Pesty Marketing Podcast

The Truth About AI for Pest Control: Voice, Agents & What's Coming NextThe Truth About AI for Pest Control: Voice, Agents & What's Coming Next

Antoni Hoshino is back! The founder of Pest AI returns to break down how far AI has come since his last appearance and where it's headed next. From AI agents that handle leads and collections around the clock, to voice AI finally sounding human, to the real reason most operators are wasting money on tools they don't need... Antoni pulls back the curtain on what's actually working in pest control right now. We also get into the underrated superpower that separates operators who thrive with AI from those who don't, why your ability to document your processes matters more than ever, and the mindset shift that's helped both of us communicate better with AI and with people. If you've been wondering how to cut through the noise and start using AI in a way that actually moves the needle, this one's for you. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcoming Antoni Hoshino: How AI Has Evolved in Pest Control 01:05 – From Text to Agents: The New Capabilities of Pest AI 04:24 – The Truth About Voice AI Adoption (And Its Biggest Roadblock) 07:17 – Where Should You Start With AI in Your Business? 11:01 – The Process Mapping Tool Every Operator Should Know 24:23 – What’s Next for AI: Context, Data, and Smarter Decisions 🔗 Connect with Antoni & Pest AI: https://pestai.io/ 🚀 Grow Your Pest Control Company with Pesty If you want more high-quality leads, better close rates, and a marketing system built specifically for pest control, learn more about working with us: 👉 https://pestymarketing.com

Why Pest Control Needs More Women (And Why Companies Are Missing Out)

Join us for a powerful and inspiring episode of the Pesty Marketing Podcast featuring two leaders redefining the pest control industry 👏 Meet Bobbie Terry (Owner of The Bug Lady – Austin, TX & Founder of Women in Pest Control) and Nanette Rota (Owner of Praying Nantis Pest Control & COO of Women in Pest Control).  With 50+ years of combined experience, they share what it really takes to succeed as women in a traditionally male-dominated industry—and how they’re opening doors for the next generation 🚀 If you’re a pest control business owner, technician, or leader looking to grow your company, build a stronger team, and create a better culture—this episode is packed with insights you can actually use. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✅ How women are thriving in the pest control industry ✅ The real challenges (and opportunities) for women in home services ✅ How to recruit, train, and retain female pest control technicians ✅ Building leadership and culture inside a pest control company ✅ Why community (like Women in Pest Control) is a growth lever ✅ How events, networking, and mentorship accelerate success ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Pest Control Needs More Women (And What’s Changing) 01:12 – How Nanette Got Her Start in Pest Control 10:04 – The Moment Women in Pest Control Took Off 13:00 – Inside the First All-Women Pest Control Conference 15:35 – The Scholarship Changing Women’s Careers 18:26 – Why Women Quit Pest Control (And How to Fix It) 31:37 – What Makes Women Stay (Most Companies Miss This) 🌐 Get Involved: 👇 Learn more about Women in Pest Control, events, and how to support the mission: Evelina Empower Her Fund: https://www.womeninpestcontrol.com/em... Join The Community: https://www.womeninpestcontrol.com/ Women in Pest Control Conference: https://www.womeninpestcontrol.com/ev... 🚀 Build the growth engine your market demands: https://pestymarketing.com/

Your Pest Control Office Team Makes or Breaks Your Next Million

Your office team is either making you money or costing you millions — and most pest control owners have no idea which one it is. Margaret Garcia, President of Grit PPO, is back and she's pulling back the curtain on the hidden revenue leaks inside your office.  Missed calls, weak lead handling, bad booking rates — these "small" mistakes are quietly killing your growth. If you're serious about hitting your next million in pest control, this episode is required watching. 🔥 What You'll Learn: ✅ The real cost of missed calls and poor lead handling ✅ What booking rate your office team should actually be hitting ✅ The #1 mistake killing pest control companies at the $3M mark ✅ How to hire the right CSR and what to look for ✅ The most important move in the first 60 seconds of a customer call ⏱️ Jump to What Matters Most: 00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Margaret Garcia 1:20 How Much Revenue You're Losing From Missed Calls 3:04 Owners' Shocking Reactions to Lost Revenue 4:08 The True Cost of Missed Leads 5:38 What Booking Rate Should Your Office Actually Hit? 6:40 What Drives High vs. Low Close Rates 8:08 The Factors Behind Higher Close Rates 10:09 Should You List Pricing on Your Website? 12:23 The Power of Strong Brand Differentiation 14:22 Matching Your Sales Language to Your Website 15:38 Why Call Analysis is a Game Changer 17:38 Real Example: Pivoting From Customer Feedback 19:42 Fast Follow-Up and Learning From Non-Conversions 22:29 Bottlenecks Holding You Back at $3M 25:50 Top 5 Numbers Every Pest Control Owner Must Track 26:14 The Most Expensive Office Mistake When Scaling 27:13 How to Hire the Best Customer Service Rep 29:24 The Most Important Move in the First 60 Seconds 32:00 Is Grit PPO Right for You? Want results like Margaret's clients? Work with Grit PPO: 👉 https://www.gritppo.com/ Ready to hit the PCT Top 100 and generate 100,000+ leads per year? Let's build your growth engine: 👉 https://pestymarketing.com/

What Top 10% Pest Control Companies Do Differently (3,000 Company Study)

What Top 10% Pest Control Companies Do Differently (3,000 Company Study) This episode breaks down what the best pest control companies are doing differently—from technician performance and customer satisfaction to reviews, retention, and company culture. If you run a pest control business and want to learn how top operators scale and improve service quality, this episode of the Pesty Podcast is for you. ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction + overview of the Applause 2026 Home Services Benchmark Report 1:12 — Why benchmark reports matter for pest control operators 3:04 — One surprising data point that caught operators off guard 4:12 — Why 5-star reviews matter more than ever 5:52 — What defines an exceptional pest control company 8:04 — What top technicians do to create great customer experiences 9:33 — Small acts that dramatically improve satisfaction and retention 16:33 — How photos and post-service communication build trust 18:46 — Visibility vs invisibility with customers (and why it matters) 23:19 — Technician pay models: quality vs output 25:27 — What actually motivates technicians 27:10 — What the best pest control company cultures look like 29:19 — Creative customer retention tactics operators are using Read the full 2026 Home Services Benchmark Report from Applause: 👉 https://www.applausehq.com/research-reports/2026-state-of-home-services-benchmark-report?utm_source=pestypodcast 🚀 Grow Your Pest Control Company with Pesty If you want more high-quality leads, better close rates, and a marketing system built specifically for pest control, learn more about working with us: 👉 https://pestymarketing.com

Why This Pest Control Company Doesn’t Compete on Price

Most pest control companies get stuck in price wars, but Kodiak Pest Control refuses to play that game. In this episode, I sat down with Jacob Haslem, a career pest control operator and marketer, to break down how he is building a premium pest control company in rural Wyoming without racing to the bottom on price. Jacob shares how his background in sales, marketing, and operations shaped Kodiak’s positioning, and why competing on value, branding, and customer experience beats competing on cost every time.  Kodiak sells time savings, peace of mind, and trust, anchored by a clearly defined brand and a differentiated service model. If you are a pest control owner tired of attracting price shoppers and shrinking margins, this conversation will challenge how you think about pricing, branding, and long-term growth. Timestamps: 00:14 – Meet Jacob Halsem 1:16 – Building a Distinct Brand Voice Inspired by Duluth Trading Co. 2:41 – Why Wyoming Requires a Value-First Pest Control Strategy 3:37 – The Core Brand Promise Time Savings and Peace of Mind 4:39 – “Pests Don’t Belong in Your Home or Your Schedule” Explained 6:07 – The Goal Making Kodiak a Household Name 16:23 – The Strategy Behind the Kodiak Unlimited Program 20:29 – Using Bold Marketing to Build a Premium Pest Control Brand 23:26 – How Kodiak Differentiates From Legacy Pest Control Companies 24:30 – Customer Engagement Reviews and Perceived Value 31:17 – How Brand Investment Drives Higher Close Rates If you want to grow the right way, with stronger margins, better customers, and a brand that actually stands out, this episode is packed with real-world insights you can apply immediately.