Welcome to the first Pest Perspectives Solo Edition.

This is a new format for the podcast where, instead of interviewing a guest, I sit down on my own and share my personal thoughts, experiences and opinions on different subjects within the pest management industry.

For Episode 01, I'm asking:

What does it really mean to be a pest professional?

Does holding a qualification automatically make somebody a professional, or is professionalism about what you continue to learn and how you conduct yourself afterwards?

This Solo Edition is designed to start discussion rather than tell anyone how they should think.

Everything discussed in this episode represents my own personal views and opinions only.

My views are my own and should not be taken as representing the views or official position of the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), any organisation I am involved with, Oakham Pest Control Ltd, podcast guests, sponsors or any other third party.

I'd genuinely like to hear what other pest professionals think:

What does being a pest professional mean to you?

Join the discussion in the comments.

#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/⁠ 

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 

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

How does Bird Free Optical Gel work, and where does it fit within professional bird control and pigeon management?In this episode of Pest Perspectives, Shaun Muller is joined by Ian Smith from Bird Free to explore professional bird control, pigeon deterrence and the science behind Bird Free Optical Gel.We discuss how Bird Free is used to change pigeon behaviour, how visual, smell and touch stimuli contribute to its deterrent effect, and why understanding bird behaviour is so important when tackling persistent pigeon problems.The conversation explores Bird Free Optical Gel alongside more traditional bird proofing methods such as bird spikes and netting, including where different approaches may be suitable and why correct site assessment and installation matter.Topics include:• Professional bird control and pigeon control• Bird Free Optical Gel and how it works• Pigeon behaviour and long-established nesting or roosting sites• Bird deterrence and bird proofing• Optical gel compared with spikes and netting• Site surveys and choosing the right bird-control solution• Common mistakes in pigeon management• The future of professional bird control

bird free website below

Bird Free - HomeWhether you're a pest controller, bird-control specialist, technician, facilities manager or pest management business owner, this episode offers practical insight into modern pigeon control and professional bird deterrence.🎙️ Pest Perspectives | Pest Control & Pest Management PodcastHosted by Shaun Muller of Oakham Pest Control Ltd.

#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/⁠ 

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 

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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 Control Business Growth: Building a Family Pest Control Company | Brandon Nordquist🎙️ Pest Perspectives Podcast - EP80This week, Shaun Muller is joined by Brandon Nordquist from Family Pest Control in Oregon, USA, for a wide-ranging conversation about what pest control really looks like on the other side of the Atlantic.

With around 10 years in the pest management industry, Brandon shares how he went from working for other pest control companies to helping build a family-run business alongside his wife, Candace.

We get into rodent control, exclusion and proofing, crawl-space inspections, bed bugs, cockroaches, squirrels, bees, raccoons, snakes and some of the stranger situations Brandon has encountered in the field.

Brandon also explains why he refuses to take many internal rodent jobs without exclusion, why he describes himself as someone who actually “hunts” rodents by following the evidence they leave behind, and why simply putting down bait or traps often isn’t enough.

The conversation also tackles some bigger industry questions:

Is “green” or organic pest control sometimes being used as a marketing gimmick?

Are pest controllers losing too many useful tools through regulation?

How different are pest-control laws and working practices between the UK and USA?

Are non-chemical methods sometimes actually the quicker and more effective option?

Could AI ever replace a professional pest controller?

We also discuss bed bug treatments including steam, targeted insecticide treatments, Aprehend and silica-based approaches, alongside the realities of working in commercial and multi-unit housing.

This is a relaxed but technical conversation covering pest management, family business, regulation, wildlife control, training, problem solving and where the pest-control industry could be heading next.

🎧 Guest: Brandon Nordquist – Family Pest Control
🎙️ Host: Shaun Muller – Pest Perspectives Podcast / Oakham Pest Control Ltd

#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 

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

#PestControl #PestManagement #PestControlBusiness #FamilyBusiness #PestPerspectives

Is your pest control CPD just a box-ticking exercise? Elaine Bliss, Technical Manager at PestFix, joins Pest Perspectives to explain what real professionalism in pest control looks like and why the 5-year rodenticide "reset" isn't the same as continuous learning.

In this episode, we talk to Elaine about:
🐀 The difference between CPD "box tickers" and technicians who actually retain knowledge
🏆 Why pest control should arguably be a protected title, like "dietician" vs "nutritionist"
👩‍🔧 Being a woman in pest control: lone working risks, industry attitudes, and what's changing
🌍 How regional pest pressures (cockroaches, gulls, field mice, black rats) shape what technicians actually experience
🎓 Getting young people into pest control when careers advisors barely know the job exists

Whether you're a technician working toward your RSPH Level 2, a business owner training staff, or just curious what separates a professional from a box-ticker, this one's for you.

#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/

⁠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

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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 Control Fumigation: Bed Bugs, Grain Stores & Insect Resistance | Martin CobboldMartin Cobbold, CEO of Dealey Environmental, joins Shaun to demystify fumigation - one of the most specialist and least understood corners of pest control.

They cover what fumigation actually involves versus fogging, the qualification pathway to become licensed, and stories from the field including gassing aircraft for bed bugs, red poultry mite in chicken sheds, and the serious safety risks around grain store fumigation. Martin also explains the growing global problem of phosphine and insecticide resistance in stored product insects, why Dealey stepped back from ship fumigation, and shares his take on AI, the ageing pest control workforce, and private equity's growing role in the industry.

A must-listen for anyone curious about the technical, high-stakes side of pest management.

#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

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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 Control Training: Skills, Sales & Continuous Development | Pest Posse TVShaun is joined by Cully and Foster, co-founders of Pest Posse TV - one of the longest-running video training platforms in the US pest control industry, producing weekly content since 2017.

They share their journeys from field technicians to industry educators, including Foster's story of becoming Clark Pest Control's top commercial salesperson and later writing a bestselling book on pest control sales. The conversation covers why continuous training matters more than one-off CEU credits, how untrained CSRs can quietly cost a business sales and trust, and the risks of over-relying on digital rodent monitoring without physical inspection.

They also dig into the diverging world of rodenticide and pest control regulation between the UK and California - including glue board restrictions, second-generation anticoagulant bans, and what each country can learn from the other's approach.

A fascinating look at how two very different regulatory and training cultures are shaping the pest control industry on both sides of the Atlantic.

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

Pe⁠st Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

Debt Recovery for Pest Control Businesses: Unpaid Invoices & Contracts | Pete BeaumontHow do you get paid when a customer refuses to pay an invoice? And when should a small business stop chasing an unpaid invoice themselves and consider professional debt recovery?

In Pest Perspectives EP76, Shaun Muller speaks to Pete Beaumont, Managing Director of Beaumont Recoveries, about debt recovery, unpaid invoices, contracts, payment terms and difficult customers.

Pete explains what businesses can do when customers don't pay, how strong contracts and clear payment terms can protect your cash flow, when to escalate an unpaid invoice, and what can happen when chasing payment yourself doesn't work.

This episode is particularly relevant to pest control businesses, tradespeople, contractors and small business owners who regularly deal with invoices, service agreements and commercial customers.

• How do you recover an unpaid invoice?
• When should you stop chasing an unpaid invoice yourself?
• When should a business use a debt recovery company?
• What should pest control businesses include in their contracts?
• Why are clear payment terms important?
• How can businesses reduce the risk of customers not paying?
• How can you credit-check a potential customer?
• What happens if a customer refuses to pay?
• What happens after a County Court Judgment (CCJ)?
• What is High Court enforcement?
• How can you chase payment without damaging the customer relationship?
• What mistakes do small businesses make when recovering debts?
• Can AI-generated legal letters help with debt recovery?
• Why do some large companies deliberately delay paying smaller suppliers?

00:00 Introduction
02:00 Who is Pete Beaumont?
05:00 Why do customers fail to pay?
10:00 The biggest mistakes businesses make when chasing payment
15:00 When should you use a debt recovery specialist?
20:00 Contracts and payment terms
25:00 Protecting your business before an invoice becomes overdue
30:00 Credit checking customers and Companies House
35:00 What happens when a customer still refuses to pay?
40:00 Small claims court and County Court Judgments
45:00 High Court enforcement explained
50:00 How to recover debt without damaging relationships
55:00 Pete's most unusual debt recovery cases
58:00 Final advice for small business owners

Pete Beaumont is Managing Director of Beaumont Recoveries and has decades of experience helping businesses recover outstanding debts.

Pest Perspectives is a UK pest control and pest management podcast hosted by Shaun Muller. The show covers professional pest control, commercial pest management, pest control business, training, industry issues, technology and the people working across the pest management industry.

Beaumont Recoveries.⁠

https://www.beaumont-recoveries.co.uk

/#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

Pe⁠⁠⁠st Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

Mental Health in Pest Control: Toxic Workplaces, Presenteeism & Business Costs | Mark ColtmanShaun talks to Mark Coltman, founder of Mindsafe Coaching, about mental health and wellbeing in pest control and the wider trades.

Mark shares his own path through pest control from Rentokil to Terminix to Ecolab to running his own company and the toxic management experiences that ultimately led him into mental health training, including a story about an entire technician team receiving written warnings on Christmas Eve. They dig into the difference between absenteeism and presenteeism (staff physically at work but operating at a fraction of capacity), why mental health training pays back roughly 4-5x its cost for businesses, and how daily stress builds up over time if left unaddressed. Mark also opens up about surprising past chapters — testing missiles for a defence contractor, presenting a BBC pest control TV series with Anthea Turner, and getting attacked by parrots live on camera.

A genuinely eye-opening conversation for anyone running or working in a small service-industry business.

mind safe coaching link below

⁠https://mindsafecoaching.com/

#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/⁠ 

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 

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

Bed Bug Control: Does ChinChex Really Work? | Expert Roundtable

ChinChex has caused serious controversy in UK pest control - so Shaun brought together the three people best placed to explain it: Francisco Pathos, the product's creator, Richard Naylor from the Bed Bug Foundation, who ran the first independent efficacy testing back in 2016, and Sarah "The Bed Bug Queen," who has gone all-in on the product after years of relying on insecticides and diatomaceous earth.

They dig into how ChinChex was developed out of necessity in Hong Kong, why it's outperforming traditional bed bug treatments where pyrethroid resistance has made many insecticides ineffective, the real safety picture around amorphous silica dust, and practical application technique. They also tackle the more controversial side: the DIY bed bug kit dividing pest professionals, hotel prevention programmes, and why bed bug infestations are rising sharply across the UK right now.

#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/⁠ 

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 

Pest Perspectives Podcast is a UK independent 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

Want your listening time to count toward CPD? Here's how to claim it.

If you're registered with the BPCA, you can self-register your CPD points straight after listening. If you're on the British Press Register scheme, give it a day or two - a short 4–5 question quiz goes up covering what our guest discussed, and getting it right earns you a point.

For BASIS PROMPT members: we've been submitting podcast summaries and learning outcomes, but haven't yet had confirmation that points are being awarded for this year - we're chasing it up and will keep listeners posted.

Whether you're BPCA, BASIS PROMPT, or British Press Register , this episode covers exactly how to turn your listening time into recognised CPD.