Pest Control Success Stories

Pest Control Millionaires

Pest Control Success Stories is hosted by Dan Leibrandt and brought to you by Pest Control Millionaires. Each episode features interviews with successful pest control owners from our community, sharing their journeys, strategies, and lessons learned. From marketing insights to business growth tactics, we dive into what’s really working in the industry today. If you’re serious about growing your pest control company, tune in and join the conversation.

Episodes

  1. Aug 10

    Couri Leuschner: Growing Botanical Solutions From $400K to $1M in 2 Years

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 4,700+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires In this episode, Dan sits down with Couri Leuschner, founder and CEO of Botanical Solutions out of Westchester County, New York. Couri is a board certified master arborist, a credential held by only two percent of certified arborists, and spent nearly a decade working every role in tree and lawn care before starting his own company in 2021. He grew from $400K a year as a solo operator to $700K in his first year inside Pest Control Millionaires, and this year he is closing in on $1 million with two technicians on his team. Couri breaks down the three lead engines behind that growth. He has built more than 15 strategic partnerships with landscapers, irrigation companies, and tree crews, cold calling up to a thousand landscapers every winter and paying $200 per closed lead so partners have real incentive to refer. He posts Talking Trees Tuesdays and Turf Tip Thursdays in around 100 local Facebook groups every week, a free strategy that built him a loyal local following and brought in 40 to 50 clients this year at a $3K average, six figures of revenue for about an hour a week. And he lands ultra wealthy estate clients, including properties with millions of dollars in plantings alone, through his relationship with the top landscape company in his market rather than through ads. The back half gets tactical. Couri shares why he does a monthly property inspection with a written report for every client and how that level of service keeps premium accounts, when the numbers tell you to make your first hire, the speed to lead mistake that cost him this year, how charging a consultation fee filters out tire kickers, and why he believes his single county can support a $20 to $30 million company. Couri Leuschner, Owner of Botanical Solutions: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/couri-leuschner-b36a3187/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/couri.leuschner/ Website: https://botanicalsolutionsny.com/ Dan Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt    Website: https://danleibrandt.com  Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:48 Ten Years Learning, Then Going Solo 04:10 The Message to Jonas That Changed Everything 05:24 When to Make Your First Hire 07:10 Strategic Partnerships 101 10:45 Cold Calling 1,000 Landscapers a Winter 12:37 Closing Partners and Paying $200 Per Lead 15:28 The Monthly Inspection That Keeps Premium Clients 17:42 Do Certifications Actually Matter? 21:06 How He Lands the Ultra-Wealthy 23:49 The 100 Facebook Groups Strategy 28:14 Five Mile Famous: Six Figures From an Hour a Week 32:30 The Best Investment I Ever Made 36:52 The Speed to Lead Mistake 38:39 The $20M Vision and Advice for Owners 40:56 Where to Find Couri #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #pestcontrol #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #danleibrandt #botanicalsolutions

    Couri Leuschner: Growing Botanical Solutions From $400K to $1M in 2 Years

  2. Aug 3

    Kirk Slack: Selling a $3M Lawn Care Company and Starting Over in Pest Control

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 4,700+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Dan Leibrandt interviews Kirk Slack, founder and CEO of Dang Pest Control in Tyler, Texas. Kirk spent the first half of his career in commercial real estate until the 2008 crash, then rebuilt from nothing by throwing a lawnmower in the back of his truck. Over the next 14 years he grew that lawn care and landscaping company in Austin to $3 million a year before selling it to one of his competitors. He is now running the same playbook again in pest control, having launched Dang Pest Control roughly a year ago with his wife, his son, and his stepdaughter all involved in the business. Kirk walks through how he built the first company on pure guerrilla marketing, from cheap flyers and nine arounds to the early days of Google when you could switch the phone on and off like a faucet. He credits much of his growth to Jonathan Pototschnik's Lawn Care Academy mastermind, the same group Jonas Olson came out of, where owners toured each other's facilities and gave brutally honest feedback. He gets specific about what "know your numbers" actually means, why five KPIs beat twenty, and how cost of goods sold tells you instantly whether your problem is pricing, routing, or a crew sleeping in the truck. He also explains why so many operators leave mowing and landscaping behind, and why he chose pest control over fertilization and weed control when it came time to start again. The back half is about how he is filling the schedule in year one without a big ad budget. Kirk breaks down his Facebook group strategy, including the simple habit of photographing his truck outside local businesses and cross posting to community groups, which put a single post in front of 175,000 people in his market and has made Facebook his second largest source of referrals. He talks about giving away free advice to people who will never hire him and collecting five star reviews for it, why AI search is already sending him calls, and how comic book style branding is building a name people search for directly. He closes on the thing he says most owners get wrong, which is not the mistake itself but the silence afterward, because customers forgive almost anything except feeling ghosted. Kirk Slack, Owner of Dang Pest Control: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DangPestControl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-slack-a1034b1a Website: dangpestcontrol.com Dan Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt    Website: https://danleibrandt.com  Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:28 From Commercial Real Estate to a Lawnmower in the Back of His Truck 02:50 Guerrilla Marketing and the Early Days of Cheap Google Ads 05:10 Nine Arounds and the Mastermind That Changed Everything 08:29 Know Your Numbers, Implement, and Don't Reinvent the Wheel 11:30 Cost of Goods Sold, Five KPIs, and Catching Problems Early 14:56 Three Offers, a Wedding, and the Move to East Texas 16:43 Why He Left Lawn Care for Pest Control 22:21 Nobody Is Dying: The Mindset He Brought to Company Number Two 26:35 Making Pest Control Fun and Building a Brand People Search For 28:42 Getting Calls From AI Search 30:26 Inside Pest Control Millionaires 39:17 The Facebook Group Strategy That Reached 175,000 People 45:40 Turning Free Activity Into Real Leads 50:32 Communicate Early, and Why Customers Only Hate Being Ghosted 53:47 Where to Find Kirk #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #pestcontrol #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #danleibrandt #kirkslack

    Kirk Slack: Selling a $3M Lawn Care Company and Starting Over in Pest Control

  3. Jul 20

    How Two Brothers Hit $100k/month in Pest Control (Without Quitting Their Jobs)

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 4,500+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires In this episode, Dan sits down with Alex and Justin Lydick, brothers and owners of Southwest Weed & Pest Solutions out of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The brothers started the company in 2023 with zero industry experience after Alex drove past a guy spraying weeds on the side of the road and figured they could do the same thing. Three years later they run a million dollar company doing $100K months and adding around 200 new accounts a month, all while Alex works full time in cybersecurity for the federal government and Justin works part time as a caretaker for his uncle. Alex and Justin walk through their slow first year, when they made about $30K, priced jobs at break even, dealt with constant callbacks, and door knocked for an entire day without a single sale. They explain how a chance meeting with a mentor pulled them into pest control, why their revenue is now split 50/50 between weeds and pests, and which service they would pick if they had to start over tomorrow. They also break down the branding decision customers mention in their reviews: every technician wears a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, and every truck is a black F-150. The back half of the episode gets tactical. The brothers share how they run the business with five virtual assistants covering the phones from 7am to midnight, seven days a week, how they spend $10K a month on Facebook ads testing 20 new creatives at a time, and why slow speed to lead cost them an estimated $100K in missed revenue. They also talk about what changed after joining Pest Control Millionaires in December. They learned to run their own ads after wasting thousands on agencies, built out Go High Level, hired their VA team, went from one technician to four, and moved from one time services to recurring plans. Their biggest month last year was $30K. Now they do that in about a week. Justin and Alex: Alex's Email: alex@swpestweeds.com Justin's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swsolutionsnmofficial Website: https://swpestweeds.com/ Dan Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt    Website: https://danleibrandt.com  Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:53 Starting With a Ranger and Zero Experience 3:00 Day Jobs and the Roadside Idea That Started It All 6:18 A $30K First Year of Hard Lessons 8:04 Biggest First Year Mistakes 11:10 Cowboy Hats, Cowboy Boots, and Black F-150s 14:33 Weed Control vs Pest Control 20:00 Fixing Pricing, Warranties, and Quoting 22:59 Running the Office With Five Virtual Assistants 28:45 Working for Free and When They'll Quit Their Jobs 32:22 Adding 200 Accounts a Month With Facebook Ads 37:04 The $100K Lost to Missed Calls 41:06 What Changed After Joining Pest Control Millionaires 44:33 Production Pay and Career Paths 48:06 The Vision: Biggest in New Mexico 49:45 Advice for Owners and Where to Find Them #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #pestcontrol #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #danleibrandt

    How Two Brothers Hit $100k/month in Pest Control (Without Quitting Their Jobs)

  4. Jul 6

    Tateum O'Hanlon on Scaling Summit Pest Control to $70k/Month (at 21 Years Old)

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 4,400+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires In this episode, Dan sits down with Tateum O'Hanlon, owner of Summit Pest Control out of Guelph, Ontario. Tateum is 21 years old and started Summit in May 2025 after seeing his parents' neighbor get quoted nearly $1,000 for mosquito control. Just over a year later, he's at $70,000 a month with four full-time employees, he's fully out of the truck, and roughly half of his revenue comes from social media. Tateum breaks down the exact social media strategy that fueled his growth, including why he leads with educational content instead of memes and edits, how he pulls video topics straight from Google's most searched questions, why he posts twice a day across five platforms, and the reposting trick that turns one proven video into hundreds of thousands of views. He also explains how his organic content cut his Meta ads cost per lead in half, and why he pulled AI off the front end of his customer experience while keeping it running on the back end. Tactical takeaways include how Tateum charges nearly double his competitors and still wins the job, why his customers pay for the full year upfront and how that cash fuels aggressive marketing, the team structure that got him out of the truck in under a year with a commission-only closer, a VA, and two technicians, how the Pest Control Millionaires program shifted him from one-time jobs to recurring services, and his vision to become the biggest residential pest control company in Canada. Tateum O'Hanlon, Founder of Summit Pest Control: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tateum-o-hanlon-8192a717b/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tateum.ohanlon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tateum.ohanlon Website: summitpestcontrol.ca Dan Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt    Website: https://danleibrandt.com  Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:02 How Tateum Got Into Pest Control 04:27 The First Few Months in Business 06:25 Getting Started on Social Media 09:56 The Reposting Trick and Finding Video Topics 14:15 Charging Double and Getting Paid Upfront 18:07 Why He Pulled AI Off the Front End 21:24 The Social Media Strategy Boiled Down 24:25 Getting Out of the Truck 31:42 Team Structure: Closer, VA, and Two Technicians 33:54 Back-End AI and the Claude Chrome Extension 36:40 Inside the Pest Control Millionaires Program 41:01 Meta Ads: Offers, Volume, and Follow-Up 46:25 The Vision and Final Message #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #pestcontrol #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #danleibrandt summitpestcontrol

    Tateum O'Hanlon on Scaling Summit Pest Control to $70k/Month (at 21 Years Old)

  5. 12/13/2025

    Steve Delaney on His GENIUS Strategy To Increase Sales By 27% For Yard Boss

    On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with Steve Delaney, the founder and owner of Yard Boss out of Lincoln, Nebraska. Steve started mowing lawns in high school, turned it into a legit business in 2008 while he was still in college, and has since grown Yard Boss into a $1.4M+ lawn care and pest control company running multiple crews and serving around 2,400 mostly residential clients. From dropping architectural engineering to studying turf management, to rebranding from “Steve’s Lawn & Landscaping” to Yard Boss, Steve’s path is a real look at what it takes to turn a side hustle into a serious, scalable business. Steve and Danny break down the pivotal decisions that changed everything: leaving a tiny 8,000-person town to go all-in on a bigger market like Lincoln, getting around masterminds and high-level operators in 2019, and the mindset shift that came from realizing “you don’t know what you don’t know.” They dig into how Steve added pest control as a natural extension of his fertilizer business, why he avoids termites and bed bugs for now, and exactly how he thinks about service stacking, rebranding, and picking a market that actually matches your growth goals. You’ll also hear how Yard Boss is quietly crushing it with upsells and retention using tools like Go High Level—selling $10K–$12K days off a single text blast, turning fungus and armyworm outbreaks into profitable campaigns, and building a seasonal rhythm with aeration, seeding, and Christmas lights. Steve shares practical, street-level tactics like oversized yard signs, aggressive truck wraps, home shows, answering the phone (seriously), and hiring an office manager “as soon as you can.” If you’re a lawn care or pest control owner trying to scale beyond word of mouth, get out of the field, or figure out your next market, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons you can apply right away. Steve Delaney, Owner of Yard Boss: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.delaney.5 Yard Boss: https://yardbosslawns.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Chapters: 00:00 The Genesis of Yard Boss 03:01 Growth Strategies and Customer Acquisition 06:09 Mindset Shifts and Key Pivot Points 08:49 Expanding Beyond Small Towns 13:10 The Importance of Customer Service 15:53 Service Diversification and Rebranding 19:06 Upselling and Marketing Strategies 22:54 Launching Successful Campaigns 25:21 Upselling Strategies and Seasonal Services 27:56 Marketing Innovations and Messaging Adjustments 30:08 The Power of Yard Signs 34:02 Branding and Rebranding Insights 40:31 Future Expansion Plans 42:06 Lessons for Business Owners #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #stevedelaney #yardboss

    Steve Delaney on His GENIUS Strategy To Increase Sales By 27% For Yard Boss

  6. 12/06/2025

    Jesse Beltran on Hitting $400k/year With ZERO Ad Spend For Drop Dead Pest Solutions

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 900+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with Jesse Beltran, founder of Drop Dead Pest Solutions out of Evansville, Wisconsin. Jesse is a third-generation pest pro who launched Drop Dead Pest Solutions in 2009 while working construction, then went full time in 2013. He shares how growing up around the industry shaped his approach, what those early grind years really looked like, and why a simple inspection-first process builds relationships that turn into customers for life. We dig into the business model too. Jesse breaks down his current split of services at roughly 75 percent general pest and mice with about 25 percent wildlife. He explains why bats can be highly profitable within tight seasonal windows, how he trains techs to spot and upsell recurring services, and the little touches that make customer service unforgettable. Think dog-treat welcome packs, remembering pet names, and documenting personal notes so every visit feels familiar and trusted. Jesse also opens the playbook on growth. He credits the Pest Control Millionaires Program for a pivot to Facebook groups and dialed-in ads that paid for the program in the first two weeks. We talk about hiring his first tech, why bringing on an office manager (his wife) unlocked capacity, and his plan to scale to multiple trucks and a door-to-door sales team while keeping quality high. He closes with timeless advice for owners at any stage. Set the long-term target and work backward. Take smarter risks. Delegate what slows you down so the business can move faster. Jesse Beltran, Founder of Drop Dead Pest Solutions: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jesse.beltran.3760 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-beltran-7b769171/ Website: https://ddpestsolutions.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #jessebeltran #dropdeadpestsolutions

    Jesse Beltran on Hitting $400k/year With ZERO Ad Spend For Drop Dead Pest Solutions

  7. 11/29/2025

    Walker Rose on How He SCALED Turf Chief Into a $2.5M Lawn Care Empire

    On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with Walker Rose, founder and president of Turf Chief, a fast-growing Louisville-area lawn care brand now topping $2.5M/year. Walker shares how he left civil engineering, bootstrapped from weekend landscaping to full-time owner, kept things lean (paying himself ~$12K that first year), and brought his brother in as hire #1. After hitting $1M around year 6 with Local Lawns, he spun up Turf Chief three years ago to focus on scalable services—lawn fertilization, weed control, and mosquito management—with a personal, locally rooted touch. We dig into the marketing pivot from door flyers and cold lunches with property managers to in-house Facebook ads that actually convert—after burning six figures with agencies that delivered “robot leads.” Walker breaks down what’s working (native-feeling creatives, the right lead forms), the red flags he watches for (keep ad accounts in your name, demand transparency), and why he’s targeting residential for scale while still maintaining a 50/50 commercial split on the turf side. He also unpacks the acquisition game: five deals to date, including Daleco this spring via SBA financing and a creative seller holdback—plus how community plays (youth sports fields, banner shout-outs) turn visibility into trust. You’ll hear his hiring and culture rules (hire for integrity and team fit, train the skills), the discipline to avoid complacency by protecting mental/physical bandwidth, and a clear plan to dominate Louisville first before expanding. Walker’s message to owners: believe in your ability, ignore the naysayers, and keep your head down—progress compounds faster than you think. Walker Rose, Founder of Turf Chief and Local Lawns: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walker.rose.9 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walker-rose-35469891/ Turf Chief: https://turfchief.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Walker Rose 06:00 Transitioning to Turf Chief 12:00 Lessons from Marketing Failures 17:57 Future Plans for Turf Chief 20:43 Acquisition Strategies and Experiences 23:58 Community Engagement and Local Presence 27:08 Final Thoughts and Advice #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #walkerrose #turfchief #locallawns #louisville  JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    Walker Rose on How He SCALED Turf Chief Into a $2.5M Lawn Care Empire

  8. 11/22/2025

    Nick Russler on Hitting $70k Months in LESS Than a Year For Honorable Pest Control

    On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with Nick Russler, the founder and CEO of Honorable Pest Control. Nick went from “almost out of pest control” to launching Honorable and hitting a $70K month in under a year—while building a reputation for integrity, punctuality, and family-safe, environmentally responsible treatments across Ann Arbor and Lansing. He shares the roller-coaster path from failed acquisitions to a surprise investor, opening an hour from home under a non-compete, and grinding through 100-hour weeks to get two trucks, a front office, and sales humming. We dig into how he cracked big commercial accounts (including multi-property portfolios) by proving results for free, then turned that momentum into high-margin residential growth. Nick breaks down why he’s moving away from apartments, the callback/tenant-prep headaches, and how switching from one-off jobs to properly priced subscriptions (mice included) doubled his recurring revenue—supported by LSAs, referrals, door-knocking, and a simple, repeatable “show up and solve it” promise. You’ll also hear the hiring playbook (commission-only techs, recruiting hungry wrestlers, bringing in 25-year veterans to add services like termites and moles), the sales mindset shift (ask better questions; let customers sell themselves), and the discipline of reinvesting almost everything back into the business. If you’re building a pest control company the right way—for customers and your team—this one’s a blueprint for speed, grit, and doing what you say you’ll do. Nick Russler, Founder of Honorable Pest Control: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nickolas.russler.3 Phone: 517-990-7399  Email: Office@HonorablePestControl.com Website: https://honorablepestcontrol.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Podcast Chapters:  00:00 Introduction to Nick Rustler  06:01 Rapid Growth and Marketing Strategies 11:56 Transitioning to Residential Services 14:52 The Impact of Joining the Program 20:55 Hiring and Building a Team 25:32 The Journey of Entrepreneurship 31:15 Sales Strategies and Techniques 37:25 Marketing and Lead Generation 41:07 Advice for Pest Control Owners #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #nickrussler #honorablepestcontrol #annarbor #lansing #lansingmi  JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    Nick Russler on Hitting $70k Months in LESS Than a Year For Honorable Pest Control

  9. 11/15/2025

    John Stopka on How He GREW Liberty Pest Control To $1M in Less Than 2 Years

    On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with John Stopka, the founder and owner of Liberty Pest Control. John got his start in pest control at just 19, sharpened his sales chops at Orkin, and launched Liberty only a year and a half ago—growing to 1,700+ accounts and on the cusp of $1M/year. He credits the surge to a simple formula: be obsessed, deliver real value, and treat people like people. From winter door-knocking to BNI networking, John focused on getting known—wrapping trucks for maximum brand recall, posting consistently on social, and using permission-based “thank you” posts that double as local proof. We dig into the sales mindset (value over price, ask real questions, skip the gimmicks), offers that resonate (monthly billing, a mosquito + general pest bundle, going above and beyond with de-webbing and small helpful touches), and the marketing levers that moved the needle—especially Facebook ads he tuned from $100+ CPL down to $10–$15 by building scrappier, native-feeling creatives and the right lead forms. John also shares how delegating early helped him scale to seven employees, why culture and small acts of appreciation create referral flywheels, and how he’s upgrading systems now to support the next phase. If you’re stuck wearing every hat, John’s message is clear: delegate sooner than feels comfortable, get relentlessly visible in your market, and serve customers, employees, and fellow owners with a “servant’s heart.” He’s aiming for $25M revenue and a future exit—not by being the cheapest, but by being the most valuable and most known. John Stopka, Founder of Liberty Pest Control: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.burkeen.1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stopka-1663bb2b4/ Website: https://www.liberty-pest.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Podcast Chapters:  00:00 Introduction to John Stopka 05:06 Starting Liberty Pest Control 10:11 Marketing Strategies and Brand Awareness 14:14 Joining Pest Control Millionaires Program 20:47 Hiring and Company Culture 26:48 Lessons Learned and Advice for Owners #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #johnstopka #libertypestcontrol  JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    John Stopka on How He GREW Liberty Pest Control To $1M in Less Than 2 Years

  10. 11/08/2025

    Aaron Huskey on His SECRET To Adding $200k in The Past Year For Huskey Turf Solutions

    Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 900+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionaires On this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt sits down with Aaron Huskey, the founder of Huskey Turf Solutions. Aaron shares how a side hustle mowing nights and weekends turned into a 13-year journey of building a thriving lawn care and pest control brand. Starting out with long hours, door knocking, and reinvesting every dollar into better equipment, Aaron eventually shifted from mowing to high-margin, scalable lawn treatments — now focusing on weed control, fertilization, and perimeter pest services. He breaks down how Huskey Turf grew from a small-town operation to $850K in revenue this year, up from $640K the year before, driven by smart upsells, a standout pink rebrand that made their trucks locally iconic, and a simple but effective Facebook strategy — personal posts in community groups instead of salesy company ads. Aaron also dives into hiring lessons (slow to hire, fast to fire), focusing on one service area at a time, and why spraying lawns beats mowing for long-term scalability. His advice for other owners: “Stop chasing shiny objects. Pick one thing, do it well, and get 1% better every day.” Aaron Huskey, Founder of Huskey Turf Solutions: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.huskey Website: https://www.huskeyturf.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Aaron Huskey 05:24 Navigating Early Challenges and Growth 10:49 Transitioning to Pest Control Services 14:12 The Power of Branding and Marketing 17:28 Leveraging Social Media for Growth 25:30 Future Aspirations and Advice  #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #aaronhuskey #huskeyturfsolutions #edmond #edmondok  JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    Aaron Huskey on His SECRET To Adding $200k in The Past Year For Huskey Turf Solutions

  11. 11/01/2025

    Jorel Solis on DOUBLING His Accounts for Confidence Pest Control This Year

    In this episode of Pest Control Success Stories, Danny Leibrandt interviews Jorel Solis of Confidence Pest Control, a Marine Corps veteran turned entrepreneur who has built a thriving locally owned company in Temple and Belton, Texas. Jorel shares how his military background shaped his leadership and accountability, how he scaled his business past six figures, and the strategies he used to earn more than 200 Google reviews that pushed him to the top of local search. Danny Leibrandt and Jorel Solis dive into the power of content creation, from informative seasonal tips to authentic and even humorous posts that connect with the community. They also explore how strategic partnerships, like teaming up with a lawn care company, can accelerate growth, and why being the “best known” in your market is more powerful than competing with national chains. In closing, Danny Leibrandt highlights Jorel Solis’s vision for Confidence Pest Control as he looks to hire his first technician, build a values-driven team, and continue growing by focusing on relationships and consistency. This episode is packed with lessons for pest control owners who want to separate themselves from competitors, build authority, and scale their businesses the right way. Jorel Solis, Founder of Confidence Pest Control: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jorel.solis TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jorel.solis YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConfidencePestControl Website: https://confidencepest.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com  Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Jorel Solis  06:21 The Transition to Entrepreneurship 10:14 Lessons from the First Year 16:02 Content is King 23:52 Joining the Pest Control Millionaires Program 28:47 Building Strategic Partnerships 35:59 Future Aspirations and Growth Mindset #pestcontrol #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolowner #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolads #growpestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #jorelsolis #confidencepestcontrol #austintexas  JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    Jorel Solis on DOUBLING His Accounts for Confidence Pest Control This Year

  12. 10/25/2025

    Shawn Riley on The TRUTH Of Adding $300k in The Past Year For Tactical Pest Solutions

    Pest Control Success Stories kicks off with Shawn Riley, co-founder of Tactical Pest Solutions in Oklahoma City. Host Danny Leibrandt digs into how Shawn went from zero customers to $1.5M ARR in 12 years (adding about $300K in the last year) by becoming a “customer service company that happens to do pest control.” Shawn shares the early grind of balancing a full-time job while building the business, plus the role of bright red trucks, relentless community branding, and smart acquisitions (including a pivotal 2014 deal) that accelerated growth. You’ll hear how Tactical tightened operations by promoting a service manager around the $1.2 to $1.5M mark, why over-communication (calls, text ahead, text behind, knock and notify) drives retention and referrals, and how culture is the real moat. Customers do not cancel “Caleb,” because they would feel bad doing it. Shawn also talks about joining the Pest Control Millionaires program, the impact of weekly calls, on-site time with Jonas and Jake, and finally getting a handle on the numbers with advanced bookkeeping. His next target is $3M in five years, built on people, process, and pride in the craft. Shawn’s message to owners and techs is simple and strong: honor your craft and your customers. Treat every visit like you are a guest in someone’s home and the referrals will follow. Connect with Shawn on Facebook and LinkedIn (links in the description), and subscribe for more real, boots-on-the-ground wins from inside our Pest Control Millionaires community. Shawn Riley, Co-Founder of Tactical Pest Solutions: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rilo51 Website: https://www.tacticalpestsolutions.com/ Danny Leibrandt, Co-Founder of Pest Control Millionaires: Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt    Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Shawn Riley 03:07 Early Challenges and Growth Strategies 10:42 Transitioning from Branding to Marketing 17:43 Empowering Women in Pest Control 22:23 Customer Service as the Core of Pest Control 28:39 Learning from Industry Leaders 33:16 Future Goals and Business Growth Strategies 40:17 Message To Pest Control Owners #pestcontrol #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontroladvertising #pestcontrolads #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolmillionaires #dannyleibrandt #shawnriley #tacticalpestsolutions JOIN PEST CONTROL MILLIONAIRES: https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/

    Shawn Riley on The TRUTH Of Adding $300k in The Past Year For Tactical Pest Solutions
  • 12 Episodes

About

Pest Control Success Stories is hosted by Dan Leibrandt and brought to you by Pest Control Millionaires. Each episode features interviews with successful pest control owners from our community, sharing their journeys, strategies, and lessons learned. From marketing insights to business growth tactics, we dive into what’s really working in the industry today. If you’re serious about growing your pest control company, tune in and join the conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Pest Control Millionaires
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Pest Control Millionaires
  • Show Website
    Pest Control Success Stories

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