Control of species that are harmful to health, economy or ecology
POPULARITY
Categories
Spring planting season is here! If you didn't start tomatoes in January, but still want to--try micro tomatoes and micro-dwarf tomatoes!
Julie got some new birds which segued into the new Texas Right to Farm constitutional amendment, which ensures residential property agricultural pursuits.
Julie visits with Mary Sigro from the Native Plant Society of Texas and Julie Shaddox from Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation to learn about a new gardening app dedicated to native plants--Wild Thumb
In this episode, we cover the 5 Mistakes Killing Your Pest Control Business. This one goes through real lessons, hard-earned mistakes, and practical insights that can help current and aspiring pest control owners build their businesses smarter.Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,300+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesThe Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.comand we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
In this episode of The Boardroom Buzz, the Blue Collar Twins sit down with Jonas Olson, the founder and CEO of Pest Badger in Wisconsin and Michigan. Join us as Jonas shares his inspiring journey from lawn care to building a multi-million dollar pest control empire. Discover his strategies for scaling, marketing, team building, and the importance of relentless execution in business growth. You'll learn: From Lawn Care to Pest Control: A Unique TransitionNavigating Challenges: The Impact of COVID-19Scaling Success: The Growth of Pest BadgersMarketing Magic: Standing Out in a Competitive IndustryEmpowering Teams: The Role of Equity in GrowthBusiness Models: Balancing Equity and SalariesInnovative Marketing Strategies for Customer AcquisitionMarket Research: Lessons Learned from ExpansionThe Journey of Writing a Book: Insights and ExperiencesDaily Routines: Balancing Work and Family LifeGrowth Mindset: Setting Ambitious Goals and Achieving ThemThe Role of Mentorship in Business SuccessLearning Through FailureNetworking and RelationshipsBuilding a Strong TeamThe Role of Discipline in Success Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business? • Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com Connect with the hosts: • Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com Connect with Paul: • Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore
Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,500+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesAndrew Burress is the owner of Natura Pest Control https://naturapc.com/The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.com and we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLC FisherMultiMedia.com
MY NEWSLETTER - https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Casey McDaniel (https://x.com/pestctrlguy). In this episode, we explore the incredibly lucrative and surprising world of the pest control business. Casey reveals how he and his cousin each put up a mere $5,000 initial investment to build a company that reached over $1 million in revenue by its third year.We uncover the intense realities of door-to-door sales, an industry where the absolute top sales reps can pull in seven figures over a single summer. You'll also hear how Casey bypassed a major industry roadblock by legally renting a master license, the insanely high gross margins behind this recurring revenue model, and the strict remote management tactics, including photo SOPs and GPS tracking, he uses to run his Colorado operation all the way from Salt Lake City.Questions This Episode Answers:How are top door-to-door sales reps able to earn over a million dollars in personal commissions in just a few short months?What is the clever loophole you can use to rent a master license and start a pest control company without waiting years for certification?How does the recurring revenue model of spraying for bugs generate such unbelievable gross margins?What SOPs and tracking technology are necessary to successfully oversee a remote workforce of technicians from hundreds of miles away?When looking to scale a service business, is it smarter to build from scratch with a sales team or acquire an existing company?Enjoy the conversation!__________________________Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts.__________________________MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98yApple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT__________________________This week we covered:00:00 Introduction to Brian's Entrepreneurial Journey01:23 Leaving the Corporate World02:10 Managing a Massive COVID-19 Project03:40 The Decision to Become a Fractional CMO05:48 Understanding Growth Strategy and Competitive Advantage07:42 The Choice Cascade Framework10:42 Strategic Choices for Business Success16:41 Balancing Strategy and Execution in Early-Stage Businesses20:47 The Evolution of Business Questions21:46 Balancing Confidence and Speed in Business Decisions22:07 Launching Business Units in Mexico: A Case Study24:51 The Role of Strategy and Execution in Small Businesses27:26 The Journey to Product-Market Fit30:44 The Importance of Positioning and Iteration34:56 Innovative Pricing Models in Talent Agencies38:58 Advisory Consulting as a Competitive Advantage
Today we're talking moths and asking a bold question: could bats be the game‑changing IPM tool that protects harvestable yield and boosts the bottom line for this Kent dessert‑apple farm? Richard and Fraiya Chandler of Chandler & Dunn, together with Agrii agronomist Neil Obbard, have been putting this idea to the test.Summary:Bats as natural pest control: The farm is exploring whether boosting bat populations can significantly reduce key moth pests in apple orchards, lowering reliance on insecticides and cutting production costs.High economic impact of moth damage: Moth species like codling moth and tortrix can cause major crop losses, and current chemical control costs the farm £500–£600 per hectare.Scientific evidence backs the idea: A 2022 study shows that a single brown long‑eared bat can reduce crop loss by 81–83% per hectare - a remarkable potential impact. Habitat improvement is key: Enhancing hedgerows, tree cover, and installing appropriate bat boxes can help attract and support different bat species, boosting their presence in orchards. Wider farming benefits: Using bats aligns with sustainable IPM, protects biodiversity, and may translate to benefits across other crops like plums, cherries, and blueberries.
Mice spotted ‘scurrying along skirtings' in the canteen, a ladybird infestation in a TD's office and seagull troubles are among pest-control issues in Leinster House…Joining Ciara with the story is Darragh McDonagh, Freelance Journalist.
Nebraska pest season doesn't build up gradually — it arrives fast. RECON Pest Services explains what spring means for Omaha and Lincoln properties, and why booking early is the only strategy that actually works. Recon Pest Services City: Omaha Address: 10125 J St Website: https://reconpestservices.com
Al & Jerry: Flea markets in the 80's/90's and are you supposed to tip plumbers, electricians and pest control workers?--plus warm up To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Al & Jerry: Flea markets in the 80's/90's and are you supposed to tip plumbers, electricians and pest control workers? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
From 'Al & Jerry's Postgame Podcast' (subscribe here): Flea markets in the 80's/90's and are you supposed to tip plumbers, electricians and pest control workers? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A controversial petition in Oregon aims to ban hunting, fishing, and pest control, spearheaded by the group 'People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions'. This measure, if successful, would criminalize these activities, sparking outrage among hunters, anglers, and those reliant on pest control for their livelihoods. Supporters argue it's a necessary step towards animal rights, while opponents claim it infringes on personal freedoms and sound wildlife management practices. The debate is heating up as the group seeks to get the measure on the November 2026 ballot, setting the stage for a major showdown over Oregon's natural resources and the rights of its citizens. Is this government overreach?
The latest Grow Clinton Podcast episode features a conversation with local business owner and former police sergeant Josh Weber of Pest Control Consultants, a family-owned pest management company serving Clinton and the Greater Clinton Region. Listeners will hear how Josh transitioned from a career in law enforcement to co-owning a growing service business that protects homes, businesses, and community institutions from a wide range of pests. The episode highlights Pest Control Consultants' focus on safety, responsiveness, and long-term prevention for both residential and commercial clients.Protecting homes: Residential Home Protection PlanFor more information, visit PCC online at https://pccil.com/clinton-ia/. To explore Pest Control Consultants' Residential Home Protection Plan, mosquito yard treatments, rodent services, or commercial programs, visit their website for service details and contact information. You can also subscribe to the Grow Clinton Podcast to hear this episode and stay up to date on more stories from the businesses and leaders shaping the Greater Clinton Region.Community building, economic development, and tourism promotion are the goals of Grow Clinton, a proud 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization in Clinton, Iowa.Subscribe to the Grow Clinton Podcast at the following locations:Apple MusicSpotifyAmazon MusicBuzzsproutOvercastYouTubeFor more information about the Grow Clinton Podcast, visit www.Facebook.com/GrowClintonPodcast.Have an idea for a podcast guest? Send us a message!
Termites, ants, fleas & even overgrown gardens
Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,500+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesChase Goodeill is the owner and CEO of Pest Control Consultants: https://pccil.com/ The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.com and we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
Why, exactly, do NOVA homes face pests in every season? Discover how year-round pest control plans adapt to seasonal pest activity, prevent costly infestations, and keep your home protected when one-time treatments fall short.Info: https://connorspestpros.com/services/pest-control/ Connor's Pest Pros City: Springfield Address: 5410 Port Royal Rd Website: https://connorspestpros.com/contact/
For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, download the WMAL app, visit WMAL.com or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 9:00am-12:00pm Monday-Friday To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter @WMAL and @ChrisPlanteShow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is AI about to disrupt the pest control industry, or is it just another tool?In this solo episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper breaks down the real ways artificial intelligence is already impacting pest control and where it won't be replacing humans anytime soon.From predictive pest data and proactive treatments to smarter routing, automated customer communication, and AI-powered pest identification, Allan explores how forward-thinking companies can use AI to increase retention, improve efficiency, and drive revenue. He also dives into how CRM systems may be falling behind, why routing automation is the next big leap, and how chatbots and AI sales tools could soon outperform traditional CSRs in certain situations.But here's the twist: AI isn't coming for your technician's job, at least not the way you think.Allan explains why blue-collar, on-site service businesses have built-in protection against full automation, how licensing and regulation slow robotic replacement, and why personal relationships between techs and customers remain one of the strongest competitive moats in the industry.If you own or operate a pest control company and want to stay ahead of the curve without panicking about the future, this episode will challenge your thinking and help you prepare for what's actually coming next.AI isn't replacing pest control. But it is separating operators from innovators.
In this episode, we cover the Why 90% of Pest Control Startups Fail. This one goes through real lessons, hard-earned mistakes, and practical insights that can help current and aspiring pest control owners build their businesses smarter.Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,300+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesThe Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.comand we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
Why Your Neighbors in Jasper Trust Faith Pest Control (And Why You Should Too) Well, howdy neighbors! Fred Talley here from Faith Pest Control, right here in our beautiful corner of North Georgia. If you're reading this, there's a good chance you just walked into your kitchen, flipped on the light to grab a glass of water, and saw something scurry across the counter. Or maybe you were out in the garage and saw what looked like little veins of dried Georgia red clay climbing up your foundation. That sinking feeling in your stomach? I get it. We take a lot of pride in our homes here in Jasper. Seeing a roach or a termite isn't just a nuisance—it feels like a personal insult. But before you run out to the big-box store and buy a “bug bomb” that'll just scatter those critters deeper into your walls, I want to tell you why my team and I do things a little differently. We're Your Neighbors, Not a Number Faith Pest Control isn’t some giant national chain where you’re just another ticket on a computer screen. We live and work right here in Pickens County. When you call, you aren’t reaching a call center in another state; you're reaching a local expert. Heck, if I'm in the office, you can ask for me directly! I want to be your bug man, and that starts with a personal relationship. We Don’t Just “Spray and Pray” A lot of companies will do a quick walk-around-the-outside and call it a day. That's not how we roll. We perform a 58-point pest analysis, looking in those dark, damp places where insects love to congregate—crawl spaces, attics, and behind appliances. We even have an entomologist on staff available 24/7 to make sure we've identified your “uninvited guests” exactly right before we even think about treatment. We Value Your Time I'm a stickler for being on time. We don’t give you those “sometime between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM” windows that leave you sitting around all day. We give you a tight 30-to-60-minute range. If we're running even five minutes behind due to traffic on 515, we'll call you the second we know it. The Best Guarantee in North Georgia (Period) I know that “pest control” involves putting chemicals in and around your home, your family, and your pets. That's serious business. If you're just looking for the cheapest price, we're probably not the company for you—because cutting corners in this industry leads to regrets. But, because I believe in our work, I offer what some folks call a “shock and awe” guarantee: Fred's Personal Guarantee: If you hire me to get rid of your pest problem and, at the end of 30 days, you are not 100% HAPPY, I will come back and retreat your home for FREE. I'll keep treating it for free until you tell me you ARE happy. If that still doesn't do it, I'll promptly and politely give you back every penny of your money, plus an additional $25.00 for your time and trouble. Ready to Get Your Peace of Mind Back? Whether it's squirrels in the attic, termites in the floorboards, or those nasty German cockroaches in the kitchen, don't let ‘em bug ya. Give me a holler at 770-823-9202. Let's get those pests out of your house and back to nature where they belong. And hey, mention you read this article, and I'll take $25.00 OFF your first service!The post Why Your Neighbors in Jasper Trust Faith Pest Control (And Why You Should Too) first appeared on Faith Pest Control.
Season 5, Episode 6: The Content Flywheel — How Pest Control Companies Dominate a Local MarketBefore we talk strategy, we have to start with the foundation: true local market dominance is built through strong teamwork between the pest control company and the marketing team. When operations, sales, and marketing are aligned—and everyone is committed to executing consistently—your results don't just improve, they compound. This type of strategy takes time, patience, and commitment, but it's one of the most permanent competitive advantages you can build.In this episode of The Pest Control Marketing Domination Podcast, we break down how to use a structured content strategy to create long-term, “evergreen” lead flow in your market. We'll use a Mind Pump-style example of how a growing contact database fuels drip campaign success—and how consistent written content and video can eventually lead to true local market dominance.You'll learn why strongly written, original content tied to specific topics wins, and how to organize it using pillar pages and topic clusters. We explain how a single authoritative “pillar” page (like Ant Control, Rodent Control, Termite Protection, etc.) can be supported by a library of related subtopic content that links back to the pillar—helping you show up for more searches, increase domain authority, and raise the visibility of every page on your website over time.Ultimately, the formula is simple: Traffic equals leads, leads equal customers. This strategy isn't about quick hacks—it's about building an asset that compounds. If you want to dominate your market for the long run, this is the roadmap.Please review us on Rhino Pest Control Marketing and let us know how we can improve in 2026.Casey Lewiscasey@rhinopros.com(925) 464-8383Follow and subscribe at the following links:https://www.youtube.com/@RhinoPestControlMarketinghttps://www.facebook.com/rhinopestcontrolmarketingLeave us a review on Google:https://g.page/r/CT9-E84ypVI0EBM/review
With some farms underwater we hear from the Environment Agency boss on building resilience though natural flood management.The plant based drink company Oatly has lost a long running legal battle over the use of the term 'milk' in its marketing. And can AI help fight crop pests? Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
Electrofishing technology is being utilised to keep Auckland's Western Springs Lake pest-free. Electrocurrents are being used to stun pest fish and turtles so they can be scooped up, brought to land and killed, with no native species being harmed in the process. Auckland Council senior freshwater ecologist Matthew Bloxham says too many people are getting rid of their old pets when they become inconvenient - with many dumping them in Western Springs. "These things become enormous and they're incredibly fecund animals, they're breeding machines. We call them habitat modifiers...what we're trying to do at Western Springs is give the natives a chance." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we cover the 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Pest Control Company. This one goes through real lessons, hard-earned mistakes, and practical insights that can help current and aspiring pest control owners build their businesses smarter.Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,300+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesThe Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.comand we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
Bed bugs are a growing problem in Arlington, VA, and DIY solutions rarely work. Discover what homeowners need to know about hiring the right exterminator, treatment costs, and prevention strategies to protect your home.Learn more at https://connorspestpros.com/pest-control-in-arlington-va-cost-breakdown-how-to-find-the-best-company/ Connor's Pest Pros City: Springfield Address: 5410 Port Royal Rd Website: https://connorspestpros.com/contact/
Discover why DIY wildlife removal can backfire, what health and fire hazards lurk in your attic, and the proven prevention tips homeowners need to know. Plus, hear how professionals handle everything from humane trapping to exclusion and cleanup.Info: https://connorspestpros.com/locations/pest-control-alexandria/ Connor's Pest Pros City: Springfield Address: 5410 Port Royal Rd Website: https://connorspestpros.com/contact/
Rodents can spread diseases and cause structural damage fast. How do you choose the right pest control company? We reveal the red flags and green flags pest experts use to separate trustworthy professionals from risky operators. Read more at https://connorspestpros.com/rodent-control-in-reston-va-best-companies-prices-reviews/ Connor's Pest Pros City: Springfield Address: 5410 Port Royal Rd Website: https://connorspestpros.com/contact/
Confused about pest control pricing in McLean, VA? Experts break down what drives costs, from ants to termites, and reveal how to compare companies so you're not overpaying for the protection your home actually needs.Info: https://connorspestpros.com/mclean-va-pest-control-exterminators-top-companies-cost-reviews/ Connor's Pest Pros City: Springfield Address: 5410 Port Royal Rd Website: https://connorspestpros.com/contact/
Acquisitions don't have to mean massive deals, private equity, or losing your company's identity. In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Byron Barnes, second-generation pest control owner of Barnes Exterminating in Tennessee, to break down a smarter, more approachable way to grow: micro-acquisitions.Byron shares how he took over his family business at just 22 years old after his father's passing and modernized a decades-old operation rooted in paper files, account cards, and typewriters. From implementing new technology to building a recognizable regional brand, Byron walks through how those early changes laid the groundwork for successful acquisitions later on.The conversation dives deep into how Byron identifies and acquires small pest control companies (typically three trucks or fewer), why timing outreach during the slow season matters, and how personal relationships, branding, and trust play a massive role in deal success. Allan and Byron also unpack what effective customer communication looks like during a transition, how to retain clients when owners retire, and why structured, performance-based payouts protect both buyer and seller.
Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,300+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesJohn Speed is the president of Kilauea Pest Control: https://kilaueapest.com/The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.com and we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
Hey there, neighbors. Fred Talley here from Faith Pest Control. If you're reading this, there's a good chance you just walked into your kitchen, flipped on the light to grab a glass of water, and saw something scurry across the counter. That sinking feeling in your stomach? I get it. We take a lot of pride in our homes here in Jasper, and seeing a roach feels like a personal insult. But before you go out and buy every bug spray on the shelf at the hardware store, let's take a breath and talk about a game plan. Here is exactly what you should do if you spot a “uninvited guest” in your kitchen. 1. Identify Your Enemy Not all roaches are the same. Up here in North Georgia, we usually see two main types: The Smokeybrown or American Roach: These are the big ones (sometimes called “palmetto bugs”). They usually live outside and wander in by mistake. The German Cockroach: These are smaller, light brown, and have two dark stripes on their heads. These are the ones to worry about. They live indoors, multiply faster than you'd believe, and love your kitchen. 2. Clean Like You've Never Cleaned Before Roaches aren’t just there for the scenery; they're there for the buffet. To get them out, you have to starve them out. Wipe the crumbs: Check under the toaster, inside the microwave, and in the cracks of the stove. Dry it up: A roach can live for a month without food, but only a few days without water. Fix that leaky faucet and don’t leave standing water in the sink overnight. Seal the snacks: If it comes in a cardboard box (like cereal or crackers), move it to a sealed plastic or glass container. 3. Clear the Clutter Roaches love cardboard and paper. It's like a luxury hotel for them. If you have a stack of paper grocery bags or old Amazon boxes tucked between the fridge and the wall, get rid of them. You're removing their “hiding spots” and making them feel exposed. 4. Be Careful with the “DIY” Sprays I've seen it a thousand times: a homeowner buys a “bug bomb” or a heavy-duty spray and soaks the kitchen. The problem? If you have German roaches, those sprays often just scatter them. They'll run deep into your walls or into your electrical outlets, making the problem much harder for a professional to fix later. Fred's Pro Tip: If you see one, don’t just spray it and walk away. Try to see where it's running to. That’s the entry point we need to seal or treat. When to Call in the Pros If you see one roach during the day, it usually means there are a lot more hiding in the shadows. At Faith Pest Control, we don’t just “spray and pray.” We look for the source, use baits that the roaches take back to the nest, and make sure they don’t come back. We're your neighbors, and we want you to feel comfortable in your own kitchen again. Whether you're in Jasper, Ellijay, or Blue Ridge, we've got your back. Stay safe, stay dry, and keep those counters clean!The post Don't Panic, But Don't Wait: A Kitchen Survival Guide from Faith Pest Control first appeared on Faith Pest Control.
Campaigns for Pest Control Marketing.Most pest control marketing doesn't fail because the ideas are bad—it fails because the campaigns aren't planned, executed consistently, or measured the right way.In this episode, Casey breaks down how to build a real multi-channel campaign plan that combines offline marketing (door hangers, USPS EDDM mailers, truck wraps), paid lead generation (Google Local Service Ads, Google PPC, Yelp), and owned media (email referral campaigns and long-term organic/SEO) into one coordinated system.You'll learn how to stop running “random acts of marketing” and instead launch campaigns with clear goals, tracking, and follow-up—so you can see what's working, what's wasting money, and what to scale next.How to plan campaigns so every channel supports the same offer, audience, and call-to-actionThe 5 essentials every campaign must have before you launch (so you can measure ROI)How to track and measure offline marketing like door hangers, EDDM, and truck wrapsWhat to watch in Google LSA and Google PPC to determine lead quality—not just volumeWhy lead handling (answer rate, speed-to-lead, follow-up) is the hidden factor behind campaign successThe “Campaign Scoreboard” method: tracking Leads → Booked Jobs → Cost per Booked Job across every channelHow to think about long-term organic growth as the SERP changes with AI answers and reduced clicksThe difference between short-term demand capture (paid) and long-term compounding growth (organic + brand)You don't need more marketing ideas—you need a campaign system with a consistent execution rhythm and a simple scoreboard that makes decisions obvious.If you want a complete marketing strategy that actually gets implemented—and produces measurable growth—this episode is your roadmap.
Marketing a pest control company isn't as simple as posting on social media or turning on Google Ads and for many owners, that's exactly where frustration sets in. In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, host Allan Draper welcomes back Paul Alley, owner of Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley, for a candid, boots-on-the-ground conversation about what it really takes to market and grow a pest control business today.Paul shares the challenges he faced trying to hire an in-house marketer, why most applicants missed the mark, and how that journey ultimately led him to bring on a fractional CMO. Together, Allan and Paul break down why pest control doesn't naturally lend itself to organic social media, what types of content actually get attention, and why branding goes far beyond ads; it shows up in trucks, uniforms, technician behavior, and customer experience.
Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 2,000+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesDennis Kuchta is the founder and CEO of Wise House Pest Control: https://wisehousebugs.com/ The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmillionaire.com.Send your business and entrepreneurship questions to info@pestcontrolmillionaire.com and we'll answer them on the show!Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.com
Execution For Your Pest Control Marketing Strategy (Season 5, Episode 3)In this episode, Casey breaks down how to turn your pest control marketing into a real execution plan—without constantly changing direction. We start with the foundation: committing to a growth strategy with clear goals for customers, revenue, and service mix, backed by a real budget you can sustain.Then we tie everything together into two essential pathways:(1) Organic growth and local authority—your website, SEO (traditional + technical), topic clusters, EEAT-driven content, social media for TOMA, reviews, citations, and showing up in today's expanded search landscape that now includes AI Overviews, ChatGPT-style results, and voice search.(2) Paid lead capture—Google Ads, Google LSA, and other profitable ad channels that generate immediate demand while organic compounds long-term.We wrap with the execution systems that protect your investment: a simple sales process that drives a 40–60% conversion rate, and a CRM-powered follow-up culture using SMS and email automations to track, nurture, and convert every lead.If you want a complete marketing strategy that actually gets implemented—and produces measurable growth—this episode is your roadmap.
What does it really take to get out of the truck and build a pest control company that can grow without you?In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with John Stopka, co-founder of Liberty Pest Control, to break down how John scaled his company past $1M in under two years, starting at just 25 years old, by focusing on leadership, systems, and intentional hiring from day one.John shares his mindset shift from technician to business owner, why he never wanted to “create another job” for himself, and how buying back his time early allowed Liberty Pest Control to grow faster and healthier. They walk through the real, behind-the-scenes progression of replacing yourself in your business, from technician, to CSR, to salesperson, to manager, and how to know when it's time to make each hire. This conversation goes beyond tactics and digs into the emotional side of leadership: • Letting go of control • Hiring people who are better than you • Training employees even when they might leave • Handling fear, stress, and responsibility as an owner • Building systems so the business doesn't rely on youAllan and John also talk candidly about cash flow, owner pay cuts, documenting processes, building culture, and why mistakes are a necessary part of growth. If you're feeling stuck in the day-to-day, unsure when to hire, or wondering how to scale without burning out, this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a roadmap forward.Whether you're just getting started or pushing past your first million, this is a must-listen for any pest control owner who wants to work on their business, not be trapped in it.
MY NEWSLETTER - https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), and my business partner Chris Koerner (https://x.com/mhp_guy).In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of Summer Sales and the unbelievable Economics of the Pest Control industry. We break down how unsexy services achieve 40% Net Margins and why Large Companies are willing to pay Mercenary Sales Crews more than a year's worth of Revenue just to acquire Sticky Contracts.From a genius Middleman play involving Specialty Licenses to the Vitamin vs. Painkiller framework for choosing a Business Model, we explore how to spot Arbitrage in everyday Convenience Businesses like Christmas Lighting. We even debate the "school of hard knocks" versus buying a Course to skip the line and avoid "straight to jail" Regulatory Mistakes.Questions This Episode Answers:1. Why is Pest Control considered one of the most profitable "scams" in Business?2. How can you leverage Specialty Licenses to create a passive Brokerage or Marketplace?3. Why are Hired Gun sales teams paid 1.3x First-Year Sales to walk away from deals?4. How did a Christmas Lighting startup turn into an Eight-Figure Business in just a few months?5. Is it better to pay for a Course or learn through expensive, real-world Operational Mistakes?Enjoy the conversation!__________________________Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts.__________________________MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98yApple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT__________________________This week we covered:00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdotes03:36 The Economics of Pest Control06:45 Insights on Sales Ethics and Practices12:12 Personal Experiences in Pest Control15:50 Questioning the Effectiveness of Pest Control17:15 Revelation: Pest Control is a Scam18:08 The Convenience Business Model19:22 Success Story: Christmas Lighting Business24:46 Entrepreneurial Spectrum: Different Approaches27:02 Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of Knowledge
Calvin Leidy went from delivering Uber Eats in a beater car to earning over $300K his rookie year in pest control. Then he did it again—back-to-back Golden Door awards with $766,988 in serviced revenue in year two.In this episode, Hunter breaks down how Calvin stayed locked in while his friends were partying in Hawaii, why he skipped correlation meetings to knock from 9am to 9pm, and the small adjustments (like an electric lunch box and 15-minute lunches) that gave him more time on the doors. Calvin also shares how he pushed through a $67K slump month when he was used to hitting $100K+.Connect with Calvin:Instagram: @Nivlac11l
In this insightful episode, Allan Draper sits down with Scott Sandberg, co-founder of RUVA Pest Control, to explore how building the right culture is the key to sustainable growth in the pest control industry. Scott shares the inside story of how RUVA scaled to nearly $3 million in recurring revenue and earned thousands of five-star Google reviews in just a few years, without compromising on company values or employee satisfaction.They dive deep into RUVA's approach to hiring, emphasizing mindset and attitude over prior experience, and how training the right people can turn them into top-performing technicians and future leaders. Scott also opens up about real-world challenges they faced, including team turnover, onboarding, and developing internal talent, showing why short-term fixes and “warm body” hires can create long-term headaches.Throughout the conversation, listeners will gain actionable strategies for:Attracting and retaining high-quality employees who align with your company cultureTurning your team into a growth engine while maintaining high standards of serviceDeveloping internal leaders to scale operations without losing control or cultureLeveraging employee excellence to drive customer satisfaction and 5-star reviewsWhether you're a pest control business owner looking to scale, improve retention, or build a high-performing team, this episode is packed with practical insights and lessons learned from the frontlines of a fast-growing, culture-driven company.
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
Pest Control Marketing Tactics in 2026Podcast Season 5, Episode 1 AI Overviews + Voice Search: How Pest Control Companies Win Local Visibility in 2026Google is changing the way customers find local service providers—and pest control is right in the middle of it. In this episode, we break down what AI Overviews mean for local search, how voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant) choose who to recommend, and the exact strategy mid-size pest control companies can use to stay visible and keep leads flowing in 2026.If you've noticed fewer clicks, more “zero-click” searches, or tougher competition in Maps and Ads, this one is your playbook.What we cover1) How AI Overviews are changing the customer journeyWhy more searches get answered without a website clickWhat types of pest control queries trigger AI answers vs “call now” intentThe new goal: becoming the trusted, citable local source2) The “two-layer” strategy that wins AI + voice searchLayer 1: Verified local truth (listings + consistency)Layer 2: Quote-ready expertise (answer-first content + real field credibility)3) Voice search: how Siri, Alexa, and Google decide who to recommendWhy most voice searches are “one-answer” situationsThe local data sources that matter (Maps, business listings, reviews, consistency)4) Practical steps pest control operators can implement this monthListing optimization prioritiesThe right way to build FAQs that match real voice queriesHow to protect your phone number, brand trust, and lead qualityVoice search rewards accuracy + trust: consistent business info + strong reviews often beats “more content.”AI Overviews reward clarity + structure: answer-first sections, real expertise, and easy-to-lift explanations.Local entity > just a website: your business listings, reviews, and service-area signals are now a major “ranking system.”The winners in 2026 will be the companies that build a repeatable visibility + conversion system, not just more pages.✅ Audit Google Business Profile: categories, services, service areas, photos, Q&A✅ Ensure your business info is identical everywhere (name, address, phone, hours)✅ Build 10–20 voice-style FAQs based on real calls (“Do scorpions climb beds?”)✅ Add “answer-first” sections to your top service pages (30–60 word direct answers)✅ Make trust obvious: license #, guarantees, technician credibility, real photosGoogle Business Profile (Maps)Apple Business Connect (Apple Maps / Siri)Yelp + Bing Places (ecosystem visibility)FAQ strategy + structured content (for AI extraction)CRM + pipeline tracking (to measure what's actually producing booked jobs)Key takeaways, Quick action checklist (do this first), Tools & platforms mentionedGoogle Business Profile (Maps)Apple Business Connect (Apple Maps / Siri)Yelp + Bing Places (ecosystem visibility)FAQ strategy + structured content (for AI extraction)CRM + pipeline tracking (to measure what's actually producing booked jobs)
What does it really take to build a scalable business that survives without you?In this episode of The Determined Society Podcast, David Royce shares how he went from knocking doors as a college student to building and exiting multiple pest control companies, including a $500M empire operating across 34 states and 5,000+ cities.David breaks down the real mechanics of scale, why blue-collar businesses with white-collar systems are massively underrated, and how obsession, systems, and cash flow discipline separate businesses that grow from those that collapse. Key Takeaways-A business is truly scalable if you can step away for 30 days and it still runs without you.-Growth is meaningless without strong cash flow and financial control.-Some of the most profitable opportunities exist in overlooked, blue-collar industries.-Systems and processes create freedom and allow a business to operate without constant involvement.-Great sales come from listening, understanding people, and solving real problems.-Obsession and persistence matter more than talent, because most people fail by quitting too early. Connect with me :https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGADavid Roycehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The team kicks off the new year covering new research on the role pests play in spreading H5N1 virus, how German cockroaches respond to commercial essential oils, and new data on thermal thresholds for the common bed bug. We're joined by special guest Faye Golden of Cook's Pest Control! Be sure to check out NPMA's Pestology blog for more information on the research covered in this episode! Have questions or feedback for the BugBytes team? Email us at training@pestworld.org, we'd love to hear from you!
In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper is joined by Jared Ingalls, Vice President of Sales at Pest Management Supply, to unpack one of the most overlooked growth levers in pest control: your relationship with your distributor.With more than 30 years in the industry, Jared shares what most new (and even experienced) pest control owners get wrong about suppliers and why treating them as true partners can save you money, time, and costly mistakes. From helping new operators get licensed and set up correctly, to answering late-night calls, solving tough infestations, and connecting owners with manufacturers, this episode goes far beyond product pricing.Allan and Jared also dive into:How to choose the right supplier when starting a pest control companyWhy transactional relationships fail during real-world emergenciesSmart, low-cost marketing strategies like private-labeled glue boardsHow distributors can help control product costs and improve technician performanceThe long-term value of face-to-face relationships in a regulated industryIf you've ever treated your supplier as “just a place to buy chemicals,” this episode will change how you think about vendor relationships and how they impact your growth, retention, and reputation.A must-listen for owners who want to build smarter, not just bigger.
In this episode of The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex, Paul sits down with David Royce, a founder who built one of the largest residential pest control companies in North America by focusing on systems, culture, and execution in an industry most people overlook. David breaks down how a commission-only sales job in college became the foundation for scaling a pest control business that now generates over $500 million in annual revenue. Instead of chasing trends, he leaned into fundamentals—sales training, leadership development, and building a company that could scale without relying on the founder to do everything. In this conversation, David shares: How early failure in sales shaped his competitive edge Why pest control and other “boring” industries create massive opportunity The role culture plays in attracting top talent How to build systems that allow a business to grow beyond one operator This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone looking to build real businesses with long-term value. Connect with David Royce on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425 Make sure to add Paul Alex on all social platforms: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out CashSwipe:
What does it take to build a pest control company that wins—year after year—without relying on outside investors to do the heavy lifting? According to Chase Goodeill, it starts with the right people around you. This week, the Blue Collar Twins sit down with the owner of Pest Control Consultants to unpack why he and his partners joke they're the “'96 Bulls”—a tight, competitive crew with complementary strengths, a “whatever it takes” mentality, and a shared mission to turn pest control into a wealth-building vehicle for everyone on the team.  Chase shares how he learned to sell before he scaled—cold calling businesses, knocking doors, and driving prospects to a yes or no with relentless follow-up. He breaks down the real mechanics of growth: building sales teams, moving into bigger markets, and expanding into multiple branches across states while keeping profitability front and center.  The conversation dives into partnership structure, acquisitions, retention realities, and why Chase believes you can go fast alone—but to go far, you need a roster that can carry the load. 
Keith discusses the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) new regulations on rental pricing transparency, following a settlement with Greystar. Legendary author, Doug Casey, joins the conversation to argue that the Federal Reserve is waging a quiet war on the middle class. Casey explains that by creating trillions of new fiat dollars to push interest rates lower, the Fed fuels inflation, which erodes savings, distorts markets, and quietly reduces the average American's standard of living. He warns of an impending economic downturn due to inflation and government debt. Resources: Find the FTC article here. Visit internationalman.com to read Doug Casey's weekly articles and watch his "Doug Casey's Take" videos on YouTube. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/585 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text 1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review" For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com or text 'GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:01 welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, the Fed keeps escalating their quiet war against the middle class. I'm talking about it with one of the most influential financial figures of the past century. Today, also what the recent FTC decision on rents means to real estate on get rich education. Speaker 1 0:25 Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold rights for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com Corey Coates 1:11 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education. Keith Weinhold 1:27 Welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, let's get right into it, as there's a lot to cover here on our last big show before Christmas. Briefly before we get to the Fed's quiet war against the middle class the Federal Trade Commission just fired off a warning shot to landlords, and here's the translation about what this means to you, advertise your real all in rent amount with mandatory fees included in that amount or expect company and by company, the FTC means attorneys, paperwork and a long headache, and I'll tell you why I think this is a good thing. But really, first what this is all about is that it stems from the antecedent settlement with the massive global real estate company greystar, about transparent pricing. You might know that greystar is the massive global real estate company. They specialize in rental housing. In fact, greystar is the largest apartment operator in the entire US. They're in about 250 markets. The FTC cracked down on greystars add on fees, those fees added on to the rent amount that aren't clear and transparent right from the beginning. Now, in their case, it's things like Package Concierge charges, valet, trash service fees and some of these other line items that magically appear after a renter has already emotionally moved into a unit. Now for your rentals, they might be other things like Pest Control fees, gym fees, pet fees, utility add ons and notice that I use the word might, because clarification is still being sought here, but suffice to say, the least that you should know is really three things, advertise a rental price that excludes mandatory charges and that could be a violation of the law. So then state the total cost of renting the unit up front, no fine print gymnastics. Secondly, do a compliance check. You need to review your ads to confirm that they honestly convey your rental unit's price. That includes working with third party marketing vendors like Zillow or Facebook marketplace to see if they accurately state the all in price, because if they understate the price, it's still your problem. And thirdly, know that the FTC is reviewing harmful practices in the rental housing market. They'll take action against landlords that try to hide mandatory fees, so no hide and seek. And the FTC resource is in our show notes, and I sent it to you in last week's newsletter as well, if you want to read it, all my take here is that this type of transparency is a good thing. I mean, come on, we all know how annoying it is if, say, an airline states like, Hey, we've got prices to this destination. You can fly there for as low as $200 Yeah, but what if it's a 28 hour, four layover journey to fly 300 miles? Okay? What about buying an event ticket to go to a music concert and say you've already got 10 minutes wrapped up in this, but they don't show you the final price with all the fees until you've already invested that 10 minutes a. Then you learn about this in your shopping cart. So that type of thing is deceptive, all right. Well, what this FTC case does is it eliminates that effect in the rental housing market. So if you're a landlord, your competitors shouldn't be able to advertise base rents minus fees against your unit that appears higher priced than it's really not. And then for renters, I mean, the clarity helps expedite their search process. So this lets good assets compete on real value, and that is good business. Now, as far as the Fed controlling the economy, Jerome Powell announced interest rate cuts both last year and some more again this year, and though the effect isn't immediate, mortgage rates do come down with them. Mortgage rates have also fallen this year because the yield spread premium is lower. And you know what the prevailing sentiment is among a lot of armchair economists, it is squarely this, you ain't seen nothing for cuts yet. People say, Oh, watch, once Trump gets his guy in there in May, meaning that's when the newly appointed Fed chair is in power. Oh, you're really going to see some giant rate cuts then, yeah. I mean, a lot of people talk about this like it's certainly coming. They say then the Fed funds rate is going to go way down, meaning mortgage rates are then going to go way down, meaning that home prices are therefore going to soar next year. Well, all that could happen, but it is nowhere close to the certainty camp for everything to respond exactly that way. As you know, as a listener here, paradoxically, mortgage rates have little to do with home prices. Look at history over hunches. In fact, it might be more likely that those things don't happen and don't all break exactly that way, then the probability that they do, and that quickly gets into conjecture territory. As we know, lowering rates is bad too, because it signals that a weak economy needs the help. Typically. What could be different this next time. Well, whether we're in a good or a bad economy, Trump still wants lower rates, and he really imposes his will on the situation. Keith Weinhold 7:30 We're about to bring in the author of a new book called The preparation. It's about preparing for the economic future. A lot of the book is mostly for young men and their parents, but we'll speak to both females and males. Today is the middle class both worse off and in a way, better off today than they were a generation or two ago. Talk to your grandparents. They didn't pay for a college education. They didn't get one. They rarely ate out at restaurants. They didn't have a smartphone, which is now practically mandatory to even exist. Today, people are paying for all of that, so no wonder that prospective first time homebuyers almost seem to be going extinct. Let's meet this week's guest. Keith Weinhold 8:21 Are we going to get a painful financial reset in the form of runaway inflation, a market crash or something else? We'll answer that before we're done today, the Fed is engaged in a quiet war against the middle class. They are going to create trillions more Fiat dollars to lower interest rates further and create inflation that's according to today's guest. He is the International man himself, a legendary and generationally popular author, and he does a lot more than that. He's back with us for a sobering look at this today. Hey, welcome in. Doug Casey, Doug Casey 8:57 Thanks, Keith. It's nice to be here with you, although care for me is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I spend a good part of the year. Keith Weinhold 9:05 Such a nice place, good year round weather. There. A piece you recently wrote is titled, The Fed's quiet war against the middle class. The Fed recently announced that they're stopping Qt, which basically means they're stopping the destruction of dollars and opening the floodgates to print dollars. You've been known to say that the level of interest rates is the most important single indicator of an economy, and the Fed has made several quarter point cuts over the last year plus, although the President is supposed to stay independent of Fed influence. Oh my gosh, he has been more vocal than any other president ever over how badly he wants low rates. What are your thoughts with regard to all this Doug? Doug Casey 9:53 Well, the Fed, which most people have been taught to believe, is part of the cosmic firmament. Right? It should be abolished. It serves no useful purpose. The Fed is an engine of inflation. It's what creates Federal Reserve notes. It's an engine of inflation and purely destructive, and it's used by the government to finance itself. So that's the first thing I've got to say. And they don't know what interest rates should be. Neither does Trump neither does anybody else. That's for the market to determine right and interest rates are set by the amount of savings that's done by the people and the amount of borrowing that's done by other people. The problem is with the Fed printing up lots and lots of money, which they are through the banking system, it makes it rather foolish to be a saver. In other words, if you produce more than you consume, which is something everybody should do, you want to save the difference. That's how you become wealthy. But if they destroy the currency with inflation, it's pointless to save, and if there's no savings, there's no capital to lend. This is why we're sliding off a slippery slope in the direction of a third world country where there's no savings, where the money's no good, it's a real problem. I think the average American, despite increases in technology that we've benefited from over many years, the average American has found his standard of living go down a lot, and it's basically because of the destruction of the currency that makes it impossible for him to save and get ahead of things, and results in wild and crazy moves in the stock markets and the real estate markets and the interest rate markets, where things become unpredictable. So everybody's being turned into a speculator, whether they like it or not, and frankly, we're headed towards a real reckoning in the US and in the world generally. So my approach at this point is to hold on to your hat, because we're in for rough running in the years Keith Weinhold 12:14 to come. To create low rates, the Fed basically needs to create trillions of new Fiat dollars. Tell us about how that works. Doug Casey 12:25 Well, it's a question of the supply and demand of money. You've got two things happening. Number one, when the Fed has quantitative easing, as they call it, which basically means inflating the dollar. Quantitative easing, or QE is just a nice word for inflating the dollar. They're increasing the supply of dollars out there. You increase the supply of dollars, the price of money goes down in the short run, but in the long run, the value of the dollar also goes down. And nobody's going to lend money if they can't get more in interest than it's being depreciated at. So you've got these two forces fighting against each other making for an unstable system. That's why I say that look before 1933 and when Roosevelt took gold out of the dollar, or in fact, before 1913 when the Federal Reserve was created, before that, there was no central bank. There was no Federal Reserve in the US. Money was just a medium of exchange and a store of value. It wasn't a political commodity, which it is now. Today, everybody is looking at the government to do something to make a decision to raise rates. Some people want them higher or lower them. Some people want them lower. But this is for the market to decide. It shouldn't be a political decision. Keith Weinhold 13:53 Low rates, which most think are coming, produce an inflationary environment, which then means that longer term, there need to be new higher rates in order to combat that. Doug Casey 14:05 Well, what we've got is a situation where conflicting advice and beliefs are causing rates, and indeed, most of the economy, to go up and down like an elevator with a lunatic at the controls. And actually, that's a very good analogy. Keith Weinhold 14:22 And low rates to your earlier point, Doug, they don't encourage anyone to save. And you know what? Government policy doesn't encourage anyone to save either in times of crisis, like, look what happened during covid. Oh my gosh, if these people can't go to work and generate an income, they don't have any savings, obviously. So then let's go ahead and intervene even more and send them stimulus checks, basically a bailout. So low rates discourage anyone from saving, but so does our policy, because every time there's a big catastrophe, oh, they just come in with a safety net anyway. That's Part. The reason why we have such a problem with capital formation of the average American today? Doug Casey 15:04 Well, it's actually worse than that, because over generations, a lot of debt has built up in the country. In other words, to maintain your standard of living, a lot of people have borrowed. They've done this either by taking the savings of past generations and borrowing it or mortgaging their personal futures. Either way, look, if you and I went out and borrowed a million dollars today, we could raise our standard of living artificially, sure, for the next year, but at the end of that year, we have to pay back the million dollars to lost interest, and that artificial rise in our standard of living will result in a very real decline in our standard of living. And a great deal of the borrowing that's been done to stimulate the economy through the banking system is for consumption, not for production. In other words, a lot of the borrowing is not to create new technologies and new infrastructure and new capital goods to create more wealth. A lot of it's just stuff that you wind up. People are borrowing things to fill their basements and their garages with more junk, consumer borrowing, borrowing for vacations, borrowing for to go to music, shows, all kinds of things. This has become a habit in the US, right? So let's look. It's going to end very badly. It's going to end and is ending as we speak, actually, in what I call the greater depression. It's going to be what we're looking at here, largely because of monetary manipulation, but also because taxes have gone up, up, up, up from zero level. Basically, in 1913 there were no income taxes in the US, the US government lived exclusively on minimal tariffs and excise duties. But today, there's right and they're very high, high levels of inflation, high levels of borrowing. So I think we're coming to the end of the road, as far as that's concerned. And it's bad news. Of course, most of the real wealth in the world, when you have a financial collapse, when you have a depression, most of the real wealth still exists. It just changes ownership, that's all so you want to position yourself so that you're not too adversely affected by what's coming Keith Weinhold 17:31 this inflation and more coming inflation pumping up the asset values of the asset owners and then ruining the lifestyles of those in the lower middle class and making them trend down lower since they spend a greater proportion of their income on everyday needs like clothing and food, which is a small proportion of people that are well off and the poor don't have the assets to benefit from that inflation. And you know, Doug, it wasn't until I read your recent article that I realized something that initially the fed only had one mandate, price stability, and then later they added that maximum employment was their second mandate. I didn't realize that. So really, it's been an expansion of what they're paying attention to, and a de facto expansion of their powers and influence and control. Doug Casey 18:23 Well, actually, they have a third mandate now, which is to control long term interest rates, to prop up the mortgage market, to prop up the real estate market. Because, as you know, the real estate market floats on a sea of debt, and if you can't get a mortgage, if you can't borrow, you can't buy real estate, or, for that matter, you can't sell it. So this makes it a very unstable situation, and most people are unaware of the fact that before the last depression, the longest mortgage you could get was five years, and that was with a 20% down payment. So things have changed a lot since then, and the more debt you use to finance anything, the more unstable things become. And the fact that things have become so unstable, and the average guy's standard of living has been sinking, and he has more credit card debt, more mortgage debt, more automobile debt. Used to be paid cash for a car, then was financed for two years and five and seven, and then it was leased where you never even owned it. I mean, this is, this is a trend that's coming to an end at this point, so it's going to be quite a comeuppance for people. Keith Weinhold 19:42 I think long term financing and the easing of getting financing makes the cost of anything higher. There's probably no greater example than that of what has happened with college tuition over the decades. But you know Doug, when we talk about this centrally planned economy. Rather than letting free market forces take over, I love it. I just absolutely love it when the answer to a problem is actually doing less than what you're currently doing, let go of the reins, rather than the Fed controlling interest rates. If there were a free market doing it, you would have bank loan rates that couldn't become too high, or else they wouldn't attract borrowers. So rates would naturally fall, and then you also couldn't have bank loan rates that are too low, because you've got to compensate the bank for bad borrower risk. So rates would come up, and they would find some natural level, kind of to the point that you made earlier. There would be a natural set point price discovery. That's how I think of a free market working for interest rates rather than announcements by a Fed chair. Doug Casey 20:51 Well, you're right. The problem is that the high government officials, the elite, if you would, think they know best and try to manipulate things, but they don't know best, quite frankly. And one other comment that you made, which I think is very appropriate, is college tuitions. For years, I've recommended that young people forget about college. It's a huge misallocation of your time and money, you wind up studying things well after you are through partying and drinking and chasing the opposite sex, and the things you learn about have no practical application in the world. And I'm not talking about learning history and the classics and mathematics and science, okay? Those are valuable things. Most of what people are taking in college today are hobby subjects, if you would, or things that are fun to learn in your spare time, but you shouldn't burden yourself with a lifetime of debt to do those things and get a worthless degree. Everybody has a degree and with grade inflation, they're a waste of time. That's listen. That's why I wrote this book with Matt Smith. Is my podcast. It's called the preparation. It's on Amazon, and it explains talking about your standard of living, which is what this is all about, really, why it's foolish to go to college today and exactly what especially a young man should do, instead of misallocating The four most valuable vibrant years of his life, sitting behind a desk listening to Marxist leaning professors corrupt you with all kinds of really bad ideas. So that's why we wrote the preparation. And it tells young men exactly what they should do, instead of burdening themselves under hundreds of 1000s of dollars of debt, which can't be discharged and serves no useful purpose, what they've learned in exchange for it. So, I mean, this is one of the one of the things that people should be doing, but not enough are. Keith Weinhold 23:07 AI changes things fast. I mean, for a four year college graduate today, what you learned as a freshman three or four years ago could quickly be outdated, and that effect just wasn't nearly as great as it was a few decades ago, but if you're listening in the audio only, Doug just held his book called The preparation, which he co authored with Matthew Smith. If this way of thinking resonates with you, here's some actionable things that you can actually do. You're listening to get rich education. Our guest is international man. Doug Casey, when we come back, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold Keith Weinhold 23:41 you know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year, I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program. When you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom family investments.com/gre, or send a text. Now it's one, 937, 795, 8989. Yep, text their freedom coach directly again. 1-937-795-8989 Keith Weinhold 24:52 the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 420, Five, six, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com. Robert Helms 25:23 Hi everybody. t's Robert Allens of the real estate guys radio program. So glad you found Keith Weinhold and get rich education. Don't quit your Daydream. Keith Weinhold 25:34 Steve, welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, we're talking with Doug Casey about how the Fed is quietly intervening and hollowing out the middle class when it comes to interest rates. Since you state about them being the most important indicator for an economy, I think a lot of people don't realize Doug, and maybe you run into this too, that interest rates are not high today. I mean, on the long run, the Fed funds rate averages 4.6% and today it's in the high threes. So they're not actually high today. But with all these crises where we had all this money printing in these low rates, they feel high, but they're not. Doug Casey 26:22 Well, you're quite correct. The question is, at what rate is the dollar losing value? The official US government figures say, Well, I don't know what they say. They vary, and the numbers are jumbled. And I think the general price level in the US, if we were realistic, is going up well over 5% probably closer to 10% you can make that case. Yeah, I think so, because I'm talking to you now from Argentina and for years, the figures were notoriously and outrageously concocted, made up to make people think things weren't as bad as they are. And here in Argentina, we've just had a revolution, actually a peaceful revolution, with replacing the Peronist government with a man named Javier Malay. It's probably the most unusual and most important election, believe it or not, in world history, because Malay was elected here in Argentina on the platform of basically getting rid of the government disbanding it. In other words, Elon Musk's Doge, but on steroids times 10, and things have gotten a lot better here because of that. And it's too bad that Doge has been eliminated in the US, because a lot of people don't understand that the government doesn't really produce anything at all. All it does is take taxes from you and pass that money around to other people with a lot skimmed off the top to do things that entrepreneurs would probably, or certainly, I'd say, do by themselves, and they make it worse by printing up money to give to people to do those things, and borrowing money, which acts as an albatross around everybody's neck. So I'd make the case that I'm not promoting either the Republicans or the Democrats, I'd kind of say a pox on both their houses. They're just two sides of the same coin. What I think we ought to have is a much smaller, much much smaller government. But are we going to get one? No, we're not getting it right now, because I think a lot of people aren't aware of the fact that the government is running 2 trillion, $3 trillion per year deficits, and those deficits are going up, not down. So where's that money coming from? Well, most of it's being created out of thin air. It's being inflated through the banking system. So the prognosis is not terribly good. Now, along the way, of course, people have hid in real estate, made a lot of money in real estate. Real estate prices have gone up faster than retail inflation has gone up. Yeah, but I'm asking myself whether it's not possible that the real estate market could come unglued at this point, because it floats on a sea of debt. What do you think, Keith, do you have any fears about that? Keith Weinhold 29:27 Homeowners are in great shape today. They have record equity positions. They're not going to walk away. Many of them are still locked into these really low mortgage rates, so they're in really good shape. This is something very different from the 2008 global financial crisis, when you had irresponsible borrowers that had negative equity positions and an oversupply of housing so they could move out and get something cheaper. Today, if you move out in the great situation that you're in with your low mortgage rate and a high equity position, you'd lose your high equity position and. Might have to go pay rent that's higher somewhere else, so I don't see a lot of real estate appreciation coming over the next year or two, but I don't see any impending crash, largely due to that condition, there's not distress in the market. Doug Casey 30:17 Are you worried about the fact that most local and state governments are on the ragged edge of insolvency and might be raising their real estate taxes and of course, insurance costs seem to be going up a lot faster than most other costs as well. Right now, utility costs are relatively low because oil and gas prices are low, but that could change too. I mean, is there anything that could take the real estate train off the rails? Keith Weinhold 30:47 Not that I see. In fact, real estate values have only fallen substantially one time since World War Two, and that was during the 2008 global financial crisis, when we had conditions that are largely the opposite today. That's back when we had an oversupply and an irresponsible borrower that had negative equity so they wanted to walk away, and that created the down drain. To your point, yes, I do see property taxes continuing to increase, but because values aren't increasing as much, they would have to increase the mill rate to get further increases, and then most of the big insurance increases, many feel they are done. They had to come up. Because with inflation, the replacement cost of a property, if you would have a loss, rose and increased that way. So because we're still supply challenge in a lot of places, I see prices holding up but not appreciating like 10% anytime soon, and that's due to an affordability constraint. I don't see how they could possibly do that. And when we talk about that average person Doug, that person trying to make their mortgage payments or their rent payments, I was talking on a recent episode about the K shaped economy, I think it's something that we often visualize in our mind. You see the upper branch of the K rising, the lower branch of the k falling, which is emblematic of this hollowing out of the middle class. But I recently saw it graphically represented, where you have the capital share of income going up for people over the decades. That used to be 5050, between capital share of income and labor share of income. Back 60 years ago, it was 5050, but now, with this K shaped divergence, one's capital share of income is about 57% today, and their labor share of income is only about 43% today. And it's kind of sad. I sort of hate to say it out loud, but it's like, hard work just does not pay off, like it used to. Much of this due to inflation pumping up asset values. Doug Casey 32:52 Well, I understand what you're saying, and I think you're correct, because there's an old saw. They say the rich get richer while the poor get poorer, and that's kind of what this K shaped economy is telling us. You've got the super rich in the top 1% or 1/10 of 1% that are becoming Ultra double wealthy, and the guy at the bottom, well, his social security taxes have risen from almost nothing to 15% of his wages, and it's a real problem. And it's said that the members of Gen Z can't afford to buy a house today as well. So what do you do about this? Well, my suggestion is, if possible, you don't want to get a job working for somebody else. If at all possible, you've got to work for yourself as an entrepreneur. That's the first thing. It's very hard to get wealthy working for somebody else. The best is to work for yourself, but in order to do that, you have to train yourself with lots of skills and lots of knowledge. And I'm not sure if people are doing that to the degree they ought to either. So I don't know how this is going to end. And of course, you mentioned earlier, artificial intelligence and robotics are tied up hand in glove with artificial intelligence. It's clear that within five years, we'll have robots that may not look entirely like people, but can do almost anything that a human being can do, and this is going to put a lot of pressure on people that don't have special skills, especially with artificial intelligence being programmed into these super competent robots. So the whole world is changing right before our very eyes. Right now, Keith Weinhold 34:39 when we talk about the middle class struggle. I probably follow the housing market more closely than you do. The NAR recently gave us the latest statistic. Two years ago, the average age of the first time homebuyer was aged 35 last year, it rose to 38 this year, it's now 40 just the average. Age of the first time homebuyer. So in high cost areas, that could very well be 45 I mean, people are getting gray hair before they make a down payment for this middle class that's trying to get into the ownership class. Doug Casey 35:13 And the further back you go, the younger the age right people were buying houses at So, I mean, it used to be people would try to buy a house right out of school. Frankly, that's out of the question today. Keith Weinhold 35:27 Yeah, I sure don't remember those days myself, but Yeah, it sure was substantially younger just a couple decades ago. Well, Doug, where are we going with all this? I mean, does a reset eventually happen with either runaway inflation? Do you think that happens first, or some sort of market crash, or is it something else? I mean, what cataclysmic act is likely to happen first? Doug Casey 35:52 Well, look, I hate to be too gloom and doomy, because everybody, first of all, generally speaking, trends in motion stay in motion, and everything has been maybe gradually descending standard of living wise, but the economy's held together, and we haven't had any catastrophic collapse. Well, almost in 2008 and a couple other times, but I think we're headed for one. So what should you do about it? I would say, consume less if you possibly can, and save what you can, if possible, take a second job while it's still possible, to go out and get a second job or found an entrepreneurial activity so that if you lose your job, you've got a backup system. But with the changes in technology and of course, what's happening in robotics and AI are just part of it. You're not going to be able to rely on what you relied on in the past, because the world is changing very, very radically as far as real estate is concerned. Look, I actually own a lot of real estate, but, you know, I've come to the conclusion that at this point I want to treat my house and other real estate, basically as a not so much as an investment to make money, but to store value. That's right, a store of value where I can put some capital aside. I don't want to keep a lot of money in dollars. That doesn't mean I want debt either. That's risky. For many, many years, I've advocated and bought gold and silver because they are money in its most basic form, and it's worked out really well. I started buying gold at about $40 it's at about 4000 today, and I've always treated it, almost always, as a savings vehicle, not as a speculative vehicle, although, if I want to speculate, I speculate in mining stocks, which are a leveraged way of playing gold and silver, the most volatile class of securities on the planet, actually, and I understand that a lot of people today have Robin Hood accounts and are speculating on the stock market, desperately trying to stay ahead of currency debasement and somehow build a nest egg for themselves by speculating in the market. Generally, that's not a good formula for success you're playing against, you know, extremely smart and well capitalized and knowledgeable big boys, and the fact that everybody's doing it is also, in itself, a tip off to the fact the stock market could be at the tippy top right now, I kind of think it is a bubble in the tech stocks. It's tough, Keith, there's not a lot of places to run and hide at this point. Keith Weinhold 38:39 Price to earnings ratios are really bloated in the s, p5, 100. I'd love to get your thought on this. Doug, if a person can get a 30 year mortgage rate for a rental property where the rent income meets or exceeds the expenses at a mortgage rate between six and 7% should they do that? Doug Casey 38:57 Look, if you can cover your mortgage a fixed interest rate mortgage 30 years. One thing that you can almost plan your life around is that dollar is going to lose value every year. So the actual value of your debt, your mortgage, is going to go down every year, right? And presumably the rent that you can charge on your house is going to go up every year. So yep, doing it the way I think you're doing it is an excellent plan for slow and steady long term success. Yeah, it makes sense. You're right. Keith Weinhold 39:30 We actually have some listener questions on the thing that you brought up, which I call inflation profiting when you borrow long term fixed interest rate debt and get to pay it back with more plentiful dollars down the road. Some people don't understand what you just explained. One way I brought it up with my listeners is we'll just look back 30 years ago, in 1995 the average home cost 130k an 80% loan would be 104k so here, 30 years later, that median home costs over 400 K, and you still just owe 104k on the loan. That's the benefit of what I call inflation, profiting on long term fixed interest rate debt. And of course, your tenant would have paid that down to zero as well. But that kind of makes the benefit be more apparent when we look back into the past 30 years. Well, Doug, as we're winding down here, you have any other thoughts about, just say, the average American out there, what they should do with the Fed behaving and controlling the economy like we do. We're talking about the average American, maybe someone with a mortgage, some rental properties, some savings, maybe a 401, K. How do these potential shifts in Fed policy translate into real life consequences and actions for them. Is there anything else? Doug Casey 40:44 Well, look, don't count on some outside force to kiss everything and make it better. You've got to look out for number one. And as I said before, the way you do that is you should cut back your expenditures every way you can at this point and when you cut back your expenditures, save that money. Now, what do you do with the money that you save? It's not as easy making that recommendation as it was a few years ago, when I was recommending gold, when it was much cheaper than it is. Now it's at $4,000 now look, save money, get an extra job, earn money, cut back your consumption, learn some new skills, because we don't know how things are going to reorient with the immense advances being made through AI and robotics. That's just generalized advice, but that's all you can do, is well and buy real assets. Nothing wrong with buying a house the way you're talking about if you can buy it and the mortgage is cracked with rent. Eventually, I think we're going to see interest rates go back up to the levels that they were in the early 1980s people don't remember this, but the US government was paying 1518, even 20% for its money, and mortgages were, well, 15, 16% it's going to happen again. So I think if you can lock in a mortgage anywhere in here, on a good piece of real estate that covers the mortgage, that's simple, it's doable. Everybody should try to do it. In addition to the other things I mentioned Keith Weinhold 42:20 in 1981 the 30 year fixed rate mortgage peaked at over 18% to our earlier point about the fact that mortgage rates are actually historically low now so are fed funds rates. Well, Doug, tell us one last time about your new book and then any other resources. If our audience wants to engage with you Doug Casey 42:40 I do a blog will know who he is. We've had him here on the show twice, yeah, well, he writes there for us every week, and we've got great articles. That's number one. Number two, I do a podcast with Matt Smith every week called Doug Casey's take on youtube.com third, I urge everybody to get this book, which talks about, if you have a grandchild, a son, it talks about why you should not go to college and what you should do exactly instead of going to college. So that's another thing to do. And we have a newsletter that also covers mining stocks, which is where I'm concentrated in at the moment. They're very cheap, very volatile, and one of the few places in the market, and I hate to say this, that offer the potential of 10 to one or more returns in the near future. So I guess those are the areas where you can find out more about me. Keith Weinhold 43:49 Again, the new book from Doug is called the preparation. It shows a compass on the cover, and then internationalmen.com. Is actually where Doug wrote a piece called The Fed's quiet war against the middle class, which spawned this very conversation right here. Doug, it's been valuable as always. Thanks so much for coming back onto the show. Doug Casey 44:08 My pleasure. Keith, thank you. Keith Weinhold 44:16 Yeah, real estate is positioned for price stability. I was actually investing directly in real estate through the 2008 global financial crisis, and I know what happened is that people walked away from properties when the economy got rough and they couldn't make their payments. It is almost impossible for that to happen today. Homeowners can make their payments. Look through Census Bureau data in realtor.com we know a couple things here. Four in 10 homeowners have no mortgage at all. They own the property free and clear. And then among that group with mortgages, 70% of those borrowers still have a mortgage rate locked in at. Under 5% yes, still today I'll amalgamate those for you. This means that 82% of borrowers either have no mortgage or they have a rate under 5% so that is really affordable payments, along with the protective equity and inflation can't touch that principal and interest amount in addition to real estate, Doug Casey is a longtime gold and silver guy. Of course, both of those have sort to fantastic new all time highs this year. Keith Weinhold 45:34 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from me and everyone here at GRE. Next week is another big one. You'll get GRE home price appreciation forecast for next year to the exact percent. I'm Keith Weinhold. Don't quit you daydream. Speaker 3 45:53 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively Keith Weinhold 46:21 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, get richeducation.com
Francis and Nate talk about dumpster diving, household pests, caring for strays, and electrical work. Don't miss the special Hallmark Christmas episodes over on Patreon with Francis and his wife. Final episode will be available December 24th! - https://www.patreon.com/Hellofawaytodie And if you're looking for presents for the father figure in your life, check out the store - https://whatahellofawaytodad.com/