexiest part of owning a pest control company—but ignoring it can get VERY expensive.

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Joe Steiner of the Mahoney Group to break down one of the biggest risks facing pest control companies: commercial auto liability.

Joe shares why auto claims make up the majority of the claims he sees, how hiring and training practices can impact your insurance, whether internal and external-facing cameras are worth having, and when it might make sense to pay for a smaller accident out of pocket.

They also get into how insurance companies evaluate your loss history, why your insurance broker's ability to "tell your story" matters, what happens when you're operating across multiple states, and why the drivers you put behind the wheel can have a massive impact on your bottom line.

If you own a pest control company with a few trucks—or you're growing toward multiple millions in revenue—this is an episode you don't want to skip.

In this episode:
• Commercial auto and liability risks
• Driver hiring and training
• Dash cams and in-cab cameras
• When to file an insurance claim vs. pay out of pocket
• How claims affect your future premiums
• Nuclear verdicts and large liability claims
• Choosing the right insurance broker
• How to get better insurance pricing
• Managing risk as you grow

Joe Steiner is a partner and pest control practice vertical leader at the Mahoney Group, with more than 17 years of experience helping pest control businesses navigate insurance and risk management.

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What happens when pest control owners stop competing with each other and start working together?

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Travis and Tyler from Nice Pest Co., and Mat from Lizard Marketing to talk about The Real Pest World—how it started, what they learned from year one, and what they’re building for Dallas.

They share the story of Joey, whose recurring revenue grew from roughly $65,000 to $325,000 in 12 months after connecting with the group, along with the lessons behind that growth. They also talk about building real relationships, creating opportunities for PCOs outside the house, the role of vendor partnerships, and their goal of making this year’s Real Pest World bigger and more impactful.

Plus, Allan gets personal about why building genuine friendships and opening up to others has become one of his goals this year.

If you’re heading to PestWorld—or even if you’re not—this episode gives you a look at what The Real Pest World is really trying to accomplish.

 therealpestworld.com

instagram.com/therealpestworld

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What happens when pest control owners stop guessing and actually start knowing their numbers?

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Patrick Baldwin from FRAXN to talk about the financial side of building a pest control company—and why so many owners overlook it.

They break down the importance of having the right chart of accounts, understanding gross profit, benchmarking your company against the industry, and using your financials to make better decisions. Patrick also shares insights from FRAXN’s analysis of 125 pest control companies, including some surprising findings around chemical costs, route density, profitability, and growth.

They also get into technician compensation, production pay vs. hourly pay, reservices, acquisitions, and why strong financials can make a major difference when you're trying to grow or eventually sell your company.

Plus, Patrick gives Allan a preview of FRAXN’s pest control industry benchmarking data and upcoming cash-flow seasonality report.

If you're a pest control owner who wants to stop managing by your bank balance and start building with real numbers, this episode is for you.

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What happens when you put 50+ real pest control hot takes on the table and let Allan Draper and Mat Rogers debate them?

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan and Mat react to takes submitted by the Bug Bux community on everything from pricing and profit to door-to-door sales, customer retention, AI, technician pay, IPM, pesticide use, employee culture, and the future of the pest control industry.

Some takes they agree with. Some they completely disagree with. And a few leave them genuinely confused. 😂

They discuss:
- Why revenue still matters—but isn't the whole story
- Whether pest control companies should raise prices regularly
- Customer churn and retention as a missed opportunity
- Door-to-door vs. other growth strategies
- AI and outsourcing in the customer experience
- Why keeping experienced employees can be worth more than replacing them
- Whether technicians should also be salespeople
- IPM vs. "spray and pray"
- Pesticide use and treating only when necessary
- Technician safety and pesticide handling
- Why the pest control industry needs to raise the bar
- And plenty of other hot takes from the Bug Bux community

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Coleman Spaulding has been part of Allan Draper’s pest control story from the very beginning. Nearly 20 years after they first crossed paths, the two reconnect to talk about how door-to-door sales, relationships, and the people you meet along the way can shape an entire career.

Coleman, co-founder of Spidexx Pest Control, shares lessons from starting in the industry by knocking doors to building a company that has expanded into multiple markets. They reminisce about the early days of pest control, the people who came out of that era, and the “pest control tree” that continues to connect operators and entrepreneurs today.

The conversation also dives into why relationships matter more than individual deals, the value of collaboration in an industry where owners can help each other, creating win-win partnerships, and why taking care of people can pay dividends decades later.

Plus, Allan shares the personal connection that brought him into pest control in the first place… and why Coleman is ultimately the reason he’s in the industry at all.

A conversation about pest control, business, relationships, and the people who shape your journey.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Dan Christensen, co-owner of Bigfoot Pest Control, to talk about building a memorable pest control brand, creating viral content, and figuring out how to turn millions of views into actual customers.

Dan shares how Bigfoot Pest Control grew from a startup in 2019 to roughly $3 million in annual revenue, while building a social media presence that has generated tens of millions of views. They break down the difference between attention and conversion, why viral content can be valuable even when it doesn't immediately generate revenue, and how entertainment, education, and paid advertising can work together to move people through the marketing funnel.

They also dive into brand recognition, long-term trust, networking, and the power of community, including Dan's experience leading a small group inside Bug Bux+. The conversation covers buying back your time, delegation, accountability, and what business owners should actually do with the time they gain when they get out of the truck.

A great episode for any pest control owner looking to build a stronger brand, leverage social media, or learn from other operators in the industry.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux

Hiring, employee performance, SOPs, delegation, and scaling are some of the biggest challenges facing pest control business owners.

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Seth Watson, founder of Focus Virtual Assistants and co-owner of Arete Pest Control, to talk about how pest control owners can build better teams and create systems that make growth easier.

Seth shares his approach to hiring and evaluating employees, why good people attract good people, how to define what success looks like for each role, and how to build processes that employees can actually follow.

The conversation also covers virtual assistants, administrative support, accounts receivable, specialized hires, SOP creation, scorecards, and the importance of taking work off the owner's plate.

Whether you're just starting your pest control company or you're already scaling, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can put into action.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux

What happens after a successful exit?

For Ryan Marshall, it wasn't another shiny business opportunity—it was a renewed commitment to pest control.

In this episode, Ryan shares why he stopped chasing "what's next," embraced the operator role, and focused on mastering one business instead of starting another.

You'll learn:

• Why recurring revenue wins
• How EOS changed his leadership team
• The importance of hiring people better than yourself
• The operational metrics every owner should track
• How investing in employees creates long-term loyalty
• Why the best entrepreneurs never stop learning

If you're trying to build a company that lasts, this episode is one you won't want to miss.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux

What happens when a pest control owner is suddenly forced to step away from the business?

Jason Woodbury found out firsthand.

After moving from Florida to Idaho to help raise his four nieces and nephews, Jason had to figure out how to run a pest control company from hundreds of miles away. The problem? He had been deeply involved in everything from technician training and quality control to service management.

What happened next taught him some of the biggest lessons of his career.

Jason and Allan Draper talk about getting out of the truck, hiring before you feel ready, the hidden cost of not having management, building systems, trusting your team, and knowing when to stop reacting to every problem.

And despite some painful lessons along the way, Jason's company is now growing at 34% year over year.

If you're a pest control owner trying to figure out when to hire, when to let go, and how to build a business that doesn't depend on you, this episode is for you.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper hands the mic to Mat Rogers, partner at Lizard Marketing, for a "Would You Rather" showdown covering sales, marketing, operations, hiring, growth, and even selling the company. It's a rapid-fire look at how two pest control leaders actually think under pressure.

In this episode you'll learn:
• Whether Allan would take unlimited leads at a 20% close rate beats half the leads at 80%
• Why not all callbacks are bad
• Why hiring for attitude beats hiring for experience every time
• The tradeoff between $5M at high margins vs. $20M at thin margins
• How referrals build stickier, longer-retained customers than reviews alone
• Whether they'd sell their company for a life-changing payout — or keep building

If you've ever wondered how top operators think through the tough calls, this one's a fun, honest look behind the curtain.

👉🏼 https://www.skool.com/bugbux