This episode of Franchise Envy dives deep into:

• The risks of betting on yourself with $175K from a 401(k)
• Crushing burnout & how Kim almost sold everything
• The real life of a woman leading in a male-dominated industry
• Wild customer stories (hint: possums & fly traps don’t mix 🐾)
• Straight talk on money, mindset, and the messy middle of entrepreneurship

00:00 – Franchise Envy Wednesdays: What to expect
00:32 – Welcome Kim Welch, Mosquito Squad owner
01:55 – From Colorado to Cali: No mosquitoes… until COVID
03:15 – Fashion → Pest Control: When the clothing biz collapsed
05:20 – “We saw a need... and seized the moment”
06:40 – Picking Mosquito Squad over the competition
08:30 – Getting licensed + Squad School training
10:12 – “I didn’t sign up for this!” Marital strain & early struggles
13:00 – Year 2 breakdown: Ready to walk away
15:00 – Grit, validation calls & making the franchise work
18:45 – Income reality: What franchisees really make
21:30 – Investing $175K with a ROBS plan: Why and how
23:00 – Seasonality, cash flow & the entrepreneur rollercoaster
25:20 – Hiring mistakes & her “Oh crap” moment
28:30 – Dead possum in the fly trap? Yep, that happened
30:10 – Kim’s mindset shift: CEO, not technician
32:00 – The franchisee mistake that could sink you
33:20 – “Ask for help sooner. You’re not alone.”
35:00 – Final thoughts & franchise advice from Kim
36:30 – How to connect and explore franchise ownership

💡 Thinking about franchising? Drop your questions in the comments!

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