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Welcome back to the Colony Confidential Podcast, today Ed and Joe talk about some of the biggest challenges facing business owners and some of the ways we're going to overcome them.  We touch on topics like Vehicles, route optimization, onboarding new hires fast, inflation and lowering insurance costs.  Stay tuned for an episode on Pricing coming up next!

Jeff White is back with us for the first time since our first season.  A whole lot has happened since then, for one Jeff has started a spanking new business.  Today he tells us all about it and how his technical expertise can help you.

We've rounded up some listener questions so you know what that means?  It's time to call in the experts.  Jill Chapman joins us on this episode to answer these :

In this episode, meet Ed Sheehan Jr. who joins Ed and Joe from Phoenix Az. The talk of the town - the Renotkil/Terminix news and some behind the scenes info from a former Rentokil staff member. The family is all involved in pest control, jump into their typical dinner table discussion.

According to Ed he learned a lot in this episode - most importantly - that he's happy he's not running a business anymore.  #retirementgoals.  We've said it so many times before, running a business now is more complicated than ever, then sprinkle on a global pandemic.  We gathered listener questions and sat down with Jill Chapman and Lori Sweeney from Insperity.  If you don't have an HR Department, and continue to grow, you're gonna need some help.  Send in your questions to us for Ask the Expert at colonyconfidential@gmail.com

Here is all you need to know about Call Centers from the Customer Service Queen herself Margaret Garcia.  She's heard and seen a lot in her 20 plus years of experience in Customer service for Pest Control, Lawncare and Hvac and Margaret still swears by routine spot checks on phone calls.  Listen in for everything else new with her, Ed and Joe.

Grit PPO's Founder and President Margaret Garcia joins Ed and Joe in this informative episode that focusses on the front line staff and the importance of Training and Development.  Grit PPO is able to provide stellar customer service and is an outsource call center for Pest Control, Wildlife and lawn care industries. Working in a variety of softwares, Grit's team promises a human touch in a digital world.   Get a sneak peek into their operation, how they think and the keys to getting the most skilled customer service representatives in the home services industry.

Jeff King is known for his marketing smarts and has grown Pest Rangers in PA  into a successful and respected brand.  Listen to his story and a culture Q&A with Jill Chapman from Insperity 

Hi Mr. & Mrs. America, we're excited to share another installment of Meet the PMP.  Today's episode features friend of the show - Jeff King from Pest Rangers in PA.  Jeff has built a great business with his marketing smarts and is here to share some of his tips and thoughts from how he started in the industry to what he considers the biggest waste of advertising money in the industry. Listen Up and join us for more on Thursday.

Season Three will teach us more than we want to Learn??!?

Starting with vaccine mandates and how they've changed the way we do business. Since our Parent company Colony Pest Management services a lot of healthcare facilities in NYC, things changed very quickly for us.  In this episode hear how Joe made the necessary adjustments and stick around for the Insperity Q&A series coming up.

Send us an Email with your questions and hear the answer coming in October!!

Anytime we speak with Paul Giannamore, it gets better.  Understand what's going on in the world as it relates to running your small or not so small business.  It takes more than hard work, to be successful, entrepreneurs need to make sound financial decisions on a daily basis.  This is a great place to start. 

It's The most dangerous pest in the U.S - In this episode learn how to do a tick drag and other do's and don'ts during the summer season.  Summer school Q&A is on Instagram Live every Tuesday at 7:30pm Powered by Gnowbe.  

Insperity's Pete Hinojosa got us together in this episode.  Part 2 follow up gets into the four personality types DISC and how they play out in the workplace.  We even get some help with our personal relationship this time LOL.  Grab the workbook so you can follow along.  Send us an email colonyconfidential@gmail.com

Pete Hinojosa is Back!! joining Ed & Joe to talk about Leadership in a way that just makes sense.  We understand that today leadership and decision making is more complex than ever.  Pete and the team at Insperity are our partners in transforming, understand and increasing our efficiency in the most important aspects of running a small business.  Tune in to this week's episodes for information on Leadership Rules and Personality Types.

We're back at it with Dr. Dini Miller to talk more on cost, time and efficiency in the field.  Roaches, bedbugs, tacos - yes please.  We also talk about the future of Pest Control and how electronic insect monitoring can fit in and the challenges that need to be overcome for their success.

One of our favorite guests Dr.  DIni Miller joins us again today - she is an esteemed professor of Urban Pest Management at Virginia Tech.

Specialising in Ed’s favorites German cockroaches and bed bugs.  We always have tons of questions for Dini and start off by talking about her students - we want to know who’s coming up in the world of entomologists.  But things get really interesting when we start talking about IPM and why we should not be asking residents to clean up for successful treatment of roach infestations. Details of what to do instead plus how our professionalism can change the perception of the Pest Management industry are all in this week’s episodes - Trust the Dr. 

Keep an eye out and stay a step ahead with the latest news in online advertising.  Daryl Margaux from Search Kings is back with todays installment.

Daryl Margaux from Search Kings in Canada sits with Joe to discuss what's new in the world of online advertising.  Get ready to hear answers to your questions on streaming media ads, what's new with Google and the steps you should be taking now, to get your business ahead of the competition.

Frank Macdonald joins us from Select Insurance.

We had the chance to catch up with our Insurance go to guy - Frank Macdonald from Select Insurance.  Frank has been a friend of the podcast from day one.  The last time we spoke it was all about disinfecting services for covid - 19 so this time around, we find out what's new, talk family and how he's been adjusting in his business.  Great advice and insight into the Cares Act, wage and hour policies and more.  

We've been learning and doing so much - today we're checking in, sharing more on what's to come and recapping some recent highlights.  Ed Sheehan decides to go for a pedicure - his first ever!

Another installment of Strategies and Insights for success in your business.  Regardless of your size - these tips are for creating a strong foundation.  Whether you're leading a company or a family, Pete helps us to understand the important things we must get right - no matter what.  Starting with Culture we cover Hiring, Liability, Communication and More - Notebooks Out.

Our Insperity experts are back to talk with us about Leadership Development Strategies.  Join Ed, Joe and Pete for an introduction to this round of our HR series and come back on Thursday for more.

Talk about Minding your Business?

This week's PMP Spotlight takes us over to Arizona meet David Marshall, founder and owner of Arizona Pest Squad.

We talk about his start in the industry - moving from the music business. Then here come all the challenges.  Loss, Growth, marketing - it's all in here with so many tips for your business - you're going to need to listen more than once.

Ed and Joe connect to talk about everything we've been learning in the past few months.  There are more challenges in today's workplace than ever before so we all have to get better.  We talk a little about Cuomo's business, company culture, tricks and tips our managers are using to stay connected with the team and foster the behaviors we're looking for. 

Connecting New York City and Buffalo with Ed, Joe and Audrey Hall.  A second generation PMP, Audrey started working with her father on his weekend business and now has over a dozen staff members.  Along the way, she's picked up some great insight on how to start and grow a small business and we had a great time hearing about her entrepreneurship journey. A lot of great takeaways in this one.

Ed and Joe are catching up, talking about our recent and upcoming episodes and getting us prepared for the spring.  We get a lot of laughs in this episode and some great tips.  Want to connect? Send us an email colonyconfidential@gmail.com

Finishing up our chat today with Jill who is helping us tweak and adjust to the collective head whipping of hiring through the COVID crisis.  If you listened to Part One, you'd know you should always be hiring.  In today's follow up we hear more about what people want  and how leaders can help support their teams.

We're kicking off our Brand New HR Series this week.  With our special guest expert from Insperity Jill Chapman.  Jill is so full of knowledge and got us schooled on what's new in Hiring, employee engagement and even how to relate to the different generations at the office.  Join us for this informative and enlightening series that's all geared at leveling up your team.  From hiring to engagement, culture and leadership.

Want to find out more about Insperity? Click Here

We've always shared how networking was and remains the key to our success in business.  And while times and events have changed, we still say the same.  Ed and Joe discuss some of the tricks that helped them get new business along with some  new  Networking Tips, you may be a little rusty, so it's time to Sharpen up.  

Catch up with our spring Q & A series.  Don't miss the HR Series starting February 23

We love answering your questions.  Send us an email colonyconfidential@gmail.com

Another round of Q & A for you friends who want a professional opinion.  We answer questions on which is better to use steel wool, copper mesh and where most rodents find entry into your homes or buildings.  We talk about the one of the worst insects to try and DIY.  How a clean home can suddenly get roaches and so much more.  Send us your questions at colonyconfidential@gmail.com

We're continuing our conversation about Teamwork in 2021.  Things have changed, no doubt about it, so you gotta understand we all have some new things to learn as a result.  Ed thinks this is the best podcast we've done - simply because he's learned so much.  Set yourself up for (more) success with this one.

Ed & Joe catch up on this week's hot topics and the burning topic on every business owners mind right now.  The team.  Employee Engagement is at an all time low - with the recent stats claiming that after the whirlwind of change that was 2020 - there's been a 57% decrease in employee engagement. What are we going to do?   Find answers of course , you ready ?

A lot of folks having sleepless nights because of bedbugs, roaches , rats even fleas!  We're going to tell you how you can find some relief and when you need to call in the professionals.  In the meantime go clean up  after yourselves ok!

Listen in with us as we follow up with Scorpion Repel co - founder Tony Gonzales.  Hear how this new product can revolutionize your pest prevention.  In this episode Mr. America - Ed has tons of questions like "will this work on rodents?" Join us to find out more and get the full story on this brand new product.  Colony Confidential gets to the facts. Enjoy!

Finishing up our conversation with Tony Gonzales from Scorpion Repel.  Make sure and listen to get the full story of this new product that may keep scorpions from entering your home.  Ed has tons of questions like "do you think it will stop rodents?"  Listen in to find out.

Learning about new products is always appealing - especially when it's effective.  We hear the story of scorpion repel from one of the company's co-founders Tony Gonzales.  Join us as he shares his personal story that got him into the pest control industry after a successful career in law!  And hear about the potential next big thing! 

Mr. & Mrs. America, we've got a lot going on so this episode is a nice recap and answer for one of our listeners experiencing growth in his company.

Margaret Garcia is back in the building to give us all the tips and gems to upgrade our customer service efforts.  She's the person who stopped us from asking "how can I help you?" in order to control the call.  No-one else is doing anything remotely close to Margaret's team at Grit PPO where they can handle customers, schedule and sell for your Pest Control Company in the software of your choice.  Get ready to learn new rules with us today. 

Reputation Management is the name of the game right now.  Jeremy Ecker is back with us to get more in depth with details on the importance of getting those business reviews

Whether you're trying to grow your business or you're trying to sell your business, either way you want it to have value and.  Think about business reviews like word of mouth on steroids.  Listen in and find out more about 2 Step Reviews on https://colonyconfidential.com

Start the year off right - put your Business up front amongst a sea of competitors.  If you're not sure how or you haven't started yet, it's time to get serious about your company's reviews.

In a nutshell - it's the report card your potential customers can all see, after all doesn't everyone google and check reviews before making a purchase?  Jeremy Ecker owner of Rest Easy Pest Control and friend of our show talks to us about how he got into the Pest Control business and why he built a platform to handle reviews that's user friendly and built for ease.

Want to find out more Try 2 Step Reviews Here

Ed talks residential and Joe talks Commercial  - Sales

It all comes down to personality at the end of the day.  Listen to some key tips and takeaways for hiring, coaching and motivating your sales team.

Ed and Joe cover current events.  Events in the nation and in their relationship.  From employee engagement and holiday get togethers, covid testing and colonoscopies.  Nothing is off limits in this one.  And listen out for one of Ed's best "it may be time for assisted living" moments

After spending the last few weeks learning from Paul Giannamore we're all in the mood for more finance talk.  This episode is one of the fan favorites  and for good reason.  A lot of great nuggets in here for you on investing and how we pick stocks. 

Ed and Joe bring some questions to the table and Paul gives us his honest and in - depth feedback on hot topics like competitive locations, stocks, what he thinks about politics and so much more!

This episode covers more current events with the man behind multiples of million dollar deals in the Pest Industry.  We're talking setting up your business, PCT Top 100 Sales , what's coming up in 2021 and enough to keep your heads spinning.  Buckle in for this one.

Paul is back in the hot seat and we waste no time talking about covid, business impacts and his new podcast.

Ed & Joe Sheehan take on listener questions covering a few ways your business can keep up with the winter slump and what's going on in the K9 scent detection unit.

Running a family business is full of ups and downs

We switch gears from our residential program this week to talk family.  Parents - how are you teaching your kids about life and business?  Take a peek into what's going on in the Sheehan Family. We're back on Thursday with residential program Q & A

There are some Must - Haves when building or setting up your residential service program.  As Ed says, get this one right or you won't go far.  This is an edit of the interview we did with Grit PPO's Margaret Garcia- Can an inbound call Processing service run your entire office operation for you? Find out Now!

Today we're sharing some more of the residential hacks and tricks learned and learning as we build out our new Residential program.

Ed and Joe go through some of the items needed in setting up sales compensation and the commission structure.  We discuss leads and why it's important to maintain relationships with clients.  

A recap and an Update on the details going into our new project.  We're building our new residential plan from scratch and have a lot of details and advice to get through.  

Another installment with Carmen Reino form Anchor Pest Control.  Carmen is one of the people we speak with often to bounce ideas off.  When we want to try something new or hear another perspective, so in this episode you get to listen in as we ask questions to get us  going and thriving in the residential market.  

The ability to share information and experiences helps us all to get stronger as an industry, so listen up and get growing!

Are you in the residential Pest Control Business (or want to be)? Then this one's for you.  Steal some secrets from our friend Carmen Reino of Anchor Pest Control in NJ.  Who pivoted from majority commercial accounts to residential wins!!  He shares his residential business model - billed monthly. We go over some of the Pros and Cons of residential vs. commercial accounts and other Must-Know news and views on scheduling, what to do with bad reviews and how covid is affecting business .  

Who's ready for more?

Tommy Mello is back to continue today's round of lessons on how you can get to your first $ Million to your first 10 and beyond.  The advice in these episodes are great for any Home Services business leader who wants to think big and achieve more.  

Meet Tommy Mello, the host of Home Service Expert and brains behind a $30M Garage door company.  He has a wealth of knowledge on marketing, training and scaling and is sharing some of the secrets on how he's been able to turn his business into a machine.  You will be filled with ideas and inspiration in half hour.  Check out Tommy's episode and let us know what you think.

We got to know Daniel because of his social media presence.  As we continue to feature  PMP's and other business owners from across the U.S we get some details about his start in the business.  His goals for growth and get some advice on his marketing and social media strategy.  Find him at onpointpest.com 

We're following up with Daniel Collins for more in - depth conversation on learning opportunities.  We hear a story about a persistent raccoon and go over the importance of having the right support in the entrepreneurship journey.  Daniel has some great questions for us as well.  Lots of takeaways for your business in this episode.

The 87th Annual Pest World Convention is going virtual for the first time.  PMP's have about 87 thousand questions.  What's going on with the industry?  How is this going to work? We sat down with NPMA's CEO and Technical and Regulatory Affairs Director to get all the answers and details.  

We highlight the Pros and Cons with the facts here.  You can register at pestworld2020.org and follow us on Social Media for more!

After months of virtual events, trainings and meetings we gear up for Conference season and surprise - It's Virtual!!

The National Pest Management Association's Annual Trade Show is one of the industry's biggest events and has been on our Must Do list for Years.  It's been the place for education, meeting new vendors, networking and connecting with colleagues.  So when we heard it was going virtual - the questions started rolling.

Number One:  How is this going to work?

Answers - Loading Now...

We continue with our badass guest Rachel Mendez and talk more about getting ahead in the business - as an owner.  How to attract more women and the benefits of being a woman in the industry. Listen up owners - if you have a hard time attracting and retaining female candidates, your answer is in this episode.

This week, we're hearing about Pest Control in Canada with one of our guests from Season 1. 

We met Rachel at her first Pest World in Orlando Fl in 2018 and we are thrilled to hear more about her journey as a new business owner today.  She has quite a story and is filled with ideas and passion for the field.

In this episode, we're going at it.  Ed takes on Amazon.  Capitalism vs. socialism featuring some favorite quotes from greats plus everything we're talking about these days in NYC.  The mindset we're taking for coping with the upcoming round of covid panic and negativity.

Check this out for another dose of Ed and Joe's advice for turning adversity into advantage and coming out on top.

https://colonyconfidential.com

Event season is usually busy come fall with Pest World, Co2 and several other leadership and business  conferences on the calendar.  This year, everything's different.  In this episode we discuss some of the key conferences, where you're going to see us this year and other stories along our new way of life.

Hey!

We're Telling you what we've been up to and a little about what's to come.  

Back in our favorite staycation spot the Hamptons NY. Another fun episode filled with total ambiance, you'll feel like you're right there with us.

Ed and Joe are joined by Char Newell today for a deeper look at their Behavior Indicator Profiles.  Joe is a Captain while Ed is a maverick.  This episode gets into some the strengths and tips they can use to improve their relationship.

This week Executive coach Char Newell of Your Healthy Reality joins us to answer some questions on Employee Relations and the Business journey.  Learn some of the important steps you need to take right now to set your business operations up for a (Reopening) success.

Want to know if you will benefit from coaching, find out more about Char here:

https://yourhealthyreality.com/coachingblog/

Finishing up on the last phases of Governor Cuomo's plans to reopen the city.  Then we go into HR badlands discussing @honested1's sexual preferences.  

Enjoy.

Catching up with the details on the reopening plans for NYC.  We start with the first phases and discuss how small businesses are prepping.

Mr. & Mrs. America, let's wrap up the conversation on small business adding disinfecting services.  

As we continue to promote our industry with pride and integrity, we want to make sure everyone is staying safe and smart.  Please listen closely to these episodes and weigh your risk options.  

Be smart and stay safe

#proudessential

Everyone is talking about the Disinfecting jobs so we brought in Select Insurance Agency's Frank MacDonald to help clear things up for us.  He gives some behind the scenes advice and common sense advice for us to make the best decisions for ourselves.  Listen in.

We're switching Gears today to give style advice.  Not from us - but from Angel Ramos - Esquire Magazine's Best Dressed Man, celebrity personal stylist and bespoke tailor.  Known for dressing athletes, actors and television personalities, Angel gives us a peek into his business, customer service and keys to success.  

Learn how the right outfit can upgrade your presentation, confidence and routine.  Understand the difference between business casual, formal and what's appropriate for you, all while Ed gets measured for his pearl gray suit and new blazer combo.

Intimidated by all this and don't see the point? Listen and learn where to start!

This has been all the buzz for some weeks now and we've been straightforward with our views on this, we want to stay away from providing this services.  In this episode we discuss why Joe's having a change of heart and what he's going to do  about it all.  If you have questions on adding disinfecting services - this will give you some clarity and new concerns to consider.

Our 2 cents - Get legal counsel and call Select Insurance Agency.

https://www.selectagency.com/index.php

Paul Giannamore of The Potomac Pest Control Group joins us to talk about what's to come in Financial Matters.  

Paul pretty much talked about $2.5 billion losses in the industry in the beginning of March.  Now he answers your questions and gives his advice on how Coronavirus will affect global markets, different ways that small business can pivot and so much more.  Listen to the Pro's like we do!

After we talk about the new daily routines in our lives with Joey Bunz in NYC and Ed in Florida we discuss some of the unexpected ways corona virus is affecting revenue in the business.  K-9 Bedbug inspections for one.

We also check out some of the pest pressure expected in different parts of the US and give some more encouragement to our brothers in arms.

Need to refocus and find some High Value Clients ?

Click Here

Catching Up with Ed and Joe as NYC continues lockdown and how the business is adjusting.

Grab our Business Continuity guide on the website 

https://colonyconfidential.com

Join us for the ups and downs we're dealing with now that Covid-19 has changed the way we do business.

#stay safe Mr. & Mrs. America!

Customer Service as we know it today didn't always exist.  We get into some of our most memorable moments with customers that we cannot forget.  Let us know about your Customer Service nightmares at colonyconfidential.com

Hi and welcome to all our new Listeners!

Back to talking business about rodent control, business sense and getting our mindsets right for success.

While Ed's on his spring break tour we talk about the latest news on rodent birth control, Contrapest and rodenticide bans in the news.  What this all means for the pest control industry and the business side that nobody else is talking about.

More on Customer Service for Home Service Businesses

Our Follow Up with Margaret Garcia from Grit PPO.  

Take notes or better yet, save this one for reference.  Learn about the best methods for managing your inbound phone calls.

Pest Process Outsourcing can change the way your business operates, learn more about what Grit does for Pest Control and Lawn Care companies.  And send us your customer service questions colonyconfidential@gmail.com 

Here's the first installment of our Customer Service Series.

Meet Margaret Garcia, we sit with the Founder of Grit and get the low down on how she got her start in the business.  Haven't heard about Grit PPO?  Well get ready to learn another key step that can seriously upgrade your daily business operation.

You're Welcome!

More insight on Networking

What we're learning about Customer Service 

What's coming Next and

Ed's ready for Spring Break in Florida.

Today we continue our networking convo with some more tips and explanations on hashtags and how to use them correctly when you're working on increasing your business contacts.

Doesn't matter if you work in Lawn Care, Plumbing, Roofing or HVAC.  The way to grow your company in 2020 is by working on your business, not in your business.  Networking done right leaves you with Lifetime Business contacts and friends.  All the secrets are in this episode.

Here's what we've been up to.  From the magic of vacation to the latest with Lillie Kardashian.  It's 2020 Let's Go Baby!

Going to NPMA's Eastern Conference?

We hope to see you at Harrah's Atlantic City on 1/14

What are your thoughts on Door to Door Sales in Pest Control or Lawn Care?  How to get the best deals from your distributor? Join us to get answers to these questions in this episode!

We always learn a lot from Dan Gordon.  He's one of the people who always knows what's going on in our industry.  Today he answers some of your questions about the state of Pest Control.  The next money making insect and some of the things that you shouldn't overlook.

In the second installment of our interview with Frank McDonald, we're talking about the importance of protecting your customers digital information with cyber insurance.  If you have recurring business (and you should) you also have credit cards on file.  Your customer information needs to be properly protected, find out more about the gaps that could end up causing you a lawsuit and get ahead of it now with some more tips from our Business Insurance Expert.

We interview our guy for insurance.  We always have a lot of questions when Frank McDonald from Select Insurance is in the building and this time its no different.  Frank has been in the pest control space for decades so he's seen a lot.  Check this one out for some of the latest and make sure you're covered.  Peace of mind is more affordable  than you may think.

We reminisce on some Thanksgiving greats, and give a sneak peek into what we're working on.  Would you like to come hang out and learn with us?  Find out more by Subscribing to the Podcast and Turning on your Notifications

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The Busy Holiday Season is here.  Find out what's on our agenda and what we're working on for you listeners.

We're super excited to bring you this interview with Raymond who is passionate about giving back to his community in Spokane WA.  Bedbug free furnishings is able to heat treat furniture to eradicate bed bugs to prolong its life cycle.  If you'd like to help or support visit them at https://bedbugfreefurnishings.org

We're continuing our conversation on the tools and solutions that Small businesses need to keep operations running without having to micro - manage.  Ready to make your life easier too?  Listen to part 2 of our interview with Workwave's Kerry McCane.  Find out why Ed asked;
Where were you in 1974?

This is a detailed walk through of the product that can revolutionize the way your small business operates.
A total game changer, Are you ready?

We spend so much time learning about growth, solutions and profits it may seem like the challenges and headaches that come with entrepreneurship are a thing of the past.  You would be wrong, but like today's guest Larry Izzo, we keep rolling with the punches.  
There are a lot of funny stories in pest control and some F'd up ones too.  This episode has some of both...

Ed calls it turning a corner, just think of it as Levelling up for your small business.  This episode packs another installment of tech info  that you can use to automate and optimize your Pest Control start-up.  

Whether you're just starting out in Pest Control with fewer than five technicians or you have a Multi million dollar company with hundreds of team members.  We all agree on the importance of better productivity.

Getting your routes properly organized is a key step in Optimizing your Business Operations.  

Of course you already have enough on your plate, so let's learn how you can get it all done with the magic of science and technology.

Occasional Invaders, Mice, Wildlife?

We have some quick tips for you on how to prepare your customers for the cooler temperatures.  Listen for some tips on how to protect yourself from crazy raccoon encounters and why your customers are having an uptick in pest activity.

Happy Thursday and Happy Halloween.  It also happens to be Happy Birthday for Ed and the day of our B&G Breast Cancer Awareness Tank Giveaway!

We even have a new release, on Leading through Adversity.  We all know that it's unavoidable in adult life and in business.  Today we discuss some of the toughest challenges - hurt employees for example, and give you some of the answers that worked for us along the way.  Learning together and growing together is what we do around here.  

$hit Happens.  Are you prepared to handle it?  We're sharing some stories of emergencies that we've had to navigate this week.  Use these lessons to help you come up with helpful steps you can use in your business.

How much do you know about the tools in your arsenal?  Today we cover some new and not so new features of the B&G Sprayer - one of the first pieces of equipment any professional Pest Manager gets acquainted with.  

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your chance to win the 

Pink Breast Cancer Awareness B&G from Pelsis - draws on Thursday October 31.

We're talking about Pest World 2019 - but how can we keep Ed and Joe on track? We have some great new products to share, out take on the show and our B&G Giveaway starts now - FOLLOW us on social media FB, YouTube and IG to Win!

A Lil Extra Here for ya.

Join us on Social Media Channels for Today's content.  

Live in San Diego CA for Pest World 2019

We're reporting LIVE from Pest World 2019 in San Diego this week, catch up with some of the exclusive interviews news we scored at Orlando in 2018 when we launched the Colony Confidential Podcast.  Join us for Live coverage from this year's show on IG, Facebook and more.

Spending more time going through your tough questions on pricing the job right.  We discuss how to go about raising the price for your existing customers and what qualifies a customer as an exception to the rules.

Join us for LIVE Coverage from Pest World 2019.  Starting on October 14th.

More on Pricing this week. This week we discuss collections and more.  Pest World San Diego is coming up. Keep an eye on our Social Media Channels for our BIG giveaway and all the latest.

Continuing with the Money Talk, today we discuss Pricing - it can make or break your business.  This episode gets down to details of how you should approach setting up your pricing structure so you are charging a fair price for your service.  

Do you know what you're worth?

Do you know the truth cost of your technicians?

Take notes because you're going to learn a lot with this one.

We covered a lot of ground with Finances over the last episodes.  And we have more questions to answer - But first we take a moment and throw you a curve ball.

Hear what we've got in store for the upcoming weeks. 

The Pricing Episodes generated more mail and questions than we've ever received.  So here's your first installment of Answers on How to set pricing for a new Business owner and Tips and strategies we used to go from working in the business to working ON the business.

Mr. & Mrs. America,

Focus on Finance continues with more on Pricing, Budgeting and special notes on how to raise prices over the course of a contract.

Hear the final recommendations of what's happening in the industry and get a leg up on the competition. 

Are you primarily Commercial only business? Lessons for your future growth are in here.

This Series packs a college level education.  Paul Giannamore of The Potomac Company does not disappoint. He tells us about his early start with entrepreneurship, starting a business selling used farming equipment throughout Europe while a student at Cornell University.  

Here's a few of the Top Things we learned...

Latin America and Eastern Europe are the new frontiers in Pest Control

Business Owners looking to break past the $1M Mark - Focus on Marketing, customers and discipline.

Ready to Blow it out the park?  Hire someone with strong internal accounting and bookkeeping skills, who can set up financial systems and KPI's before you need it.

And look our for dramatic shifts in Pest Control 

September is the month most businesses start working on budgets and forecasting.  We get it going with a bang thanks to our Incredible guest Paul Giannamore,  the kind of person who makes you feel smarter after a single conversation.  Don't take our word for it, get into this conversation and hear his take on what sets top earning companies apart, how to build a rock solid foundation for your business and the recession.

LIVE from The  NJPMA 72nd Annual Clinic, Trade show and clam bake.  What an event!  This is a great episode if you want to know about innovations in the industry, with guest interviews from B&G Pelsis, FiberTrap and more. 

Here's the rest of our discussion on what really helps to set us apart from the competition.  Learning from other people's mistakes is one sure way to be at the top of your game.  You don't have to go through the recovery after failure this time.  It's so much smarter to save your energy for the valuable lessons no one else can teach you.  Do yourself a favor and become a member Here

Hi confidants!

We had a really fake break over the last few weeks, because like most of you listening - we're always working even when we say we're not.  So maybe that is the only secret here, when you are into what you're doing, it really doesn't feel like work.  Otherwise there are no secrets to our success, because we share it all.  Listening to this episode will highlight the habits that have been game changers and the ones we're currently embracing on the road to bigger and better things.   Have you joined our membership yet? Check out our new site Here!

Catch up with us real quick while we get ready for the NJ Trade show on August 15th Rutger's University.

We have a customer/pricing debate and some big announcements to share. Go download our ebook.

The last awful insect of our summer series - ticks!

We're giving you all the intel you need to know to keep ticks away from your home.  For starters - Don't feed the birds, try to keep all wildlife away from your property, trim the trees and shrubs no branches touching the house.  Clean up leaf litter and plant deer resistant shrubs.

Do you know how to do a tick drag? When's the last time you did one?Also we give some insight on what worked well for us when it comes to selling more tick jobs.

There's a lot to learn in this latest episode. 

We've been talking about the reasons you hate the summer season most.  This Time it's Fly Treatment and prevention for when you've had enough. Including the 99.99999% Guaranteed thing you're overlooking in those Commercial Kitchens and the Course of Correction that will Take Care of it - Works at home too.

Learn More about the ways you can keep your residence or office free from fruit flies or houseflies, the details on different crazy baits like bread and beer and how to use them right.

How your drains and lucky bamboo could be encouraging more fly babies, Mystery bugs and what we did on 4th of July.

We started talking about the biggest pain in the a$$ bugs of the summer a few weeks back, this time around we're back to hook you up with some info on one of the hardest pests to get rid of - if you don't know what you're doing.  Let's get into it about these ants.  The first step to success is Identification!  Making sure you know what you're treating for is so key with ants especially because there are over 1000 different species in the US and many of them look similar but may require a different process for treatment.  
Did you know that the odorous house ant lives in colonies of up to 100,000 members that can re-infest your home again and again?

There's so much more to discuss here - including

• Pricing
• Our preferred and recommended treatments for residential interior and exterior ant treatments
• How to cater to ants and why you should include a follow up service.  

Meet Ed, Joe and some more of the Family in the Summer Pests Reloaded episode.  This one is Re-Edited and Full of Laughs 

Listen In and Enjoy.

We’re talking about summer pests and get specific about mosquitos this episode gives you specific recommendations on how to treat and why they're so difficult to get rid of.  Also some little known facts about how they behave and the dangerous diseases they carry.  Did you know that Mosquitos prefer beer drinkers?

Find out what the Ed and Joe have been up to.  Sign up to get your cheat sheet for getting rid of mosquitos on our website Here

Colony Confidential records LIVE at the Annual New York Pest Management Association's Spring Meeting.  Meet the city's PMP's, owners and manufacturers behind the Business, and hear about their paths to success in the business .

We believe that training doesn't have to be boring.  That's why we're here!

Catch all the details of the Training and Networking Opportunity for you to hang with Ed and Joe on Spring Tour NYC 2019!

We finish up our discussion on the State of the Union. Pest Control Union that is...and Make a very Special Announcement.  Register for the Upcoming Webinar on getting Google Guaranteed in your city.  Space is Limited.  Click the Link  to Sign Up.

https://searchkings.zoom.us/webinar/register/8037f9e5840a8830c5b9141539e44ee6  

Catch Up Here as we make some Big Announcements

Ed and Joe talk about some recent travels, smuggled coffee beans

the true story of Ed’s now famous scar.

And things get a little crazy talking about California's proposed rodenticide ban.

Taking on some of your tough questions.  

How to become a bed bug specialist.

An expecting mom (Ed is not the father) asks about the prep before a treatment and gets answers on the alternatives for all the steps.

Plus some of the pros vs. cons of chemical and heat treatments.

Our favorite mouse traps for a person that doesn't want to use any poisons around the house.  

Exclusion made simple AND...Have you used Amazon to order chemical?  

This episode was recorded with access to a stocked bar.

What is your time worth?

More on Termites and on pricing - How to work out the formula for pricing a job correctly and Ed's advice for doing business right.

Termites are big business and it's their season.  We go down the list of top cities and states for termite activity right now, and discuss some of our top treatment plans, the best chemicals and techniques and tips on the tools you need to do a thorough inspection.   When Ed starts telling stories, they usually take on the feeling of true confessions, we have a couple of those in here as well.

We’re featuring women in Pest Control starting with a self made entrepreneur who formed her own company in Washington D.C. EJ’s Pest Control to Lady Venom and Dr. bedbug herself!

Each of them share some of the challenges and joys they share in the business and some of their pest control horror stories.  This episode will give you some new ideas on tech, what's to come and how these women happened into their careers in Pest Control.

NPMA has been under scrutiny lately so we jump into that conversation here. 

We outline the benefits that we’ve used and let you know how you can take advantage of money saving opportunities you may not even know you’re missing.  Ed has some ideas on who they’re overlooking - snail mail to the rescue anyone? 

If you are a member, you will surely find some useful tips and if you’re not, maybe you can let us know why.  With so much information and opportunities for networking easily accesible to PMP’s -What are your thoughts on state or national Associations?

A quick snack to rap up the Legislative Day discussions and items most important to the Pest Control Biz

This episode breaks down some of the major issues up for discussion at Legislative Day 2019.  Joe points out some of the biggest concerns brought up by NPMA including the

H.R 345 Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Act  

H.R. 890 reducing EPA Duplication to reduce pesticide enforccement act - Reduce Red Tape Act

H.R. 216 The Main Street Tax Certainty Act

Check out our website for more details.

colonyconfdential.com

Joe took a trip to Washington D.C for Legislative Day 2019.  Ed didn't make it since he can't go within 20 feet of Senator Charles Schumer "allegedly."

Here we get into more rants and reviews on Customer Service and what your Business should really be looking at in terms of providing great Customer Service.  

Stories from the vaults on some Customer Service Lessons learned.  We take a look at the evolution of Customer Service - from Buyer Beware to Getting Reviewed online and Reputation Management being a new industry.  

Enjoy these outtakes and some of our Best Customer Service stories. 

Get a behind the scenes take on what's happening with new, big city construction.  We're talking amenities and expenses that got our heads spinning.  Electric cars Plus an epic battle between Joe and Ed that had some of us saying...Build that Wall!

Get some more laughs and lessons in with another round with Big Red.  He talks about one of his most memorable cockroach encounters.  We talk more business in D.C and get some of the sales gems.  Shoutout to Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn.

The guys bring Big Red to the table.  He's one of the best sales people we've seen in the industry and is the handler responsible for Synergy Scents South.  They reminisce on some of his most memorable jobs in Pest Control and some of the what he picked up along the journey like meeting his (former) wife and why the DMV is the best place to launch this new business.

We're just getting back from some Pest Control Trips and share some of the latest and greatest with you in this episode.  Hear all about what you as a consumer should do if you suspect bedbugs at a location where you're staying.  Also more news on what's going on with Ed’s courses, teaching and credits.  The Back Story on "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr and Mrs. America" and some other things you didn't know you needed to know.

Listen in with Ed and Joe answering those last Burning questions and their plans for a " Coming Out Party?"

Joe is in Kalahari for another day another convention, and there are Bedbug sightings at the hotel!

What a month January - What a month!

It's his first episode back Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. America So we talk about the recovery so far and how plans for 2019 are changing - Are they?

While we’re on a mini hiatus as Ed recovers from his triple bypass surgery on 1/14, we talk about raising minimum wage, automation replacing real people and Ed's college dreams.

We’re on a mini hiatus as Ed recovers from his triple bypass surgery on 1/14.  But we aren't going to leave you waiting and wanting. January will be packed with Mini Episodes, today listen to some advice, some talk on company culture and some shoutouts.  Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes Mr. & Mrs. America.

Joe tells Ed more about the new business that he’s launching and Ed has questions like - what’s the plan B to make sure that things work out?  Joe discusses some of the packages and ideas in place for the new venture (you may want to add this to your toolkit!) Also hear why Ed wants his own IMEI.

Here's our rundown of the holidays and how we ended the year in business, we're talking budget, goals, diet and the year ahead.

We share our Business tip that gets your customers on the straight and narrow when it comes to scheduling and keeping their  appointments.

And a little more on the Government shutdown and Synergy Scents South.

Our Final Episode of the year, some of what we learned and some of what we're looking forward to in 2019.

Thank you All & Happy New Year! 

We've had a lot of laughs over the past months.  This episode brings together some of the most outrageous moments we and some of our favorite guests shared on the podcast in 2018.  Enjoy

It's a year-end recap like only we can do.  Some of our best moments from this year's season of the show.  Catch up on some of our most talked-about stories with snippets from our HR series and more.

Enjoy

Today we discuss our thoughts on the newly announced acquisition that we started talking about weeks ago.  Why we think (and other experts do too) that the purchase of Assured environments by Terminix is a great thing for smaller companies.  How the 179 deduction can help you save money

And why you can expect an 8 - 14% increase in pricing in Pest control products.

2:55 The Big Buyout

12:25 Economy in 2019 - how to do well even in a tough economy

24:24 The next big thing 

Amazon, Uber, Netflix - are all well known disruptive innovators who completely changed "business as usual" in their field.  So who are the innovators in Pest Control and what are they doing?  That's what we're looking at in this episode from Raleigh NC at the CO2 Conference where some of the brightest minds got together to focus on Pest Control, Lawn Care and other Home Services Businesses. 

:46 Joe tells Ed the best way to CYA. 

3:25 The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

14:22 An 86% employee retention rate?  Here's how one company is doing it.

Also learn more about what’s new in Hiring and Retention. How to hire millennials - what to look out for and how to appeal to them.

We’re taking you back to the beginning with a listen to our very first recording... Hear some hilarious stories about Ed’s start in Pest Control

*WARNING*

This Episode is No frills  - Hear us talk about our plans for the podcast and get a real honest look at how this all came together. 

2:10 Aggravation tax
13:35 What are you crazy?
26:15 Eddie’s got a gun
33:20  Beef with the half a lunatic in the ktichen 

Ed and Joe are back to teaching you more of the lessons they've learned over the last 70 + years of Successful Entrepreneurship.   We all know (or at least heard) that to make money, you have to get money to work for you.

Ed started his kids out young, saving and investing $20 per paycheck from their first jobs.  Now he has been trying to get his hands on Joe's portfolio, so he can make sure he's getting the most out of his money and in this episode, we're gonna do the same for you with a quick tuneup and some questions to get you started.

Topics include:

Useful info on 401K plans

Dividend stocks vs. Roth IRA  

How to get started in the stock market