PMP Industry Insiders

This week, Dan and Donnie analyze the available data for the first quarter of 2026, including the Pest Index, unemployment figures and fuel, labor and material costs. They discuss the impact of this winter's cold snap, how the industry is holding up against the March energy spike, thoughts on price increases and AI's impact on marketing. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Welcome to Insiders Rewind - Recapping February This month, we are looking back to: -Ep. 264 - No More Artificial Harmony: Master Conflict and Build a Better Company -Ep. 265 - 100 Years In: How Sprague Pest Grows & Wins in Commercial Services -Ep. 266 - Why Getting Involved with Regulatory Issues Matters -Ep. 267 - Exit by Design, Not by Exhaustion: A Planned Exit vs. A Desperate One. A shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure - Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ Forshaw - A third-generation, family-owned national distributor serving the pest management and wildlife control industry across the United States. They offer over 2,000 products, fast delivery, exceptional customer service, and innovative tools to help pest pros succeed! We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider.

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome Nick Bartolo, CFA, CPA, founder of Essential Partners, a wealth management firm specializing in post-exit planning. He shares strategies for maximizing after-tax wealth, including Roth IRAs, company retirement plans, and diversification of investment portfolios, with emphasis on preparing businesses for potential sale at any time. Guest: Nick Bartolo, Founder, Essential Partners Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie discuss why 80 percent of businesses fail to sell when they go to market, and they explore what it takes to maximize a company's value over several years using a proper discover/prepare/decide model, rather than exiting at a disadvantageous time. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

In Part 3 with the Pest Control Business Coach team, Rick Bell, former VP of government relations at Arrow Exterminators, joins Dan and Donnie to discuss why smaller companies need to engage with regulators and participate in legislative processes. He provides successful examples of industry advocacy and outlines the primary issues PMPs should monitor. Guest: Rick Bell, Technical & Compliance Coach, Pest Control Business Coach Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome AJ Treleven, executive vice president of Sprague Pest Solutions, to the show. He covers the history and philosophy of the 100-year-old family business and shares how Sprague has grown to $50 million-plus with a stewardship mindset and a commercial focus. Guest: AJ Treleven, Executive Vice President, Sprague Pest Solutions Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie address the best way for leaders to encourage healthy conflict to ultimately improve their companies. They share their mistakes, signs you may have a problem and recommendations for getting great results, including training your team to speak up respectfully. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Welcome to Insiders Rewind - Recapping February A shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure - Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ Forshaw - A third-generation, family-owned national distributor serving the pest management and wildlife control industry across the United States. They offer over 2,000 products, fast delivery, exceptional customer service, and innovative tools to help pest pros succeed! We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider.

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome Andy Architect (COO) and Megan Striegel (Senior Director of Public Policy) from NPMA to discuss the 2026 Legislative Day event, March 15-17 in Washington, D.C. They share priorities for this year's hill visits, including state pesticide preemption and legislation related to credit card swipe fees and wildlife services. They also cover practical advice for industry members who cannot attend Legislative Day in person, including suggestions for local advocacy and networking opportunities. Guest: Andrew Architect, COO & Megan Striegel, Sr. Director, Public Policy, NPMA Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, My Pest Pros Co-Owner Brett Lieberman joins Dan and Donnie to share his company's real-world experiences with AI implementation. He discusses his firm's AI voice agent that books jobs and handles customer inquiries, what he learned from analyzing 1.3 million lines of call transcripts and how he created an AI board of directors to provide feedback on business decisions. Guest: Brett Lieberman, Co-Owner, My Pest Pros Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan & Donnie welcome Mark Ruff, a pest industry attorney with MHR Law, to the podcast. They discuss a recent incident in Florida, where officials shut down an illegal door-to-door pest control sales operation and issued a $36,000 fine. Mark discussed how two firms violated Florida regulations, while Dan & Donnie explored the implications of this case for the industry nationwide. Guest: Mark Ruff, Attorney, MHR Law Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

In Part 2 of 2 with Pest Control Business Coach, Laura Corbin joins Dan and Donnie to discuss tools and methods pest and lawn firms can implement today to ensure office and admin teams support growth as companies scale. She also shares the one step she would take now to control chaos and avoid owner burnout. Guest: Laura Corbin, Team Development Coach, Pest Control Business Coach Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping January! Episodes from December: ✅ Ep. 256 - 2026 Pest Control Reality Check ✅ Ep. 257 - I Sold My Business, Now What? ✅ Ep. 258 - The King Green Journey: Growth, Family & Private Equity ✅ Ep. 259 - How to Reach Your Next Million A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week, in Part 1 of 2 with Pest Control Business Coach, Sheri Spencer Bachman joins Dan and Donnie to discuss achieving your next million dollars in revenue. She covers the challenges firms face at key milestones, including making your first hire, defining your culture and core values and establishing systems and processes to break through to the next level. Guest: Sheri Spencer Bachman, Pest Control Business Coach Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Charlie King joins the podcast to discuss his experience building and eventually selling his lawn care company, King Green, to private equity firm Plexus in 2025. He shares challenges and lessons learned throughout his career and the exit process, including working with family, structuring the business, the decision to sell and building a brand. Guest: Charlie King, Founder of King Green Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week Dan and Donnie welcome Jeff Davenport to discuss his experience selling Official Pest Control in California to Anticimex in 2021. Jeff discusses his experience in the pest control industry and shares insights about the sale process, why it's important to think about what comes next and his current role running Prize Pest Control and providing lead gen services to pest control companies. Guest: Jeff Davenport, Owner, Prize Pest Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

David Billingsly joins Dan and Donnie to break down the biggest pest control trends for 2026. As a consultant and PMP Industry Insiders peer group facilitator, David gets behind-the-scenes access to how dozens of companies really operate. Hear his take on the industry’s No. 1 struggle, the push to cut indirect costs and whether pest control could one day become obsolete. Guest: David Billingsly, The Billingsly Group & PMP Industry Insiders Peer Groups Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping November! Episodes from December: ✅ Ep. 253 - X-RAI Call Analytics Dashboard - Explained ✅ Ep. 254 - Safety Training That Actually Works ✅ Ep. 255 - AI's Impact on Pest & Lawn Marketing A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week, Coalmarch Marketing CEO Jeff Davis joins Dan and Donnie to discuss how pest and lawn businesses should be shifting their marketing strategies in response to AI-driven consumer behavior changes. They cover results of the 2026 Marketing Benchmark Report, how search is evolving and what changes Jeff sees on the horizon. Guest: Jeff Davis, CEO, Coalmarch Marketing Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

In this episode, Donnie and Dan sit down with PestSure's COO Todd Burke and Director of Safety Linda Midyett to share what effective safety training looks like in pest companies. They share the results of their cell-free zone distracted driving initiative and cover other strategies to reduce claims, strengthen culture and lower insurance costs, helping owners build safer, more profitable operations. Guests: Todd Burke, COO & Linda Midyett, Director of Safety, PestSure Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping November! Episodes from October: ✅ Ep. 250 - Reflections on PestWorld & 250 Episodes ✅ Ep. 251 - When AI Picks the Pest or Lawn Company ✅ Ep. 252 - Why M&A Isn't Just For The Big Guys: Part 2 A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week, Voice for Pest's Raymond Kidwell joins Dan and Donnie to discuss X-Rai, a call analytics dashboard for pest control and lawn care businesses. He explains how the platform uses AI to prioritize leads and manage customer interactions based on data from more than 1 million calls per month, and he details its approach to AI agents. Guest: Raymond Kidwell, Director of Business Development, Voice for Pest Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Jeremy Ecker, CEO of Rest Easy Pest Control, joins the podcast to discuss his experience doing 16 M&A deals over 13 years, mostly self-funded and structured with earn-outs. Jeremy shares how he started as a bed bug canine inspection company and eventually pivoted to full-service pest control, and he details the challenges and opportunities of both acquisitions and organic growth. Guest: Jeremy Ecker, CEO of Rest Easy Pest Control Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie dive into AI updates, including the debut of the Atlas brower and rise of ChatGPT's "agent mode." They demo several examples of what this new technology can do for pest and lawn companies, and they discuss how marketing strategies must adapt as consumers move away from standard Google searches toward AI research and task execution. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie reflect on PestWorld 2025 and the podcast's 250th episode. They cover the buzz around the show in Orlando, including a rant about vendors who don't support the industry. They also reminisce about why they started the podcast and how it's evolved over five years — and thank their sponsors, guests and listeners for all the support. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping September! Episodes from October: Ep. 245 - Building Business, Industry & Community with Audrey Hall ✅Ep. 246 - Empowering Pest Techs with Automated, Real-Time Data ✅Ep. 247 - Unlocking Profit with Tiered Pricing for Pest Control ✅Ep. 248 - Why M&A Isn't Just for the Big Guys ✅Ep. 249 - New Pest Control Industry Cost Study Data Revealed A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

On this episode, Dan and Donnie review the new Pest Control Industry Cost Study, produced by PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists. They discuss what's changed since last time PCOB did the cost study; the PCOB Competitive Index, a new composite score to track; and the Big 3 expenses every pest firm must manage for profitability. Tune in for an overview of this comprehensive report. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie talk to Pest Control Consultants President Chase Goodeill about his approach to M&A at his $11 million firm. He shares his vision for expansion, his financing strategies and his experience doing nine acquisitions since 2019. Tune in to hear about his "whatever it takes to grow" mindset. Guest: Chase Goodeill, President of Pest Control Consultants Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie highlight the concept of tiered pricing and its psychological impact on customer decisions. They explain price anchoring, the decoy effect and how tiered pricing can help customers overcome analysis paralysis and guide them toward the most profitable option. Tune in to learn how to use these strategies in your pest or lawn business. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Applause CEO Taylor Olson joins Dan and Donnie this week. They discuss how he came to found Applause, a platform that provides incentives for hourly service workers through features like customer feedback collection, performance measurement, instant cash rewards and a technician dashboard. Taylor also details the power of automating employee incentives, and he shares tips for implementation. Guest: Taylor Olson, CEO of Applause Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping September! ✅ Episodes from August: Ep. 241 - Getting People Decisions Right Ep. 242 - Go Big & Simplify: Lessons From Big Blue Bug Ep. 243 - How to Build a Successful Sales Machine Ep. 244 - Budgeting Breakdown: What Pest & Lawn Pros Should Spend on What A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week Dan and Donnie host Audrey Hall, president of Eco Serve Pest in New York, who discussed her journey from growing up in the pest control industry to turning a small operation into a thriving company with 27 employees. She shares her development as an entrepreneur, the company's expansion plans and her philosophy for community giving. Guest: Audrey Hall, President, Eco Serve Pest Services Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

On this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss the budgeting process from both a strategic and practical standpoint. They discuss how to get started if you're not already following a budget and which key performance indicators are most important to strong financial performance. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Pest-End COO Courtney Carace joins Dan and Donnie this week to share her company's experience growing from $6.5 million in 2020 to around $15 million today. Courtney shares the structure and philosophy she and her team are employing in pursuit of reaching $30 million by 2030. Guest: Courtney Carace, COO, Pest-End Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Big Blue Bug Solutions CEO Brian Goldman joins Dan and Donnie to share insights on building a unique brand by being bold, proactive and unafraid to stand out and embrace change. He also discusses the benefits of simplifying operations by focusing on core competencies versus diversifying into other service lines. Guest: Brian Goldman, CEO, Big Blue Bug Solutions Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Effectively managing people is essential when scaling a pest or lawn business. In this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss how to align values, instill accountability and evaluate employees' understanding, motivation and capacity to perform their roles. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping August! ✅ Episodes from August: Ep. 237 - Turnaround Tactics: Fix Your Team's Deadline Problems for Good Ep. 238 - Insider Look: A PMP Shares His Journey to $3M & Peer Group Takeaways Ep. 239 - Culture, Legacy & Leadership at Sherrill Pest Control Ep. 240 - Return on Motivation (Just When You Thought You Had Enough MBA Buzzwords) A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week, Dan and Donnie explore the concept of "Return on Motivation" and its importance in business, discussing how leadership and team commitment impact employee performance and company culture. They share personal experiences and insights about creating motivated teams, measuring the impact of motivational efforts and the role of clear communication and recognition in employee engagement. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie interview Sherrill Pest Control's Kevin and Patrick Sherrill, who shared their company's transformation from a small operation to a successful enterprise, including being recognized in PCT Magazine’s 2025 Best Places to Work rankings. They cover their approach to leadership, culture and core values, and they share the resources that have helped their business get ahead. Guests: Kevin Sherrill & Patrick Sherrill, Sherrill Pest Control Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Justice Pest Control Owner Caleb Cunningham shares his 13-year journey from working in a cubical to buying a one-man pest control route to building a $3 million company. He talks with Dan and Donnie about what held him back for his first decade in business and how he has scaled since with help from outside resources, including peer groups. Guest: Caleb Cunningham, Owner, Justice Pest Services Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

If your team isn't executing as well as you'd like, this episode is for you. Dan and Donnie dissect reasons your people may be blowing deadlines and share strategies for improving communications and turning things around. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping July! ✅ Episodes from July: Ep. 233 - Opportunities & Challenges for Pest Control Firms Today Ep. 234 - OBBBA: Operational & Tax Impacts for PMPs Ep. 235 - How to Establish a Legal, Effective AI Policy Ep. 236 - How to Grow a Pest Company Through Fintech A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts

This week, Jacob Olins, SVP & GM of Fintech for WorkWave, joins Dan and Donnie this week to discuss trends in financial services available through pest and lawn software providers and how they can help you grow your business. They touch on consumer financing, fleet cards, credit card surcharges and more capabilities on the horizon. Guest: Jacob Olins, SVP & GM, Fintech, WorkWave Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we do business, but it's still the Wild West. This week Dan and Donnie welcome Bennett Borden, CEO of Clarion AI Partners, who shares his expertise as an AI lawyer and data scientist. He covers how to responsibly implement policies for using AI — which he calls the most transformative technology since electricity — in pest and lawn companies. Guest: Bennett Bordon, CEO, Clarion AI Partners Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services