In this episode of The Journey Podcast, Rusty sits down with Ashley Williams, owner of Pest Pro Services, to discuss the realities of growing a pest control company from the ground up. Ashley shares her journey from answering phones while in college to purchasing the company she helped build and scaling it from three employees to twelve in just five years. Together they discuss leadership, hiring, technician retention, company culture, AI, and the lessons learned from one of the toughest years in business. Ashley also opens up about the personal experiences that shaped her leadership style and why investing in people has been the foundation of her success. 🗝️ Key Takeaways ➤ Hiring out of desperation almost always creates bigger problems. ➤ Building strong leaders is the key to scaling a service business. ➤ Company culture determines whether great technicians stay or leave. ➤ Investing in coaching and mentorship accelerates business growth. ➤ AI is transforming customer service and operational efficiency. ➤ The best leaders empower others instead of trying to do everything themselves. ➤ Scaling quickly brings financial and operational challenges that few people talk about. ➤ Core values should drive every hiring and leadership decision. ➤Continuous learning separates growing companies from stagnant ones. ➤ Success comes from building people, not just building businesses. 1: Growing from Employee to Business Owner Ashley shares how she entered the pest control industry while attending college, originally planning to become a CPA. After working her way through nearly every role in the company, she eventually purchased the business she helped build and launched Pest Pro Services. She explains the mindset shifts required to transition from employee to owner and the responsibility that comes with having your name attached to every decision. 2: Why Great Technicians Leave One of the biggest topics of the conversation is technician retention. Ashley explains how rapid growth created hiring challenges and why hiring from desperation often led to turnover. She shares how establishing clear core values transformed their hiring process and why protecting company culture became more important than simply filling open positions. 3: Leadership, Culture & Scaling a Business Rusty and Ashley discuss the difficult transition from being the person doing the work to becoming the leader responsible for developing others. Ashley shares how coaching, mentorship, delegation, and empowering her leadership team allowed the company to continue growing without sacrificing quality or customer experience. 4: The Future of Pest Control The conversation finishes with an in-depth discussion about artificial intelligence, automation, and the future of the pest control industry. Ashley shares how AI is already helping Pest Pro Services answer calls, improve operations, and prepare for the next generation of technology while reinforcing that relationships, leadership, and people will always remain at the center of a successful business. In summary, this conversation is an honest look at what it really takes to build a successful pest control company. From leadership and technician retention to AI and company culture, Ashley shares practical lessons that apply to any entrepreneur looking to grow a business without losing sight of the people who make it possible. 🎙️ Connect with Rusty & Learn More Visit The Journey Podcast online or follow on social media for more conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. 📲 Follow The Journey Podcast 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/prewettpestjourney 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@theprewettpestjourney 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/prewettpestjourney 🍎 Apple Podcasts: Prewett Pest Journey on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify: Prewett Pest Journey on Spotify