Pestie Profiles Jay Turner

In this episode, we continue our conversation with the legendary figure in the pest industry, Ion Staunton. This time, we delve deeper into his experiences as a "flickman" in the past, the early methods of fumigation, the transformations that have occurred in the industry over the years, his work on the book "Colonies in Collision," his recent projects, including the controversial Termi-trap, and how he's enjoying retirement. With 66 years in the pest industry, Ion has a wealth of stories to share, making it a nostalgic journey for all of us.

Some people may recognize Ion's name, but most in the pest management industry may not be aware of the significant achievements he has made during his 66 years in the field. Ion is, of course, the co-author of our industry's "bible," 'Urban Pest Management in Australia,' but he has also co-authored several other important publications.
In our conversation, we delve into how Ion initially entered the industry, what it was like to work as a pest controller in those earlier times, the formation of AEPMA, his involvement in co-authoring the first formal TAFE course, and the establishment of the very first one-stop pest supply shop. This two-part series serves as a tribute to a genuine legend in our industry.

In this episode, we chat with the husband and wife team, Ryan and Rachel Smith, from LessPest More Control, based on the Gold Coast. Ryan and Rachel are the classic example of how most small pest control companies start. The husband becomes frustrated working for the bigger "juggernauts," and the wife finally convinces him to go out on his own with the help of her management skills! We discuss their first year in business on their own and how they kick-started and built their client base. We even delve into that age-old dilemma that keeps every owner-operator up at night: How and when to hire that first employee? This episode is perfect for those who are procrastinating over taking that plunge and going out on their own.

In this Pesties Profiles episode we chat to Mark and Tanya Glancy from D-Tec Pest Solutions based in South Brisbane. D-Tec is possibly the most awarded pest control business in Brisbane. So not only do we chat about what makes them so successful but also a unique aspect of their business, contract shooting. Contract shooting is an aspect of pest management that many of us would love to get involved in but don't know how or know how to get the opportunity. Mark gives us insight into what is required and what is involved in contract shooting particularly for pigeons. We also chat about Mark and Tanya's massive community work particularly their son Sam's charity foundation Kids4kids. This is definitely the podcast for anybody who loves shooting and wants to incorporate shooting contracts into their business.

In this episode, we chat with Lee Maddocks from Richards Pest Control, based on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This episode is a bit different from our usual profiles. While Lee may lack experience, he makes up for it with his drive. His hunger to learn and improve is the attitude we wish all pest control company owners had. We discuss his biggest challenges when entering the industry and the best ways he has found to learn and improve himself and his business. Lee lives by the motto, "The only dumb questions are the questions not asked!" This podcast is perfect for anyone looking to buy or who has already bought an established business with little to no pest control experience but has the drive to make it work!

This episode, we chat with Amanda Robin from Competitive Services. Not only is Amanda the Queensland General Manager for CPS, but she was also recently awarded the Office Employee of the Year at this year's WIPM Recognition Awards. With over 20 years under her belt in the pest industry, it's not hard to see why! Although Amanda's main role and passion is sales, she is also a qualified technician and loves getting on the tools. Amanda shares her secrets to sales, particularly "cold calling," and how to not only grow your database but also how to recruit and retain staff. Despite Jay recounting some of his goriest carcass removals and Nicky recounting the story of Jay doing the Full Monty, this podcast was actually a lot of fun! Nothing better than a bit of banter with our cousins from across the "dutch"!