The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

The Boardroom Buzz
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Boardroom Buzz is the straight-talk playbook for owners who built their service businesses from the crawlspace up and want to master the next move—whether that’s doubling down on growth or preparing for a life-changing exit. Hosted by Jason & Jeremy Julio—“The Blue-Collar Twins” who turned a service-truck start-up into a multimillion-dollar success—and mentored by veteran deal-maker Paul Giannamore, the show turns boardroom finance into stories you’d swap over a tailgate. Expect 40-minute deep-dives that unwrap one real transaction and one valuation lever you can pull today, plus quick “Market Pulse” riffs that flag shifts every operator should watch. If you’re a majority or significant-minority owner eyeing the $5 M–$100 M revenue range, tune in for gritty war stories, step-by-step tactics, and the confidence to choose your own endgame. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by POTOMAC M&A.

  1. Josh Fleenor: Whatever It Takes—Building Pest Pros, Owning Multifamily, and Leading with Heart

    قبل ٥ أيام

    Josh Fleenor: Whatever It Takes—Building Pest Pros, Owning Multifamily, and Leading with Heart

    From a wrong-number job interview to running two Bay Area branches and finally launching his own shop, Josh Fleenor lays out how Pest Pros grew from two trucks to a regional force—anchored in multifamily, a “whatever it takes (the right way)” culture, and promoting leaders early so the company can scale without breaking. You’ll hear the origin story, the first-year sprint to $747k, the blue-ocean play in property management, and how hugs, hard conversations, and clear guardrails keep the team winning year after year. You’ll hear: The misdial that led to pest control, five years at Clark, and the leap after a dissolved partnership.Why multifamily became the beachhead—and how value + pricing flipped “dirt-cheap” accounts into real margin.The year-one LinkedIn blitz, $700k booked in property management, and testing channels by turning Google off.Culture in practice: “no excuses, find a way,” hugs and vulnerability, and guardrails so “whatever it takes” doesn’t burn families out.Hiring slow for core values, promoting early to build leadership layers, and a structure that rotates HQ leaders into satellite offices.Tech & tools: cautious AI (great for SOPs, not for phones—yet), contests, and experiences that bond the team. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: “Whatever it takes”—and why the team hasn’t missed an annual goal in 7½ years 01:00 – Origin story: the wrong-number interview that led to pest control; Clark → Bay Area branch leadership 04:45 – “Meant for more”: deciding to go all-in on the industry 08:00 – Partner plan dissolves; Josh launches Pest Pros with two trucks and a people-first vision 11:55 – Year one: LinkedIn property-management push and $747k produced by December 13:50 – Headwinds: SPB complaints, Yelp shutoff, and finding the blue-ocean in multifamily 16:30 – Pricing for value (not “dirt-cheap”); personal connection as the wedge 18:45 – Financial lumps and learning—what he’d do differently 19:45 – Leadership layers: promote early so managers can practice accountability 22:00 – Morning routine, boundaries, and defining what “whatever it takes” does—and does not—mean 24:50 – Channels & testing: billboards, TV, referrals; turning Google off to see what’s real 28:10 – Expansion map: Concord HQ, Yuba City, Roseville; “own NorCal” before jumping farther 30:40 – Rebuilding a misfiring satellite office around core values; HQ leaders rotate in monthly 33:00 – Production targets: $1,400–$1,500/day per truck—without 12-hour burnout days 36:30 – Culture mechanics: hugs, vulnerability, Kings-arena party, Tahoe yacht, contests 42:45 – Hiring for values; when a “maybe” hire isn’t a culture fit 44:00 – AI today: SOPs/emails yes; phones not yet—protect the experience 47:00 – Imperfect reps > perfection; posting, writing, and getting better on camera 49:30 – Parenting and adversity: giving his daughter the space to earn her own stripes 51:10 – Closing: mentorship, masterminds, and a people-first vision for the next chapter

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  2. QB54: From Backyard Prototype to Big-Box Shelves — Mike Silva’s Playbook for Building a Tailgate Phenomenon

    ٢ أكتوبر

    QB54: From Backyard Prototype to Big-Box Shelves — Mike Silva’s Playbook for Building a Tailgate Phenomenon

    Part inventor, part hustler, part one-man media team—Mike Silva turned a Thanksgiving garbage-can game into QB54: a dual-purpose football game you play (then sit in). The Blue-Collar Twins dig into how he went from beach-day preorders to manufacturing at scale, survived COVID freight shocks, landed in 200 Dick’s Sporting Goods stores, and kept his family in the ride the whole way. You’ll hear: The origin story: buckets to chairs, a light-bulb prototype, and first cash-in-hand preorders on the Jersey Shore.Testing before betting: small runs, tailgate demos, and learning to trust (but verify) manufacturers.Retail reality: terms, freight, tariffs, drayage—and why “getting in” is nothing without “selling through.”Media engine: eight years of footage, smart ad buying, ROAS/CAC basics, and turning reactions into conversion.Resilience & risk: six-figure debt, family support, mentor advice (“stay even keel”), and the grit to keep moving.What’s next: Shark Tank exposure, overseas distribution, and a potential soccer variant. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: “Believe in yourself… good things happen.” 00:41 – Meet Mike Silva, co-founder of QB54; what the game is and how it works 02:02 – Thanksgiving genesis: garbage cans, CB antennas, and a lifelong idea 03:54 – 2015–2016 decision to launch; neighbor won’t stop playing → “we might have something” 06:00 – First prototypes, the beach test, and 15 preorders from strangers 08:06 – Finding a factory, early small runs, and learning to test the market first 10:00 – Stadium-to-stadium hustle; bringing the kids and paying per sale 12:06 – Patents 101: provisional, design, utility—why protection mattered 14:20 – Family partnership, buying out his brother, and staying “even keel” through highs/lows 17:01 – The debt valley: $600k+, COVID container shock, and clawing back with ads 20:04 – Retail education: 90-day terms, consignment risk, Bed Bath test that needed in-store demos 23:59 – Freight, tariffs, drayage, warehousing—why COGS is only the start 27:01 – Marketing misfires, learning skepticism, and finding the right 3PL (“ShipDaddy”) 30:30 – Best day ever: 320 units in one day (and the ad spend behind it) 33:00 – Building the media machine: years of footage → Facebook/Google/TikTok wins 38:00 – Influencers, content gaps, and why reliability beats free product 41:20 – Brand placements (Corona/Labatt/retail displays) and the need to show how it plays 46:10 – Shark Tank journey: audition, pitch, and air date set (Oct 1) 49:50 – Community & peers: Founders Group, Crossnet lessons, and real-talk playbooks 53:40 – Exit possibilities, athlete interest, and league/sport potential 55:57 – Close: why the sale still feels like a rush and what 2025 could unlock

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  3. Byron Gifford: Door-to-Door Grit, Cashflow at Scale, and Building Teams That Don’t Break

    ٢٥ سبتمبر

    Byron Gifford: Door-to-Door Grit, Cashflow at Scale, and Building Teams That Don’t Break

    The Blue-Collar Twins sit down with Byron Gifford—the “godfather of door-to-door”—to unpack his ground-zero start in summer sales, the Evergreen chapters (launch, rapid expansion, strategic exits), and the operating cadence that lets his team add tens of thousands of accounts without melting down. It’s a masterclass in self-financing hypergrowth, centralizing ops, and developing leaders who can actually carry the load. You’ll hear: Hypergrowth reality: why fast scale feels like self-financing—and why people are harder than cash.Ground zero of D2D: Salesnet → Eclipse → starting a pest company from a marketing engine.Evergreen playbook: launch, densify, sell, reinvest—then rinse and repeat across markets.Centralized backbone: one call center, cookie-cutter ops, and tech/termite cross-sell that de-risk seasonality.Beyond the doors: building non-D2D channels (digital, referrals, tech upsells) until they rival summer volume.Leadership & longevity: morning “elevated state,” systems, and a health comeback that reset the throttle. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: cash for growth vs. developing the right people 00:48 – Intros: the Blue-Collar Twins welcome Byron “godfather of D2D” Gifford 01:42 – BYU mission → first summer selling → top rookie with Salesnet 03:18 – Salesnet bankruptcy, pivot to Eclipse, and launching a pest company from a sales org 06:00 – 2008 crash, reset, and the road back 08:58 – Evergreen launch: Seattle → Portland (sale) → Denver/Albuquerque; a parallel trash-marketing sidecar 14:00 – D2D economics: densification, rising CAC, and the 2–3 year LTV/retention bend 18:58 – “A-Team” cadence: department heads, cash-model precision, people as the limiter 22:00 – Morning routine: elevated state, gratitude, workouts, and living by the calendar 27:00 – Lyme disease detour → stem-cell recovery → throttle back on full 29:56 – Branch-owner model (50% local equity), lessons, and selective sales to strategic buyers 36:52 – Beyond D2D: digital, tech-sales, and termite cross-sell compounding into real scale 40:00 – Ogden, UT hub: central call center and cookie-cutter ops for multi-market control 43:26 – Panels, PestWorld, and a PCT Top-10 goal on the horizon 49:00 – Leadership philosophy: set expectations, kill drama, find solutions, keep moving

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  4. Pest Pros, Peer Groups & People-First Growth: Maria Sorrentino’s Playbook

    ١٤ أغسطس

    Pest Pros, Peer Groups & People-First Growth: Maria Sorrentino’s Playbook

    Maria Sorrentino started as a tech while studying social work and went on to build Pest Pros in Kalamazoo—plus Hive Nine and the “Lead People Manage Stuff” workshops. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into how she hires, pays, and develops people, why peer groups changed her trajectory, and the faith-driven mission that keeps her scaling without losing the heart of the business. It’s a field-tested blueprint for owners who believe culture and accountability win long term. You’ll hear: The “part-time is a lie” origin story and why pest control is a marketable, problem-solving trade.How she worked every role—tech to termite inspector to operator—and why being a people-first leader beats being a “bug nerd.”Comp & culture: the “altruism base” (paid non-billable hours), commission hygiene, and building a team that actually likes accountability.The Top-100 epiphany that expanded her vision—and how a 100-mile service radius actually works.Peer pressure, the good kind: inside “The Eagle’s Nest” where owners open P&Ls and leave with bruises (and breakthroughs).Why Hive Nine & “Lead People Manage Stuff” were built for leadership benches—not just owners. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: “Pest control is a real marketable skill… it’s problem-solving.” 00:34 – Intros + how Maria connected with the Twins (Pest Cemetery days). 02:00 – Getting in: social work student → office → certified → field (and why “part-time” is a myth). 03:16 – Working every role: tech, termite inspections, then operator. 03:56 – “People person” vs. “bug nerds” at home—owning her lane. 04:31 – Starting Pest Pros (2018) with a home-inspector partner. 19:29 – The “altruism base”: paid non-billable hours that keep teams balanced. 20:22 – Paul Bello: from officiating her daughter’s wedding to training her techs. 22:08 – Vision unlock: seeing Top-100 peers and realizing what’s possible. 23:16 – Service map: running a 100-mile radius out of Kalamazoo. 25:46 – Boundaries, family, and why the business became a shared “fun thing.” 26:21 – Coaching bias: why Maria pushes revenue (and learned to respect margin). 31:24 – Hive Nine Consulting: events that develop teams, not just owners. 31:52 – “Lead People Manage Stuff”: the leadership workshop series. 32:45 – Community: why pest control attracts the “best-hearted” people. 33:04 – Her personal mission—and how faith guides the next bet. 42:49 – Inside “The Eagle’s Nest”: open books, hard feedback, real accountability. 52:05 – Superpower: being a connector—and a final invite to collaborate. 53:09 – Outro & CTA to Potomac and more resources.

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  5. Letters, Letting Go & “What’s Next”: Alina Stevens on Selling All Pro Pest Without Losing the Team

    ٩ أغسطس

    Letters, Letting Go & “What’s Next”: Alina Stevens on Selling All Pro Pest Without Losing the Team

    For three decades, Alina Stevens’ family business got “we want to buy you” letters almost daily—then in 2024, she finally said yes. In this candid conversation, Alina walks the Blue-Collar Twins through scaling All Pro Pest from ~25 to ~50 employees, choosing a buyer who kept the team (only one person left), and the emotional gear-shift from making every decision to consulting while the new owner hums along. It’s a masterclass in female leadership inside a family company, statewide routing without extra branches, and knowing when to let the kids “go to college.” You’ll hear: The moment “sell” went from never to now—and why employee continuity was the deal-breaker.How she modernized ops: true-mobile routing, GPS/cameras, and ditching IVR hell to stay customer-first.Lessons as a woman owner winning respect on job sites by knowing the craft cold.Why growth means you’re never “over the mountain,” and how to communicate for buy-in (not just talk).Life after close: the ego hit of “they don’t need me”… and the freedom to ask what’s next. From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – “We got buy-your-company letters almost daily for 30 years… then we finally sold.” 00:50 – Intros: Alina’s 2024 exit and the hard art of letting go 02:00 – “Never planned to be the bug girl”: Air Force pilot dreams → family firm roots (1971) 03:45 – Health crises, divorce, stepping in after raising kids—“somebody had to sail the ship” 05:10 – Change management 101: don’t flip everything at once (ask her how she knows) 06:45 – Choosing the buyer: keep the people, not just the book—only one employee didn’t continue 08:40 – Post-close role: retained as a 1-year consultant… but the newco barely needed her 10:10 – Scale at sale: ~50 employees, ~40 trucks; when she took over (~2015) it was ~25 staff 12:00 – Origin story: bank teller → office manager → marrying the boss (plus a $2/hr raise) 14:10 – Earning respect as a woman in a male-dominated niche: knowledge beats assumptions 18:30 – Statewide without branches: “true mobile” ops from home bases across Georgia 19:50 – From proprietary software (“Helper”) to mainstream + mobile; training older techs 22:30 – GPS & cameras: nightmare stories… and the crash video that saved a driver 26:00 – Phones & CX: VOIP, fewer prompts, always a human—because customer-first isn’t a menu tree 27:40 – “FITFO”: figuring it out through hiccups, turnover, and route remaps 30:20 – Leadership reality: 3 a.m. at the office, good people who stayed, and new opportunities under newco 33:00 – Comfort vs growth: the tag that says “AND NEXT” and a Mexico pest-control idea 34:45 – Mentors & marriage: productive conflict that made the business stronger 41:30 – Culture: family and team, where competition never outweighed belonging 44:50 – Communication = buy-in: expect 60–70% of your own intensity; tailor the message to the person 52:30 – Meeting Potomac and what “you’re the best” from an advisor really means

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  6. Hustle → Habit: Sam Gembel’s Blueprint for Turning Atlas Outdoor into Michigan’s Culture-First Landscape Machine

    ٣١ يوليو

    Hustle → Habit: Sam Gembel’s Blueprint for Turning Atlas Outdoor into Michigan’s Culture-First Landscape Machine

    Flint-born mower jockey Sam Gembel went from nights-and-weekends side hustle to founding Atlas Outdoor—a 110-person, two-branch landscape + snow powerhouse now adding a million in revenue each year. In his first Boardroom Buzz appearance, Sam sits down with the Blue-Collar Twins to unpack: Grass-Cutting Genesis – quitting high school, banging stripes, and learning his real job was “making crew leaders,” not mowing lawns.Rapid Ramp – $300 k ➜ $1 M ➜ $3 M in four seasons, then stalling at $5 M until a coach killed the “sell-more” dopamine loop.Pandemic Reset – why losing seven crew leaders on Day 1 of 2020 became the filter that left Atlas with A-players only.Culture Proof – six values, weekly L10s, and year-round salaries that drive a 93 % retention rate despite brutal Michigan winters.Significance over Success – turning deposits into payroll, mentoring operators through the Culture Proof podcast, and building opportunity “big enough for everyone’s dreams.” Stick around for Sam’s take on staying calm in chaos, why A-players force owners to level up, and how Shawshank Redemption explains entrepreneurial self-sabotage. From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps (podcast.co-ready) 00:00 – Cold-open: “We self-sabotage the second life gets uncomfortable.” Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 00:35 – Intros: Sam’s Atlas Outdoor story & Culture Proof podcast debut Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 02:00 – High-school dropout to zero-turn crew leader; first taste of leadership Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 06:50 – Learning his real role: create crew leaders, not stripes Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 09:00 – Side-yard hustle becomes Atlas Outdoor; origin of the name & logo Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 13:30 – Year-one $300 k, Year-two $1 M; growth by Facebook & word-of-mouth Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 18:15 – Cash-flow cracks at $5 M: deposits as payroll and the first business coach Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 24:20 – Mentor Blake Crawford’s quiet $14 M shop and 22 % margins Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 30:10 – Hiring A-players vs. settling for Bs & Cs; institutionalized mindsets Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 38:30 – Pandemic purge: seven crew leaders quit; culture reset & surge ahead Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 41:00 – Year-round salaries for crew leaders; 93 % retention win Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 45:00 – Snow & ice division: 26 rigs, “air hurts your face” winters, profit center Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 50:00 – Vision + culture are the only non-delegables; calm-captain leadership model Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 54:30 – Next chapter: five Michigan hubs, million-a-year organic growth, significance over success Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 57:00 – Rapid-fire round: mantra under stress, lessons from Tommy Mello, habit for focus Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel … 1:00:00 – Outro, Potomac Masterclass CTA, and Sam’s invite to audit your own attachment rate

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  7. From Pig-Farm Grit to Eagles’ Sidelines: Bill Hoffman’s 35-Year Journey Building Hoffman's Exterminating into a Top-100 Pest Firm

    ٢٤ يوليو

    From Pig-Farm Grit to Eagles’ Sidelines: Bill Hoffman’s 35-Year Journey Building Hoffman's Exterminating into a Top-100 Pest Firm

    What began as a $4-an-hour summer gig at Western Pest has grown into Hoffman’s Exterminating, a six-branch powerhouse ranked among PCT’s Top 100—and CEO Bill Hoffman is still at the helm. Certified as an entomologist and PCQI, Bill joins the Blue-Collar Twins to unpack how pig-farm discipline, union-shop lessons, and a “coach-not-tech” mindset fueled steady, one-to-three-hires-per-year growth—and landed Hoffman’s as the official pest-control partner of the Philadelphia Eagles. You’ll hear: Door-Knock Origins – mortgaging sweat equity into a one-man startup while moonlighting at a deli and landscaping crew.Coach’s Playbook – shifting from “crawl-space hero” to head coach and writing SOPs that free his team to execute.Eagles & MLS Deals – the referral chain—from a mom-and-pop acquisition to MLS partner to NFL sidelines—that proves community karma pays.Culture Moat – 20-year employees earn lifetime health insurance; paid volunteer hours keep staff and community for life.Seasonality Hacks – 55 % commercial mix, exclusion division, and weather “audibles” that keep 70 techs busy through Northeast winters.Mission Beyond Margins – board seats at two Ronald McDonald Houses, sustainability work at Lincoln Financial Field, and why “quality over quantity” still drives every decision. Stick around for Bill’s blunt advice on moving from technician mindset to $30 million CEO—and why the best companies know when to act big and when to act small. From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps (podcast.co-ready) 00:00 – Cold-open: “A $30 M CEO is a coach, not a tech.” 00:50 – Pig-farm work ethic: discipline, sharpened blades, and early hustle 02:35 – South-Jersey roots & lifelong Eagles fandom 02:55 – How referrals turned a tiny list buy into MLS ➜ Philadelphia Eagles partnerships 05:05 – Acquisitions to “Acquired”: recap of Bill’s first Buzz appearance 07:00 – Buying a $500 K mosquito firm—and learning seasonal economics 09:15 – Northeast seasonality vs. commercial stabilizer (55 % mix) 10:00 – Accidental entry: summer helper at Western Pest, 17 years old 11:20 – Youngest branch manager at 25 in a union shop 14:00 – Culture shift at Western sparks Hoffman's launch (1990) 16:00 – Business plan > job plan: mapping the ladder out of the truck 18:45 – “Head-coach” pivot—training others, not turning wrenches 19:05 – Growth cadence: adding 1-3 people per year to 100 staff 23:00 – Weather “audibles”: rain days become training & commercial installs 25:25 – New exclusion division born from techs’ handyman passions 26:55 – Retention: 20-year techs earn free lifetime health insurance 28:55 – Paid volunteer hours & community pillars (Eagles Youth, Union Pitch, Ronald McDonald House) 31:50 – Board roles & the Shamrock Shake origin of Ronald McDonald House 34:40 – Giving-back philosophy: customers, employees, community love loop 36:50 – Backyard beekeeper, fisherman, grandfather—off-hours balance 40:50 – Advice to one-truck operators: vision first, hire for ambition 46:00 – National-account niche: regional independents vs. the “Big 4” 49:45 – Future of pest control: techs always safe, managers must shine 53:10 – Final coaching wisdom: right people, right seats, Good to Great mentality 55:00 – Book that changed his leadership: Good to Great 56:30 – Flower-shop surprise & new Victorian HQ “Cheerful Dragonfly” 58:00 – Outro & Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

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  8. Systems Save the Day: David Mulcahy on Scaling O’Deer, Launching Ghost Scoopers & Leading Through Crisis

    ١٧ يوليو

    Systems Save the Day: David Mulcahy on Scaling O’Deer, Launching Ghost Scoopers & Leading Through Crisis

    When a life-threatening brain injury sidelined his five-year-old son, David Mulcahy discovered whether the playbook he’d written for O’Deer South Shore & Cape Cod (natural deer, tick & mosquito control) could truly run without him. Spoiler: it did—and the EOS-driven machine now powers 26 spray rigs, year-round revenue and a fast-growing spinoff called Ghost Scoopers. David joins the Blue-Collar Twins to share how franchise systems, profit-share incentives and relentless KPI tracking kept the wheels turning while his family focused on recovery—and why recurring-service operators should fix their P&Ls before they chase the next shiny tactic. You’ll hear: Franchise Reality Check – leaving a multigenerational fuel-oil business to buy the second O’Deer franchise (2014).Door-Knock Data – hose-reel saturation vs. backpack mist blowers, and the all-natural edge in a regulation minefield.Stacking Seasons – adding deer control for winter cash flow and six-day scheduling that boosts capacity 16 %.People Math – commission plans that let top techs earn high-20s/hour, 50 % re-hire rates, and Slack-era training loops.Ghost Scoopers – turning a service-manager partnership into a profitable dog-waste brand (no franchise needed).Crisis Test – the 45-day hospital stretch that proved dashboards, one-page weeklies and empowered managers really work.Next Moves – $10 M infrastructure on a $5 M base, AI phone agents (“Charlie”), and job-description tightening before the leap. From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps (podcast.co-ready) 00:00 – Cold-open: subdural hematoma, emergency brain surgery & a leadership gut-check 00:58 – Show intro: twin hosts frame David’s dual businesses (O’Deer + Ghost Scoopers) 02:56 – Leaving a family fuel-oil company after dad says “no ownership path” 04:53 – Why O’Deer’s hose-and-reel model beats backpack mist blowers for drift & season length 07:00 – Buying full control of South Shore territory; early cash-flow stretch moves 11:00 – Systems vs. hope: falling in love with P&Ls and annual budgeting 13:30 – Six-day routes, 26 trucks, 24 techs: capacity math & burnout prevention 18:15 – Commission structure: base + production %, monthly stretch bonus, low respray requirements 24:20 – Quality-assurance ride-alongs & Slack video feedback loops 27:00 – Son Wyatt’s accident (Jan 2023): 250 ml bleed, 45-day inpatient rehab 30:10 – General manager runs ops on one-page weekly reports; family splits hospital shifts 33:00 – Coaching & masterminds: why recurring-revenue founders must know unit economics first 36:40 – Launching Ghost Scoopers with GM Zach; positioning it as a training-ground equity play 41:00 – Insurance, cameras & the van-driver age dilemma 48:00 – AI agent “Charlie” starts reactivating lapsed customers via calls & SMS 50:00 – Wrap-up: present leadership, future $10 M vision, and living core values after crisis 52:00 – Outro & Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

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Boardroom Buzz is the straight-talk playbook for owners who built their service businesses from the crawlspace up and want to master the next move—whether that’s doubling down on growth or preparing for a life-changing exit. Hosted by Jason & Jeremy Julio—“The Blue-Collar Twins” who turned a service-truck start-up into a multimillion-dollar success—and mentored by veteran deal-maker Paul Giannamore, the show turns boardroom finance into stories you’d swap over a tailgate. Expect 40-minute deep-dives that unwrap one real transaction and one valuation lever you can pull today, plus quick “Market Pulse” riffs that flag shifts every operator should watch. If you’re a majority or significant-minority owner eyeing the $5 M–$100 M revenue range, tune in for gritty war stories, step-by-step tactics, and the confidence to choose your own endgame. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by POTOMAC M&A.

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    The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

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