Welcome to a captivating episode of Eye On Franchising, where we dive deep into the world of business opportunities and the art of seizing the present. In this edition, we unpack the undeniable benefits of owning a Mosquito Shield franchise. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of insights and revelations as we explore the boundless potential of this low-cost franchise opportunity. Joining us are two remarkable individuals who have revolutionized the franchise industry: Michael Morehouse, the visionary President of Mosquito Shield, and Kelly Macht, the astute Director of Franchise Development. Prepare to be captivated by their stories of triumph and discovery, as they recount their personal journeys into the franchising realm and the remarkable evolution of the Mosquito Shield brand. In this riveting episode, we uncover the profound significance of taking action, seizing opportunities, and embracing the ever-changing landscape of business ownership. Kelly unveils her profound insights gained from purchasing her own franchise, emphasizing the invaluable lessons learned about time and energy investment. Her unwavering goal? To educate and unite with exceptional partners who embody the core values of our brand. Meanwhile, Michael sheds light on the emergence of mosquito control as a burgeoning industry and his remarkable experience in crafting the franchise model for a local Massachusetts company. Discover how these passionate entrepreneurs have transformed Mosquito Shield into a lifestyle brand, offering unparalleled flexibility and the perfect work-life balance. But wait, there's more! Our speakers delve into the franchising aspect of their mosquito control empire, unveiling the extraordinary benefits that franchisees enjoy. Not only do they provide an essential quality of life service to homeowners, but they also reap the rewards of a lucrative business opportunity. The secret lies in the seasonal nature of the business, allowing franchisees to work hard during a specific period and then savor well-deserved downtime. Are you ready to embark on a life-changing journey? Join us as we uncover the secrets of Mosquito Shield's success and the unparalleled benefits of investing in a franchise business within the pest control industry. Discover how adding mosquito control to your repertoire can yield remarkable profits and unparalleled value for homeowners. But hold on, we're not done yet! We unveil the meticulous franchise selection process that ensures only the finest partners join the Mosquito Shield family. Prepare to be astounded as we guide you through an immersive journey of introductory calls, financial scrutiny, and a rigorous validation process. And that's not all – you'll have the chance to connect with current franchisees and gain invaluable insights into the extraordinary experience of running a Mosquito Shield franchise. But that's just the tip of the iceberg! We dive into the importance of compatibility, cultural alignment, and adherence to our proven system. These factors are the key to unlocking unparalleled success as a Mosquito Shield franchisee. Get ready to embark on a journey where fear and nervousness breed determination and profound achievement. Collaboration is the cornerstone of our franchise community, and in this episode, we unravel the power of teamwork and shared knowledge. Discover how new franchisees can tap into the collective wisdom of our community, attending leadership calls, engaging in marketing activities, and embracing the unparalleled support that sets Mosquito Shield apart. But enough talk – let's dive into the nitty-gritty! We unveil the rapid ramp-up time for new owners, allowing you to hit the ground running within a mere four to six weeks. Extensive training and unwavering support from our Home Office ensure your success from day one. With over 350 territories and 145 owners, the sky's the limit for your entrepreneurial journey. And what about marketing? Fear not – we've got you covered! Prepare to be astounded as we unveil our strategic marketing strategy, designed to captivate and convert customers. From prepaying for services in the fall to targeted marketing campaigns and captivating home and garden shows, our marketing support for franchisees is unparalleled. Timing is everything, and in the world of outdoor service businesses like mosquito control, it's the key to unlocking unparalleled success. Discover how we monitor weather patterns and seasonal activities to target potential customers at precisely the right moment. Even in areas like Los Angeles, where mosquitoes may not be commonly associated, our business thrives. But the grand finale awaits! We unveil the awe-inspiring success of our franchisees in the Northeast, particularly in Minnesota. Prepare to be astounded as we unveil record-breaking sales achieved through sheer dedication and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Their triumphs highlight the incredible profitability of offering mosquito control services in regions with a short summer season. The importance of acquiring and retaining loyal customers takes center stage in this episode. We reveal the power of annual payment plans in fostering a committed customer base, boasting an astounding retention rate of 84%. Such loyalty is a testament to the exceptional quality of our services and the unwavering trust our customers place in us. And let's not forget the challenge of finding exceptional employees in the mosquito control industry. But fear not – we've cracked the code! Our higher pay scale compared to similar industries like lawn care attracts a diverse pool of talented technicians. We provide resources and incentives to ensure your hiring success, allowing you to assemble a remarkable team that embodies the Mosquito Shield spirit. So, what are you waiting for? The time for action is now. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to start your own Mosquito Shield franchise and shape your own destiny. Take the leap, embrace the unknown, and embark on a journey that will redefine your future. Join us in this extraordinary episode of Eye On Franchising, where we unlock the secrets of success, empower your entrepreneurial spirit, and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. Like, follow, and subscribe to our podcast to ensure you never miss a moment of inspiration and revelation. The future is in your hands – seize it with Mosquito Shield. - Introduction to Mosquito Shield franchise - Guest stories and background in franchising - Benefits of seasonal franchise opportunity - Mosquito control as a lifestyle brand - Adding mosquito control to pest control business - Investment and scaling opportunities - Franchise selection process - Importance of discovery process - Finding the right fit for franchisees - Following a proven system and collaboration - Value of collaboration in franchise business - Quick ramp-up time for new owners - Marketing strategy and support - Identifying target audience and strategic mapping - Timing in marketing for outdoor service business - Success of franchisees in specific regions - Acquiring and retaining loyal customers - Challenge of finding employees in industry - Opportunity for starting a franchise - Building a culture of exclusivity - Conclusion and call to action --- Have you heard the news? We are officially on YouTube. Come check out a few videos have have and give me a follow! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwoAdrkPZmveJt5AQRDk8WA --- Lance Graulich Franchise Consulting Services from ION Franchising Eye On Franchising
Welcome to a captivating episode of Eye On Franchising, where we dive deep into the world of business opportunities and the art of seizing the present. In this edition, we unpack the undeniable benefits of owning a Mosquito Shield franchise. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of insights and revelations as we explore the boundless potential of this low-cost franchise opportunity.
Joining us are two remarkable individuals who have revolutionized the franchise industry: Michael Morehouse, the visionary President of Mosquito Shield, and Kelly Macht, the astute Director of Franchise Development. Prepare to be captivated by their stories of triumph and discovery, as they recount their personal journeys into the franchising realm and the remarkable evolution of the Mosquito Shield brand.
In this riveting episode, we uncover the profound significance of taking action, seizing opportunities, and embracing the ever-changing landscape of business ownership. Kelly unveils her profound insights gained from purchasing her own franchise, emphasizing the invaluable lessons learned about time and energy investment. Her unwavering goal? To educate and unite with exceptional partners who embody the core values of our brand.
Meanwhile, Michael sheds light on the emergence of mosquito control as a burgeoning industry and his remarkable experience in crafting the franchise model for a local Massachusetts company. Discover how these passionate entrepreneurs have transformed Mosquito Shield into a lifestyle brand, offering unparalleled flexibility and the perfect work-life balance.
But wait, there's more! Our speakers delve into the franchising aspect of their mosquito control empire, unveiling the extraordinary benefits that franchisees enjoy. Not only do they provide an essential quality of life service to homeowners, but they also reap the rewards of a lucrative business opportunity. The secret lies in the seasonal nature of the business, allowing franchisees to work hard during a specific period and then savor well-deserved downtime.
Are you ready to embark on a life-changing journey? Join us as we uncover the secrets of Mosquito Shield's success and the unparalleled benefits of investing in a franchise business within the pest control industry. Discover how adding mosquito control to your repertoire can yield remarkable profits and unparalleled value for homeowners.
But hold on, we're not done yet! We unveil the meticulous franchise selection process that ensures only the finest partners join the Mosquito Shield family. Prepare to be astounded as we guide you through an immersive journey of introductory calls, financial scrutiny, and a rigorous validation process. And that's not all – you'll have the chance to connect with current franchisees and gain invaluable insights into the extraordinary experience of running a Mosquito Shield franchise.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg! We dive into the importance of compatibility, cultural alignment, and adherence to our proven system. These factors are the key to unlocking unparalleled success as a Mosquito Shield franchisee. Get ready to embark on a journey where fear and nervousness breed determination and profound achievement.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of our franchise community, and in this episode, we unravel the power of teamwork and shared knowledge. Discover how new franchisees can tap into the collective wisdom of our community, attending leadership calls, engaging in marketing activities, and embracing the unparalleled support that sets Mosquito Shield apart.
But enough talk – let's dive into the nitty-gritty! We unveil the rapid ramp-up time for new owners, allowing you to hit the ground running within a mere four to six weeks. Extensive training and unwavering support from our Home Office ensure your success from day one. With over 350 territories and 145 owners, the sky's the limit for your entrepreneurial journey.
And what about marketing? Fear not – we've got you covered! Prepare to be astounded as we unveil our strategic marketing strategy, designed to captivate and convert customers. From prepaying for services in the fall to targeted marketing campaigns and captivating home and garden shows, our marketing support for franchisees is unparalleled.
Timing is everything, and in the world of outdoor service businesses like mosquito control, it's the key to unlocking unparalleled success. Discover how we monitor weather patterns and seasonal activities to target potential customers at precisely the right moment. Even in areas like Los Angeles, where mosquitoes may not be commonly associated, our business thrives.
But the grand finale awaits! We unveil the awe-inspiring success of our franchisees in the Northeast, particularly in Minnesota. Prepare to be astounded as we unveil record-breaking sales achieved through sheer dedication and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Their triumphs highlight the incredible profitability of offering mosquito control services in regions with a short summer season.
The importance of acquiring and retaining loyal customers takes center stage in this episode. We reveal the power of annual payment plans in fostering a committed customer base, boasting an astounding retention rate of 84%. Such loyalty is a testament to the exceptional quality of our services and the unwavering trust our customers place in us.
And let's not forget the challenge of finding exceptional employees in the mosquito control industry. But fear not – we've cracked the code! Our higher pay scale compared to similar industries like lawn care attracts a diverse pool of talented technicians. We provide resources and incentives to ensure your hiring success, allowing you to assemble a remarkable team that embodies the Mosquito Shield spirit.
So, what are you waiting for? The time for action is now. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to start your own Mosquito Shield franchise and shape your own destiny. Take the leap, embrace the unknown, and embark on a journey that will redefine your future.
Join us in this extraordinary episode of Eye On Franchising, where we unlock the secrets of success, empower your entrepreneurial spirit, and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. Like, follow, and subscribe to our podcast to ensure you never miss a moment of inspiration and revelation. The future is in your hands – seize it with Mosquito Shield.
- Introduction to Mosquito Shield franchise
- Guest stories and background in franchising
- Benefits of seasonal franchise opportunity
- Mosquito control as a lifestyle brand
- Adding mosquito control to pest control business
- Investment and scaling opportunities
- Franchise selection process
- Importance of discovery process
- Finding the right fit for franchisees
- Following a proven system and collaboration
- Value of collaboration in franchise business
- Quick ramp-up time for new owners
- Marketing strategy and support
- Identifying target audience and strategic mapping
- Timing in marketing for outdoor service business
- Success of franchisees in specific regions
- Acquiring and retaining loyal customers
- Challenge of finding employees in industry
- Opportunity for starting a franchise
- Building a culture of exclusivity
- Conclusion and call to action
---
Have you heard the news? We are officially on YouTube. Come check out a few videos have have and give me a follow!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwoAdrkPZmveJt5AQRDk8WA
---
Franchise Consulting Services from ION Franchising
Lance Graulich 00:00:02 Welcome to Eye on Franchising. Are you looking for business opportunities? Well, you are in the right place. We represent over 650 franchises and business opportunities. We will help you find your perfect franchise for free. We even have a free assessment on our website that will help us determine what the best businesses for you based on your investment level mindset, skill set, and life experiences. This is Eye on Franchising, where we share our vision for your franchise future. I'm your host, Lance Graulich. Each week we will speak to fascinating folks from the world of franchising, franchisors and founders, franchise funders, and franchisees. Are you looking to find your perfect franchise? Or perhaps you are an independent business owner looking to grow and scale your business by setting up a franchise. Either way, our team can help you, Eye on Franchising, where you will learn the A to Z's of franchise. Hello everyone, and welcome back to another fabulous episode of Ion Franchising. And I'm your host, Lance Graulich. So we all love the great outdoors and we don't want to be bugged or be uncomfortable when we're enjoying our safe space, our home, especially outside of our home. This next amazing brand is a low cost powerhouse brand where you can actually build generational wealth even on a seasonal basis. And we get to hear about this today. So welcome to the show. Mr. Michael Morehouse, the president of Mosquito Shield and Kelly Macht, director of Franchise Development, also from Mosquito Shield. Welcome to both of you.
Michael 00:01:49 Awesome. thanks for having us.
Kelly 00:01:51 Pleasure to see you again.
Lance Graulich 00:01:53 Likewise. Nice to see you both live on Zoom. And, obviously if you're listening at home to the podcast, you don't get to see our lovely faces, but you get to hear it. Certainly the amazing story of Mosquito Shield. So, who wants to go first? Kelly, you go first. Ladies first. How'd you get into franchising in the first place and tell, us your great story?
Kelly 00:02:15 Oh, gosh, Lance. I literally fell into franchising. I was offered an opportunity. It was not in my wheelhouse, but, sales was. And being a people person certainly was and was offered an opportunity to work at franchise shows, the regional based franchise events all over the US. I'm actually Canadian, not everybody knows that. But I've worked in the US. Franchise industry for over ten years now. And, that was actually where I first met Michael Morehouse. He, was just developing the Mosquito Shield brand. was looking for an avenue to meet new franchisees and he became an exhibitor of ours. so it is in fact, where Michael met some of his very first franchisees. So we've come full circle. Now that I'm doing his development and I played different roles, I think it's really important people know that I've sat in their chair and I share this often. I bought a franchise before I was in this role of development. And I did buy a franchise. I worked with a consultant and vetted opportunities, so I have a really great understanding and appreciation for the time and energy people put into this process and learning about different opportunities that are available to them. And I do like to share that and disarm them a little bit. I'm really not here to sell anybody. UI really do want to educate and find people that are really good partners for this mature brand at this point.
Lance Graulich 00:03:35 Yeah, disarm is a good choice of words because when a lot of people, myself being a consultant, when I have a lot of people come to me and say, I don't know what I want, but I know I need to be my own boss, it could be a very scary proposition, of course. So, uh, thank you for sharing all that. Kelly and Michael, what's your story? Is that all true, what Kelly just shared?
Michael 00:03:56 Yeah, you know, the funny thing is, she kind of stole my thunder. But she said most don't know she's Canadian only until she says she's going to take somebody through the process.
Lance Graulich 00:04:07 Dead giveaway.
Michael 00:04:09 It's clear we know where she's from. But, Lance, thanks for having us. And the interesting thing I think is part of my story is that this is still relatively a new emerging space for a lot of people. They're learning about mosquito control, for their backyards and the quality of life we provide. And, this brand has been around for 22 years and I've been with them for 15. So wow. I've been, again, kind of fell into franchising that way by coming on board with mosquito Shield. I had cut my teeth for many years as a GM in the new car dealership world. I didn't really know But I was in a franchise, ultimately having to follow guidelines and brand standards and do's and don'ts. So I lived on the franchisee side in many ways. and then, as Kelly mentioned, back in 2013, so we were just a local Massachusetts mosquito control company before people even knew it existed. And then I was tasked in 2013 with really back in 2011 with building a franchise model and bringing it nationally. So we launched in 2013. And since day one, I've been involved in every single franchisee that's come on board with us. It's been a really fulfilling journey on that side to just see, um, how lives have changed for so many people. And I say that all the time, that anytime that our brand is part of such an important change, it's super meaningful. And, so it's been a really rewarding tenure, ujourney on the franchise side. Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:05:41 Love all that. So let's start with, well, maybe the obvious. Tell the folks listening, we know mosquito control, but give sort of a more in depth description of what the franchise is all about. Who wants to do that.
Michael 00:05:56 Yeah, I'll take that to start and then Kelly can, backfill anything I missed. But I think I'd mentioned a second ago about it being a quality of life service. That's what we're providing to the homeowner. But at the same time, we look at our franchisees and they're really our target customer. These are the same people that they know the quality of life service they're providing, but the business opportunity provides quality life for them in probably 80% of our system nationally. It's a seasonal business. So this allows the franchisee to work really hard for a set period of time and then they can unplug and unwind. I like to be real and honest at all times. And I always tell people, because of the seasonality, there's a blessing and curse to this. The curse is the first two seasons, because you really got to be open for about 18 months to have twelve months of service time in there. Right. But after that, you can grow this to a point of where you're generating twelve months of revenue in six or eight months time. So it's quality of life that you're providing, but you're getting it back as you scale this business. So I think that it's not about if you ask any of our long term legacy franchisees that are super successful, they've been with us since day one. They never thought they were getting into a pest control or mosquito control company. They saw this as an opportunity that they would use as a homeowner, but a life changing opportunity. They were all white collar, super successful people, um, but wanted something more, right? They wanted something different. They didn't want to be beholden to somebody above them. And they all took a leap of faith, and left that security blanket. some did it over time, so they didn't have to leave their jobs right away. That's another great luxury that this business provides. But I think that's sort of what I think is so great about, mosquito shield. Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:07:49 Kelly, something to add, I'm sure.
Kelly 00:07:52 Yeah. I would chime in absolutely on what Michael is saying. I always love to kind of tell what the brand is. A lifestyle brand, right. It really can be many different things to different people. We do have an owner operator model, and some people who jump in and they're in the vehicle right out of the gate and this is their new job. But I would say more and more people are trending to the idea that they are looking for that lifestyle. They're looking for the flexibility. They're looking for more time to themselves to do the things that are important to them and their families and their friends. And there's a lot of people who also love their current career, but they want to dabble in business ownership. And we're starting to see more of that coming into the system. People that are really savvy, they're skilled they've been in the corporate, world for a long time, and they bring a really great soft skill set to the brand and to being able to scale this in their community and kind of have it all right. And I think at the end of the day, that's what everybody wants. Everybody wants it all right. and we're really seeing people, ugrasping hold of that and being able to fulfill their lives with those things that are most important to them through business ownership with Mosquito Shield.
Michael 00:09:06 Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:09:06 So when it first started, though, was it just mosquito control and then you gravitated to overall pest control, or, how did that come about? And what is that?
Michael 00:09:18 Yeah, we were mosquito control from day one. Quickly added tick control. We're out of the northeast, so ticks are a massive problem in and around here. like mosquitoes, they're growing and spreading into more and more areas over time. But there's regions that have really bad tick problems, and there's regions that will never have a tick issue. So it's a great opportunity for add on revenue for locations that have tick issues in their market. So, same, truck, same service, same visit. So it's just really great. What I call share a wallet from the homeowner. Right. So you're earning their business, and then you're getting more revenue from that one service. and then we just launched in 2023 pest Shield, which is a perimeter pest service, mainly lands for spiders and ants. It's usually what freaks homeowners out. They tend to be really active and moving in the spring and the fall when there's big climate changes, is when you start to see spider and ant activity. Again, same visit, same truck, same guy, just a great opportunity. And we really saw it as an opportunity to fill those pockets where there are not tick problems around the country. But we're well covered with our mosquito business that that same franchisee can appreciate that revenue opportunity and again, provide a value to the homeowner. Right. it's hard for pest control companies, and this is a confusing thing in this industry to get into mosquito control because you got to be out there so often and so frequently to really get good results. And it doesn't fit their model. But for us to bolt on pest, it works really well for us. Love it. So mosquito tick in general, pest is the focus. Great.
Lance Graulich 00:10:58 So let's talk about the investment. So, from what I understand, the average franchisee almost has three territories. So what is that investment like? Uh,and who are you specifically looking for? Who do you know makes a great franchisee?
Kelly 00:11:15 So in terms of the investment lands, I think one of the great things about this, and one of the reasons that people are able to invest in enough territory to kind of look forward three, five, eight years down the road and think about the business that they want to grow into and be able to afford. That now is the business model and the startup costs. You have that initial franchise fee and as you scale additional territories, you're in and around $100,000 for that investment on one territory. But as you scale into additional territories, you're really just paying that additional territory fee and perhaps having just a little bit of extra liquid capital available. Because you're still starting with one vehicle, it doesn't matter how much territory you buy. You've got that one vehicle, you've got your one marketing budget, you've got one license. It's pretty much just one of everything which you need to get that business started up anyway. So making that investment in the additional territory doesn't become as daunting.
Michael 00:12:09 Right.
Kelly 00:12:10 And so we do see people looking at and we work with them to build out the right amount of territory. For some people, one territory is the right amount of territory, and for some, more than five has been the right amount of territory. Right. It really depends on what their goals are. And we do make sure that we work with each individual to tailor that to their plans for growth in the future, not just today.
Lance Graulich 00:12:33 I'm sure some franchisees get started and call you back and say, kelly, I need a few more territories. I need more.
Kelly 00:12:40 Yeah, you know what? It does happen. In fact, it just happened this past month and it was a brand new franchisee, who did call us and had that exact conversation with us. And it is really exciting when that happens. Because the other thing is, this is a mature brand, right. We do have some incredible major markets that are still available. The Nashville, the Charlottes, the Jacksonville's of the world. But at the same time, if you're going into a market that is likely to get picked up, you want to think in terms of, is this going to still be available if I hold off for six months or a year at that point? Right?
Lance Graulich 00:13:19 Absolutely. Well, describe who you're looking for and what this process looks like. because clearly there's a process, umit's a two way street, the franchise selection process. You have to like somebody, they have to like you. How does that whole thing go?
Kelly 00:13:36 Yeah, I think the brand is under the franchise fast lane umbrella. And we do a great job here of taking people through that process to, give them the material and the information at times that are relevant, through the time we spend together. Right. We do an intro call, just kind of have a little bit of time to get to know each other. Because what we're looking for, what I'm looking for I've known Michael a long time. I want to find him some great partners for this brand. We're not a new emerging brand who's just looking to give away franchises to anybody who wants to buy one, right? He's really looking for great partners, people that are going to work with him and his team to grow the brand, grow the presence in the community and the national footprint. so I want to get to know people. We want to get them, unit economics, some financial information, the FDD, the franchise disclosure document, and we have an incredibly robust validation process. You will get to spend time on scheduled weekly calls with the candidates that are in my pipeline, speaking with Michael, speaking with the leadership team, the people at our sales center, our marketing team. We even had CEO of Five, Star Franchising, our parent company, with us earlier this week talking about the bigger picture and the vision for Five Star and how Mosquito Shield fits into that. And on the flip side, you'll get a call each week with a different franchisee, right? You're going to talk to men, to women, people in the north, people in the south. More legacy owners that have been with us for years and seen the evolution of the business and people who just got started last year, and they can talk about exactly what you're going to experience over the first three months, six months, year of your business. And so we do want to provide that really well rounded discovery process and allow people to go through it at their pace, but at the same time affording them, an opportunity to kind of touch and meet with all of the people that are going to be part of their day to day within this organization. It is an absolute key part. If you are not validating in my process, I automatically don't see you as a good fit for the brand. You need to speak with people other than myself and the consultant to really understand if this is something that's going to benefit you and them in the long run.
Lance Graulich 00:15:45 Yeah, absolutely and then eventually they get to Michael is there a discovery day? Is there, uh, an executive call?
Kelly 00:15:55 Absolutely.
Michael 00:15:57 I'll touch on that a little bit, because I think what we've learned over the last couple of years is and it's funny that the Kelly mentioned partnership, because I've been calling it that for ten years. As I really look at our Z's as partners, there's always going to be that Zorz relationship at some point, right, where decisions are made and everybody's moving forward. But the point is, we're always pulling in the same direction and we're looking at them as true partners. We do really well with husband and wife teams. Lance, I think that that's something that we've seemed to really hone in on. It's something that it gives one of them the chance to jump in full time, maybe, while the other one maintains their full time job to give a little breathing room, for them. They've been working together their whole adult lives on, a household front so they know each other's skill sets, and they partner really well from that standpoint. But as they're going through their due diligence and process with Kelly, as she mentioned, every Tuesday at 04:00, I make myself available. But we will do a lot of one offs. There's instances where they might have unique circumstances, and maybe they really want to know in their minds if they want to structure a business a certain way. How do I feel about that and how does that fit? And I always welcome one on one calls, because, again, Kelly has her job and it's to vet, because, as you mentioned, we're interviewing them and they're interviewing us. It's a two way street, and I make that very clear that we want to make sure that it's a good fit, because at the end of the day, they might be well capitalized, they might have a great market, but, culturally, it might not be a fit. And I think that's the most important thing to me. There's been many times over ten years where we've turned away from a candidate that had more money than all of us on this call, and they just weren't like, culturally, they weren't the right fit. And that's not something we've always had very measured growth as a brand. Over ten years, we've never been in that. Take a check from anybody that can write it, because we knew that this was a long play for us, and having been the original mosquito control company, we wanted to protect that so they have open access to the leadership team. We meet, like I said, every Tuesday at 04:00, every Thursday at four is a different type of franchisee. But again, Kelly is really good at putting one on one calls together. So if
Michael 00:18:17 we've got somebody from a very specific market and we'll put them right in touch with that neighboring Z, so we work really hard to get them in, a frame of mind that allows them to make, again, as I mentioned earlier, such a huge, life altering decision. You want to go into it as eyes wide open as you can. You should be super scared and nervous. Like, those are really important emotions if you're not, there's probably something a little wrong with you. And I would pause on my own side saying, why are they not at all nervous about this? But, there is a risk I've always said this, that I feel like you've got to jump. It's our goal to take that leap of faith from here and make it here, but you're still going to make that jump. It's just trying to make it as manageable and being able to see the other side where you're going to land. That's our goal.
Lance Graulich 00:19:10 So if you guys are both thinking of your top performing, absolute best franchisees, your top ten franchisees all have in common besides money, they're making money.
Michael 00:19:28 Yeah. I'll share it on my side, and then Kelly certainly can do the same for me. What I see in our top performers are they've got enough they had enough, faith to open their own business, right. So they're not completely risk averse, but they follow the system. That's where I see it, and I hear it from other franchisors across all industry, is that it's crazy that someone buys into a franchise and then wants to reinvent the wheel. We have plenty of those, and they struggle the first couple of years, and then it's like, hopefully they course correct and then they get on track. But they always want to dabble on their own in the beginning, which is a little bit of a head scratcher. So for me, it's following the system. That's what I see in our most successful franchisees is what I liked about it, is they did everything we told them to do, and then they did some more on their own that we were like, well, untested, but if you want to try it, go ahead. And we let them do that because they did the core things that we knew were, and that's a differentiator for me in our most successful Z's, is that they followed everything we asked them to, and then they were risk takers enough to try some other things as well in their markets. Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:20:46 That's great. Kelly, I know you have thoughts on that. You're talking to these people every day.
Kelly 00:20:51 I do, for sure. I think this is a system that has grown through the last ten years, and there's been a lot of trial and error. There's been things that have not worked. And Michael's right, you need to follow the process. They have tried all kinds of things. Some have worked well, some have not. There's no point in reinventing that wheel. They're at a point now, especially with the additional support, leadership, operational support coming in on the five star side of things and with the size of the franchise system that's been grown with the talent that is here. Both internally and through the franchise system. With our franchisees, they're at a point where you really do need to follow that playbook, because those that have come before you have gone through a lot of that growing pain. And now we're at a really great point in the business where it's so simple to just replicate. But I think one of the things that's really key is and I'm always looking for people that are going to be willing to collaborate. And I think a lot of that, and I say that starts with the validation process, getting on those validation calls, meeting the leadership team. I never want to see somebody coming to or wanting to come to a confirmation day. I can't register them and have Michael say to me, hey, Lance, who like, who is that guy? He's never been on any of our leadership calls. Right? I don't want that. I want people that are going to invest themselves in the brand in getting to know other franchisees and people that are going to collaborate on the other end. They're going to attend the marketing calls that are held regularly. They're going to participate with the new business Success Coach, who is one of our most successful legacy franchisees. Who's going to work one on one with our new franchisees. Most Brands have A Business success. Coach. I think very few of them have one of their most successful franchisees to mentor those new franchisees. Right. So I want people that are going to be collaborative, that are going to embrace the people that are around them and what's come before them and be able to take that and do amazing things with their own business.
Lance Graulich 00:22:54 Yeah. The collaboration is myself, having been a franchisee multiple times, the collaboration is something that most people don't even realize when they get started. If you get into your own business, you're truly by yourself, unless you're paying for coaching support from some consultant that's helping you. And in a franchise, the bonus is all the collaboration. I mean, it is a team sport and you don't build a legacy all by yourself.
Kelly 00:23:21 Yeah, it's really amazing. We have owners who are on our validation calls on Thursdays and they will say at the end of the call, if you guys become franchisees, like, reach out to me directly, here's my cell phone right now. Right. Or here's my email address right now. When you become an owner, call me because I want to talk to you about how I can help support you. These are the conversations that actually happen and I see it happen. And then they come together at, the, convention advisory council meetings or regional meetings or things like that. And they're like, hey, and they're meeting somebody that they've met online even before they started their business. And that relationship building starts from the ground up before they're even a franchisee. I think that's so key.
Lance Graulich 00:24:04 I love that. So let's talk. You mentioned playbook. So how does that playbook sort of play out? You find the right individual. What is the ramp up period like? So you award somebody a franchise, they pay their deposit, they're in. Give me that. And how does the training go? how many months and years or weeks or days of training are there?
Michael 00:24:26 Yeah, that's another great thing. We're not unique to this as far as like, home services typically lend themselves to low cost of entry in quick ramp. Right. Quick Startup, us, especially because you can be home based, all you really need is a place to park your van and a source of water and you're off and running in this business. So even our most successful franchisees initially started out of their driveway. That's the amazing thing about it. And as Kelly mentioned earlier, people are buying extra territory after they get in because they realize that you can have ten trucks and you're paying the same rent, same utility bill every month as you are. So people are buying extra territories after they get in because they realize how quick and easy this is to ramp. But your fixed costs don't change. So you're paying the same amount for rent, the same amount for utilities with one van or ten vans. So that's the benefit of mosquito shield home services in general. But Mosquito Shield specifically is the quick ramp time. So when somebody new comes on, they can be up and running literally in four to six weeks time. It's that fast. So we have set trainings all spring this time of year. We start to do one offs as new owners. Come on. We'll pull together quick trainings and get them up individually. Whereas in the spring we're doing trainings with 25, 30 new owners at a time, new technicians. So we do a lot of those in the springtime. But from this point on, anybody that comes on within four weeks, they're going to be at the home office, they're going to spend a week with us. They'll either drive their van home or they'll have it shipped home. And then we'll even go and visit them on site after they've been up and running a little bit. But, um, there's so much ongoing support from the Home Office. There's weekly calls that they can dial into. There's a library. Again, having done this for ten years, we've got a digital library of so much content that they can watch 24/7 on anything from how to enter a payment into the software system, how to do your routing, how to change the spark plug in the backpack sprayer. Like everything and anything you can imagine is at their fingertips, and then a phone call away. Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:26:36 So how many franchisees are there right now?
Michael 00:26:40 I'm going to go with Kelly on this one. We've had epic historic growth over the last 30 months.
Lance Graulich 00:26:46 Uit's a good problem when you grow that fast. You don't know the number it is.
Michael 00:26:50 But I do know we're over 350 territories we just crossed. yeah, we just celebrated that.
Kelly 00:27:01 Five owners or so. I have to do another check on no, that's good.
Lance Graulich 00:27:04 I just want an estimate. About 145 owners.
Michael 00:27:06 Ah, 145 owners. Yeah, 350. Almost 360 territories.
Lance Graulich 00:27:11 Now, talk a little bit about the seasonality and how that is handled with the franchisees, because it's a couple of components. Obviously, there's quite a few franchisees that are what we call in the world of franchising, semi absentee owners, where they keep their job, their day job, and work on the business 1020 hours a week or so. But how does the seasonality what are you teaching them? I mean, there's just business development during the winter, making sure you have your accounts for the high season, so to speak. How does that all work?
Michael 00:27:44 Yeah, let me speak to a couple of programs that I think people wouldn't think of, but we're super successful in a prepaid program that we do in the fall every year. So as their seasons ending and as the homeowners enjoying the peak of the results, beautiful fall weather, no mosquitoes, enjoying their backyard, they have been all summer, they get a message sent to them that says, as an existing customer, Lance, no one's ever going to pay less than you. Sign up for next year and save X amount. And we see, system wide, about 35% are prepaying for that next year. Now, uh, we have locations that have 4000 customers, so they've got 1200 people paying them $600 for somebody. Do the math on that. $750,000 is coming in when you're closing the doors and turning your lights off and winterizing your vans. Now, you got to grow to get to that size. Right? But the point is, that's a great program that we run every fall and that runs past your closing date because you usually do a second reminder offer in November. So you're engaged even though you're winding down. And then we do really well in the early, early spring, more like late winter. But they call them the Spring home and garden shows. If you think about a February March time frame, people have been cooped up all winter. They go to the big home show or patio and garden show at the big convention center in their market. And they're walking up and down the aisles and they're looking at investing in a hardscape or a hot tub or new decking. And they're our core audience. So they just bought an outdoor fire pit and it's going to be $15,000 to have it installed. And they see our booth and for a $500 show special, they can enjoy that fire pit we do really well. So, again, annual, uh, conventions usually every January. So there's a lot of things that kind of happen at a nice casual pace, but are meaningful for the business. So it's not like you shut down completely. so there is some things that are happening in the off season, but it is a chance to recharge your batteries and then get ready for that what I call 300 miles an hour come April, May, when it's just straight out.
Lance Graulich 00:29:56 So as we just, sort of segue into marketing, and lead gen, if you will, lead generation, let's continue on that track and, talk a little bit about that. Obviously, everyone getting into a franchise. That's one of their first questions. Well, what does the brand do for me for marketing?
Michael 00:30:14 Yeah. Love it. There's obviously quite a bit. We've got 22 years of doing this. We know who has the highest propensity to use this service. Not everyone's going to buy it, even. We make it very affordable. We've got very low price points and great payment options for the homeowner. But there's still people that just won't put it on their list. Surprisingly younger families with a ton of kids. They're not our target audience. They're never around. They're always dropping the kids off somewhere or running to games.
Lance Graulich 00:30:41 Those poor kids.
Michael 00:30:42 Yeah, I know, right? they're not necessarily our target audience, but we know who our audience is. We use the same mapping that Kelly uses to identify a territory. Lance when you come in and buy, once you're an owner, we then use that same mapping and then look at where are you? Might own 20 zip codes, but we might only want to market to three of them the first couple of years to really make sure we're getting the real low hanging fruit, which leads to route density. So your van is not driving around all 20 towns. So you're getting more visibility because you're in the same neighborhood. So they're seeing the van, neighbors are seeing the signs, they're hearing the backpack make noise, they're looking out the window. So we take all of those things into consideration. What we've learned over the years is that the zero to 300 customers is going to happen from a lot of the efforts that you're doing in your community. We give you the playbook for it, but it's a lot of grassroots things. So it's penetrating the private moms of wherever Facebook pages and getting in there and getting that network growing. It's joining your local chambers. So I mentioned you might own 20 towns, but we're only going to market to three. I want you to adopt those three towns as if you lived in them. So join the three chambers, know what's going on, be involved in those communities. So a lot of the grassroots, we do our biggest, probably top three every year, sales source of how somebody found us. So you sign up. Do you mind me asking how you heard about us? I saw your sign. So signs in the ground. A big part of what we do that gets you to 300, 300 to 3000 customers is a different game. It's paid digital marketing. It's a lot of paid tactics. We still do some very targeted strategic direct mail paired up with digital marketing. You can't do any one of these tactics alone. There is no silver bullet in this day and age they say eight to ten touch points to move someone through the consumer funnel and get them to purchase for us also. Lance a big part of this is timing, because we call it point of bite. With the exception of the home shows I mentioned in February, people aren't buying this until they're swatting them away. So it's really hard to get someone to give you five, six, $700 in November, December, or February. March, right. It's got to be that April, May. So we watch weather, we watch, climate. We see what's going on. And we want all of our marketing to hit when they're out
Michael 00:33:01 there for the first time. So we even look at, in small markets, we'll even look at like, mulch deliveries, winter homeowners, like winter landscape companies and garden centers busy delivering, because that's when people are out in the yard for the first time. We'll look at, pool covers. When are they coming off and going on? That's your season, right? That's your mosquito season is if you've got a pool. Your season is when you're taking the COVID off, and it ends when you're putting the COVID back on. So all of our marketing is really smart when it comes to that because it has to be. It's super expensive in this day and age to get somebody's attention. So we really want to make sure that we are advocating on RZ's behalf to put those dollars in the right places, but most importantly, at the right time. Yeah.
Lance Graulich 00:33:46 Makes perfect sense. It's interesting. Kelly, when you mentioned, about so much, while you guys have grown tremendously of so much prime territory available, I started thinking as, a franchise broker, well, where are the most mosquitoes? But while that sounds logical, like Florida and places like that, that I've grown up with, so to speak, but then Los Angeles, you guys are super successful in La. Which I didn't even know. I didn't even know there was mosquitoes there. So it's just, such an amazing business. So how does that work when you're having conversation with people about potential performance? Are there mosquitoes there? Are there ticks?
Michael 00:34:30 Yeah.
Kelly 00:34:31 And I think most of the people that we speak to, they know there are because they're experiencing it themselves. But having said that, it is surprising. If you'd asked us several years ago about the viability of Southern California as a market for the brand, yeah, maybe not so much. Now, we've got a franchisee, we've got three out there, but we've got one in particular who is shattering sales records in contests, winning, achieving things. And she's really growing her and scaling her business quite quickly and making a name for herself with a service that has become much, much needed in her community. Some people, again, come to me with the preconception that this is something that you need in the south, right? Only people in the south need this. Well, to Michael's point earlier, this is a business born out of Massachusetts, right? Some of our most successful franchisees are up in the Northeast. That's where many of our legacy owners are from and have developed huge businesses with us. And Michael and I were talking earlier this week about Minnesota. Michael, the situation you have with your Minnesota owners there, tell Lance a little bit about this.
Michael 00:35:37 It's great. we've got two owners that kind of COVID the whole metroplex of the Twin Cities. And, one came on in 2014, one came on in 2015, and they've really kind of been neck and neck for a number of years and battling each other out. Minnesota, just in the past two weeks, went through an epic all time mosquito breakout. They had snowpack right into the beginning of May, so the moisture levels are through the roof. And then they got the heat, which is the two things you need. And literally, it's newsworthy. You can't step outside. And one of them, just through last Saturday, the 27th, set an all time one week sales record for Mosquito Shield. With 144 customers in one week.
Lance Graulich 00:36:23 Oh my goodness.
Michael 00:36:25 and that's a life changing event for them, and I'm so happy. It's a young couple, they've been grinding it out for six or seven years now, and they have more customers now through this point in the year than they had all of last year. That they added new customers, that they added all of last year, and they'll end up this year probably adding about 600 new on top of what they had. They'll have over 1200 customers at the end of this season, and their lives are forever changed. so it's super exciting, too. So they did 144 and the other Z in that market did 100 even right on the number. And so they are the only four people have ever done. 102 of them did it this past week. So those are markets that you can charge top dollar because the summers are so short, people to pay it. They want to just be able to enjoy their backyards. you asked the initial question about how do you know if there's a need for this service in 2011? So we launched in 2013, but I started the process in 2011 of building the Ops Manual and the FDB Super Tedious. And back then it was a lot harder. It's easier now to bring a concept to franchising than it was back in 2011. But we identified, 39 states that had an above average mosquito problem. And there was a bunch that there was the difference that didn't. California was on the list of someone that we weren't going to put a lot of marketing dollars in to try to grow. Arizona now has a mosquito problem. They've been around for 400 plus million years, depending on who you ask. They're not going anywhere. And then once they get a foothold, it's over. They're there, they're not leaving. So they've got a foothold in parts of Arizona and it's a problem. Now they've got a foothold in Southern California. San Diego was one of the worst areas in all of, the US. Last year for mosquito activity.
Lance Graulich 00:38:21 I didn't even know that.
Kelly 00:38:24 And we need an owner there.
Lance Graulich 00:38:26 Well, hear that, San Diego. We're coming at you. I, did want to ask one clarifying question because you were mentioning that the service, when you pay in advance, could be $600. It may be a discount at a show. You hear about it for $500. Is there a monthly or the people that are just paying monthly for this service. how does that work?
Michael 00:38:47 Yeah, so we have some locations down in Florida and then real southern Florida where they are probably close to a true twelve month business. So they'll do a twelve month payment plan. What we've learned in other markets, Lance, so we go, we use Minnesota for an example, where they've got about a five month business, the monthly payment plans. What we've learned, attracts the wrong audience. Like I said, I mentioned earlier, we're not for everybody. We're not a groupon model. not everybody is going to stick with you. And when you tend to sell it monthly, you're attracting someone that comes and goes as a customer. They're not our true audience. We have an 80 plus percent retention rate. So for people considering, I wanted to.
Lance Graulich 00:39:32 Make sure you brought that up because that's what I was I know you guys have a premium model, a huge retention rate. Say it again? How much on that retention rate?
Michael 00:39:42 Yeah. 84% last year. So we won't know this year's numbers really till next July, believe it or not, because you got to give it time for it to kind of wash out. But year over year, we're in the low to mid 80s. It's never changed. So 84% last year. That is amazing. Home services like lawn care, pest control, they run in the 50% to 60% category, so they're always having to replace half their customer base year over year. So when you talk about recurring revenue and know that 80 plus percent are coming back, eight out of every ten customers, and Lance, they're staying with us for life. They don't leave. So, going after the right customer to begin with, while your growth might be a little slower and your acquisition cost might be a little more, the ROI is massive because they come back and they stay with you and then they rave about you. So you've got 65% mouth business. So it's just a really strong model from that standpoint.
Lance Graulich 00:40:40 Love it. Last question I have for, last big question. Tough question. Employees. A lot of people talking about it's difficult to find employees. This seems like a fun job. You're not even going really inside anybody's house. And, tell me about that. Are franchisees having an easier time these days?
Michael 00:41:01 I don't know that it's easy. Again, keeping things real and honest. I think we do really well. We have franchisees ten years in that still have their first employee. The margins are really strong. So if you look at the closest industry to us is lawn care. So somebody coming out and fertilizing your lawn four or five times a season with fertilizer crab, grass control, grub control, like a lawn care service that most homeowners are used to. We're able to pay a similar technician about 40% more. So we're able to draw from like, industries because it's a better quality of life. It's only five days a week. We never service on a weekend. That's when the homeowner is trying to enjoy what they're paying us for. So we really train our franchisees at all costs. Never go out on a Saturday or Sunday. And long care companies are often running on Saturdays because it's a short season and they got a short window of opportunity. So these technicians are on the road seemingly almost every day. They're getting home at six or seven at night. Our Mosquito Shield franchisees that have technicians, they're getting home at two or three in the afternoon. They've got a great quality of life. They get paid really well. So we do well with that from a retention standpoint. But at the end of the day, that is your only limit to scaling is you need a technician for every truck. If you want to add trucks, you got to have somebody behind the wheel. We're upfront about that. We have great resources for our franchisees. We've got, a benefits solution program so they can offer health benefits when they're putting a Help Wanted ad out there. Whether anyone takes it or not, it looks really good on an ad. Help Wanted ad benefits are available, so that's a big plus. so there's a lot of perks and incentives that we're able to give to our franchisees to then pass along as they're trying to hire the right people. And we've been in this industry forever, so we do a lot of the interviewing forum. Lance, you're a brand new franchisee. You're coming from? White collar world. You may never have interviewed or hired somebody. And somebody shows up at your doorstep and says that they're the best technician ever, we can vet that and tell you if they are or not knowing that that is probably the only true limitation to growth. We really try to get involved in that process and help our franchisees with that.
Lance Graulich 00:43:13 Love it. You guys have given me and given the audience some amazing information on Mosquito Shield. And thank you. So, final thoughts, final words of wisdom from both of you. Kelly, you get to go first.
Kelly 00:43:26 I think one of the things that, a lot of people, especially this time of year, lance, we're talking right now at the beginning of June, and people have that fear and they're like, oh, I'm going to miss out on the mosquito season at this point in time. Maybe I should look at this next year. Let's look at something else. And I caution people, don't come in with that mindset. Michael always talks in terms of people say, well, when's the best time to start a business? Michael, when's the best time to start your Mosquito Shield business?
Michael 00:43:52 Yeah, well, as soon as you can. But I just heard a phrase, Kelly, that I've been waiting to share with you because Lance, we have this conversation all the time about frustration with people don't want to start because they have so much to learn in their first twelve months. They should do it anytime. But I heard someone say, and you probably have heard this, but the best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago. But the second best time is today. Right? Because like, 30 years ago, you can enjoy the shade, you can hang a swing from it. Right? But too late. But now the second best time is today. So the same thing with, this business. I love it.
Kelly 00:44:23 Absolutely.
Lance Graulich 00:44:24 Time flies.
Michael 00:44:26 Yeah. Sure does.
Lance Graulich 00:44:27 Michael, final thoughts, final words of wisdom from you.
Michael 00:44:31 Yeah. First of all, a big thank you for this format, because I feel like the more chance we get to share the story, the more people hear it, the more chance that they get. And whether it's with us or not, just empowering people to take that risk. That was a big thread throughout today's conversation of jumping in and doing it. The best time is now. It doesn't matter what's happening in the economy. It doesn't matter what's happening in your life. You've got to take it. Whether you do it in small steps or big steps, if it's been in the back of your mind, then you have the ability to take that risk and, do it. And I hope that some of the stuff we shared and love it to be a consideration for Mosquitoes Field, because we're really proud of the brand that we've created over the last 22 years, certainly the last ten in franchising. And I like to think that it is a little bit of a culture of exclusivity. We want you to want to be a part of it. and the bigger we've gotten over the years, that becomes easier. But that's something that's been true to us since day one. Right? That culture of exclusivity is let's bring in the right people and let's grow this. And to have let me do the math for a minute, but to have eight of our original ten franchisees still in this business and still thriving eleven years later, is my win. Right? That's my personal win. Because they're friends, they text on holidays, they text when they know something's going on personally. That's the reward to this. And that's not always the case. There's a few in that ten that they're great franchisees and they do their job, but it's very business like. But invest in the process. Make that decision. And I hope that we were able to offer some help in that, with our time today.
Lance Graulich 00:46:18 You guys were absolutely awesome. Michael and Kelly mosquito shield. Such a great franchise. Thank you both for being here.
Michael 00:46:26 Thank you, Lance.
Kelly 00:46:27 Thanks, Lance.
Lance Graulich 00:46:28 My pleasure. Thank you very much for listening today. Please, like, follow and subscribe. This is Lance Graulich. Until next time.