What separates a good pest control technician from a great one? Continuous training, experience and a willingness to keep learning.

In Episode 77 of Pest Perspectives, Shaun Muller is joined by Culley Christensen and Foster Brusca from The Pest Posse, one of the pest management industry's long-standing video-based education and training platforms.

Culley and Foster share their journeys through the US pest control industry, from starting out as technicians with very different levels of training to building careers in management, commercial pest control, sales and ultimately creating The Pest Posse.

pest posse tv click below

Home - Pest Posse TV#ADPest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting. ⁠https://powerednow.com/⁠

I'm inviting you to try Powered Now - it saves me hours on quotes, invoices, and admin. Use my link to get £50 off: https://www.powerednow.io/refer?code=FAB82F72

The conversation explores why pest management training should never finish once you've gained your initial qualification.

Topics include:

• Why continuous pest control training matters
• How better training can reduce callbacks and customer complaints
• Why office staff and CSRs need pest management training too
• Building better company culture through education
• The gap between technical pest control training and sales training
• Relationship-based selling rather than simply trying to sell products
• Foster's journey from technician to highly successful commercial pest control sales
• Why experienced technicians still need to refresh their knowledge
• The importance of practical field experience alongside classroom learning
• Digital rodent monitoring and why technology should never replace proper inspection
• Differences between pest control training and licensing in the UK and United States
• CPD and keeping technicians informed as regulations and techniques change
• The increasing restrictions surrounding pest-control tools
• Glue boards, insect monitoring and the challenges restrictions can create for professional IPM

The episode also looks at the story behind The Pest Posse, why it moved towards its own video and training platform, and its mission to provide credible, practical pest management education that helps professionals learn, grow and succeed.

It develops into a wide-ranging and occasionally lively discussion about where the pest management industry is heading on both sides of the Atlantic.

Whether you're a technician, pest control business owner, manager, salesperson or office team member, there is plenty in this episode to think about.

🎙️ Pest Perspectives Podcast – Episode 77
🎤 Hosted by Shaun Muller
👥 Guests: Culley Christensen & Foster Brusca – The Pest Posse

Unpaid invoices can cause serious cash-flow problems for businesses of every size but when should you continue chasing payment yourself, and when is it time to bring in a professional?Joining Shaun Muller on Pest Perspectives EP 76 is Pete Beaumont, Managing Director of Beaumont Recoveries.

Debt Recovery Solutions | Beaumont Recoveries - Transforming DebtsPete brings decades of experience in debt recovery and understands the challenges businesses face when customers delay payment, ignore invoices or dispute money that is rightfully owed.During this conversation, Shaun and Pete discuss:• Why customers and businesses fail to pay• Common mistakes companies make when chasing unpaid invoices• When an overdue invoice should be passed to a debt-recovery specialist• How to remain professional without damaging customer relationships• The importance of clear contracts, payment terms and documentation• What happens when letters, telephone calls and payment plans fail• Legal action, County Court Judgments and High Court enforcement• The difference between ethical debt recovery and aggressive collection tactics• Difficult cases and lessons from Pete’s career• Practical steps small-business owners can take to protect their cash flowThis episode will be especially useful for pest-control companies, sole traders and small-business owners dealing with late payments, difficult customers or long-overdue invoices.

#ADPest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting. ⁠https://powerednow.com/⁠

In Episode 75 of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by Mark Coltman, founder of Mindsafe Coaching and owner of Evolution Pest Control, for an honest conversation about mental health, workplace pressure and the realities of running a service-based business.

Mark shares his varied career journey, from testing defence equipment and working in sales to becoming a pest control technician, business owner, BBC contributor and workplace mental health trainer.

The episode explores how Mark’s experiences within the pest control industry, including poor management, toxic workplace cultures and the devastating impact of losing much of his business during the COVID-19 pandemic, led him to retrain in mental health awareness and establish Mindsafe Coaching.

Shaun and Mark discuss the difference between positive mental health, mental ill health and reaching a point of crisis. They also examine why businesses should not wait until an employee is severely struggling before offering support.

Mark explains the impact of presenteeism, where someone continues attending work but is no longer functioning at their normal level because of stress, anxiety or personal pressures. This can affect productivity, communication, decision-making and safety—particularly in industries where technicians are driving, working alone and handling professional pest-control products.

The conversation also covers:

• Recognising signs that somebody may be struggling
• Understanding workplace stress and pressure “spikes”
• The importance of recovery following stressful situations
• How poor management affects employee wellbeing
• Creating workplaces where people feel safe enough to speak openly
• Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health
• Supporting employees without attempting to diagnose them
• Putting process ahead of judgement
• Mental health first aid and appropriate signposting
• Workplace pressure risk assessments
• The business benefits of investing in employee wellbeing
• Why leadership and management support are essential for cultural change

Mark also shares stories from more than 30 years in pest control, including working for major national companies, appearing on BBC television, contributing to the Jeremy Vine programme and dealing with some unusual pest infestations along the way.

This is a practical, open and thought-provoking conversation for pest-control technicians, sole traders, managers and business owners who want to better understand workplace mental health and create healthier, safer and more productive working environments.

mind safe coaching link below

⁠https://mindsafecoaching.com/#ADPest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting.

⁠

https://powerednow.com/⁠⁠Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.Listen, watch and learn more at: ⁠⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk⁠⁠

In Episode 74 of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by three leading voices in bed bug management to examine one of the most talked-about products in the UK pest-control industry: ChinChex.

Joining the discussion are Francisco Pazos, the creator of ChinChex; Dr Richard Naylor from the Bed Bug Foundation; and Sarah, known throughout the industry as the Bed Bug Queen.

Francisco explains how ChinChex was originally developed out of necessity for his own specialist bed bug company in Hong Kong. After years of research, trials and practical treatments, the amorphous silicon dioxide product was eventually introduced to pest-control professionals across several international markets.

Richard discusses the independent laboratory testing he carried out on the product, including how quickly it can affect bed bugs, the impact of humidity on performance and why desiccant dusts could become increasingly important as resistance reduces the residual effectiveness of some conventional insecticides.

Sarah shares her real-world experience using ChinChex across hundreds of bed bug treatments. She explains her detailed treatment process, including inspection, steaming, vacuuming, dismantling furniture and applying small amounts of dust into cracks, crevices and bed bug harbourage areas.

The panel also discusses:

• How amorphous silicon dioxide affects bed bugs
• The difference between ChinChex and diatomaceous earth
• Why only a light, barely visible application is required
• Dust and aerosol application techniques
• Respiratory safety, PPE and COSHH considerations
• Using ChinChex in beds, headboards and furniture voids
• Bed bug eggs and newly hatched nymphs
• Insecticide resistance and treatment failures
• Bed bug control in hospitals, care homes and hotels
• Preventative bed bug treatment and monitoring products
• The controversy surrounding DIY bed bug treatment kits
• Whether effective DIY products threaten professional pest-control businesses
• The importance of inspection, customer education and staff training
• Potential applications against cockroaches and stored-product insect

The conversation provides an open and detailed examination of the science, practical application and controversy surrounding ChinChex, allowing pest-management professionals to make a more informed decision about whether the product could fit into their own bed bug treatment programmes.

This episode is particularly valuable for pest-control technicians, business owners, housing professionals, hotel managers, care-sector staff and anyone involved in managing difficult or recurring bed bug infestations.

Important: Pest-management professionals must always follow the current product label, safety data sheet, manufacturer’s instructions, COSHH requirements and applicable UK legislation.

#AD Pest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting. ⁠https://powerednow.com/⁠

⁠Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.Listen, watch and learn more at: ⁠⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk⁠⁠

Pest Perspectives sponsor opportunities

https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk/media-kit/

CPD Information for Pest Perspectives Podcast Listeners

Looking to claim CPD for listening to the Pest Perspectives Podcast?

This short audio clip explains everything you need to know about CPD for the podcast, including how it works and what listeners need to do.

Have a quick listen to get all the information you need about earning and recording CPD through Pest Perspectives.

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.Listen, watch and learn more at

:⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk⁠

Pest Perspectives sponsor opportunities

⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk/media-kit/⁠

In Episode 73 of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by Emma from Predator Free Wellington in New Zealand for a fascinating conversation about one of the world’s most ambitious urban predator eradication projects.

Predator Free Wellington is working towards removing introduced predators including rats, mustelids and possums from New Zealand’s capital city, helping protect native wildlife and allowing threatened species to recover.

Emma explains how the project operates across an urban environment, working directly with residents, volunteers and local communities to establish extensive networks of bait stations, traps and monitoring devices.

The conversation explores the challenges of controlling and eradicating rats in a city, including alternative food sources, neophobic behaviour, bait and trap avoidance, access to private properties and the difficulty of locating the final remaining animals once populations have been significantly reduced.

Shaun and Emma also discuss why trapping alone may not always be enough to achieve eradication, the role of toxic bait alongside traps, the use of DOC 200 traps, trail cameras, detection dogs, chew cards, tracking tunnels and automated lure systems.

Emma explains how data plays a major role in the project, with captured animals examined to help build a better understanding of local populations, including age, sex, breeding status and genetics.

The episode also looks beyond pest control and into the wider impact of the programme. Predator removal has helped native bird populations recover, while community involvement has brought residents and volunteers together around a shared conservation goal.

Topics discussed include:

• Predator Free Wellington and Predator Free 2050
• Urban rat eradication
• Integrated pest management
• Rat trapping and toxic bait
• DOC 200 traps
• Neophobic and difficult-to-catch rats
• Trail cameras and pest monitoring
• Rat detection dogs
• Chew cards and tracking tunnels
• Automated lure systems
• Community engagement in pest management
• Protecting New Zealand’s native wildlife
• Non-target species and humane pest control
• Data-led pest management
• The future of predator-free cities

This is a fascinating episode for pest management professionals, conservationists, wildlife specialists and anyone interested in how large-scale pest eradication can be achieved in complex urban environments.

Can an entire capital city really become predator free?

Predator Free Wellington is working to prove that it can.

Any predator free wellington questions email - [email protected]

The ‘contact us’ page on our website also links our social media accounts - https://www.pfw.org.nz/our-project/contact-us/

For the blue print click the link below

Our urban predator free blueprint (2024) • Predator Free Wellington

#ADPest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting. https://powerednow.com/

⁠Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.Listen, watch and learn more at: ⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk⁠

Pest Perspectives sponsor opportunities

⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk/media-kit/⁠

In this episode of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by Dan Lucas from CSS Pest Services for a detailed and practical conversation about pest control on audited and compliance-led sites.

Dan shares his journey into pest management, from starting as a service technician through to service management and progressing into Field Biology. The discussion covers the realities of working on BRCGS, SALSA and food manufacturing sites, where pest control needs to be structured, evidence-led and properly documented.

This episode explores what good pest management looks like when audits, standards, reporting, monitoring, trend analysis, corrective actions and customer communication really matter. Dan gives practical insight into how technicians can approach audited sites, why understanding the site standard is so important, and how Field Biologist inspections help improve service quality.

Shaun and Dan also discuss pest risk assessments, monitoring point checks, non-toxic bait, visual inspection points, proofing recommendations, glue board licensing, integrated pest management, bird risks around loading bays and canopies, and what technicians should consider carrying when working on food and audited sites.

This is a strong episode for pest controllers, technicians, Field Biologists, service managers, commercial pest control companies and anyone interested in raising standards across professional pest management.

Topics include:

BRCGS pest control
SALSA and audited food sites
Field Biologist inspections
Trend analysis and hotspot mapping
Rodent monitoring and EFK records
Site-specific pest risk assessments
Proofing recommendations and corrective actions
Glue board licensing and animal welfare
Integrated pest management
Technician kit for audited sites
Communication between pest controllers and clients

#AD
Pest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting.Job Management Software For UK Trades | Powered NowPest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.

Listen, watch and learn more at:

https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk

Pest Perspectives sponsor opportunities

⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk/media-kit/⁠

This is a great clip from Pest Perspectives Podcast Episode 14, where Shaun Muller is joined by Jason McPhie from ASK Pest Control for a practical discussion about how wasp nest removal actually happens, especially in situations where nests are physically removed rather than simply treated and left in place.

In this clip, Jason explains the real-world process behind professional wasp and hornet nest removal, including how pest controllers assess the nest location, manage risk, choose the right equipment, and safely remove nests when physical removal is required.

Shaun and Jason also discuss the challenges technicians can face when dealing with wasp and hornet nests, including awkward access, working at height, active nests, customer expectations, and why these jobs need proper planning, experience, and safety awareness.

Whether you are a pest control technician, trainee, business owner, or simply interested in what happens behind the scenes during professional wasp nest removal, this clip gives a useful insight into safe, responsible and practical pest management.

The Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd, featuring honest conversations with pest controllers, suppliers, trainers and industry professionals from across the pest management sector.

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.

Listen, watch and learn more at:

https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk

Pest Perspectives sponsor opportunities

⁠https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk/media-kit/⁠

In this episode of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by Jim England, CEO of Protex Pest Control Services Ltd, for a brilliant conversation about specialist bird control, rope access work, subcontracting, commercial pest management and the realities of working at height.

Jim shares how he entered the pest control industry after a varied career including stone cleaning, the London Fire Brigade and driving a black cab, before building Protex into a respected pest control and bird proofing business.

This episode gives a proper behind-the-scenes look at the specialist side of pest management, including how bird proofing works on large buildings, why surveys are so important, and how Protex supports other pest control companies by working under their banner with complete confidentiality.

Shaun and Jim also discuss IRATA rope access, working at height, health and safety, large commercial sites, the challenges of London work, subcontracting specialist services, and why pest controllers do not need to pretend they can do everything themselves when trusted partnerships can help them offer more to their clients.

Jim also shares stories from his time in the industry, including TV appearances, squirrel control discussions, BPCA board experience, and the importance of honesty, professionalism and never guessing when dealing with pest issues.

In this episode, we cover:

• Jim England’s journey into pest control• Building Protex Pest Control Services Ltd• Specialist bird proofing and bird control work• Working with other pest control companies under their own banner• Confidentiality when subcontracting• Rope access and IRATA training• Working safely at height• Why proper site surveys matter• Commercial bird proofing challenges• TV appearances and public perception of pest control• Why honesty and professionalism matter in the industry• How pest control companies can offer specialist services through trusted partnerships

This is a great episode for pest controllers, business owners, technicians and anyone interested in the specialist side of professional pest management.

For bird control enquiries, Protex Pest can be contacted via:Email: [email protected]: 020 8361 7467Website: https://protexpest.co.uk/

#AD
Pest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now - helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling, reports and more.

Job Management Software For UK Trades | Powered Now

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.

Listen, watch and learn more at:

https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk

In this clip from Pest Perspectives Podcast EP46, Shaun Muller chats with Andrew McDonald from UK puntages Supplies about the reality of running a small specialist supplier in the pest control industry.

From dispatch days and postage costs to keeping product prices fair, Andrew explains why “free delivery” is never really free and why stocking up before the busy mole season can save a lot of stress.

A great honest chat for pest controllers, mole catchers and small business owners.

🎧 Pest Perspectives Podcast
Real conversations from inside the pest control industry.

#PestPerspectivesPodcast #PestControl #MoleControl #MoleCatching #SmallBusiness #UKPestControl #PestManagement

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK pest control podcast hosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd. The show features practical conversations with pest control technicians, business owners, suppliers and industry experts, covering rodent control, drainage investigations, bee removal, bed bugs, wasps, commercial pest management, compliance, business growth and wider pest industry topics.

Listen, watch and learn more at:

https://www.pestperspectivespodcast.co.uk