The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

Most pest control companies get stuck doing the same thing day after day. Tim Whitt, a 40-year veteran in the industry, reveals how a mindset shift, similar to fighting insect behavior, can elevate your business to the next level. From humble beginnings as a termite helper to building a multimillion-dollar franchise, Tim shares the exact strategies that turned small-town pest control into a scalable, innovative empire. You’ll discover: How to leverage niche markets like lawn care to diversify your revenue streams and redefine your service categories.The importance of protecting your business name and intellectual property before scaling.Why adopting a ‘why not’ mindset can unlock explosive growth and new opportunities.Practical steps on hiring for character, building leadership, and succession planning to secure your company’s future.How to confront the negative “bloodsuckers” in your business, internal or external, and turn them into opportunities for improvement. Tim’s insights are about more than pest control, they’re about mindset shifts, strategic branding, and creating a culture that repels the pests of poor leadership and internal sabotage. His story of moving from corporate routines to owning his own franchise is a blueprint for entrepreneurs everywhere who want to challenge the status quo. If you're ready to turn your passion into a thriving, scalable business—this episode is your must-listen. Perfect for service business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, or anyone tired of doing what everyone else does, Tim’s advice will inspire you to ask: Why not? Guest Tim Whitt is a serial entrepreneur, author of Infested, and founder of Pied Piper Pest Control. Known for his innovative approach and candid insights, he’s helping operators rewrite the rules of the industry, and his franchise model is just getting started. Tune in and discover how to fight the pests that threaten your business, and more importantly, how to prevent the ones hiding within. Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business? • Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com Connect with the hosts: • Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com Connect with Paul: • Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

On The Boardroom Buzz, the Blue Collar Twins interview Ralph Citarella Jr., president of Bayonne Exterminating, about the company’s 100-year history and his path into the family business. He explains the firm was founded in 1926 by Harry Albert and purchased by his grandfather on May 1, 1945 after World War II, then grown by Ralph’s parents through added employees and involvement in the New Jersey Pest Management Association (NJPMA). Ralph describes leaving the business during his parents’ divorce, bartending after graduating from TCNJ in 2002, and returning at 26 as a managing partner with a goal to reach $1M revenue, learning from early mistakes like building his own website. He discusses industry professionalism, regulation, consolidation, succession issues, his NJPMA leadership roles, earning board-certified entomologist credentials, current operations (six technicians, $1.4M revenue), marketing limits, customer mix, and prioritizing family and sustainable growth. Century Old Company OriginsDad Returns And ExpandsWhy Stay In New JerseyRalph Jr Early Work YearsComing Back At 26First Big Goals And MistakesTrade Associations And Compliance Industry Future And ConsolidationCorporate Buyout FalloutLegacy Reputation PressureMentors And Association SupportRunning The Business DailyContent Marketing Next Step Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business? • Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com Connect with the hosts: • Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com Connect with Paul: • Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

What does it take to build a pest control company that wins—year after year—without relying on outside investors to do the heavy lifting? According to Chase Goodeill, it starts with the right people around you. This week, the Blue Collar Twins sit down with the owner of Pest Control Consultants to unpack why he and his partners joke they’re the “’96 Bulls”—a tight, competitive crew with complementary strengths, a “whatever it takes” mentality, and a shared mission to turn pest control into a wealth-building vehicle for everyone on the team.  Chase shares how he learned to sell before he scaled—cold calling businesses, knocking doors, and driving prospects to a yes or no with relentless follow-up. He breaks down the real mechanics of growth: building sales teams, moving into bigger markets, and expanding into multiple branches across states while keeping profitability front and center.  The conversation dives into partnership structure, acquisitions, retention realities, and why Chase believes you can go fast alone—but to go far, you need a roster that can carry the load.  🎧 Tune in for a high-energy masterclass on building a team-first pest control platform—where the culture is competitive, the goals are massive, and the partners win together. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com

Landscaping has long carried a rough-and-ready reputation — trucks with branches sticking out, stained shirts, and crews that “get the job done” but don’t always look the part. Brian Hatfield set out to rewrite that story. The Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the President of ByDesign Landscapes to unpack how he built a brand where clean fleets, crisp uniforms, and elevated service weren’t nice-to-haves — they were the strategy.  Brian started cutting lawns with his father, worked for top New Jersey competitors, and saw firsthand how the image of the industry held companies back. In 2005, he launched ByDesign with one goal: prove landscaping could look, feel, and operate like a top-tier contracting business. Today, with 235 employees across multiple divisions, ByDesign’s presentation has become its calling card.  From spotless trucks to professional sales teams to premium installations backed by warranties, Brian explains why presentation isn’t cosmetic — it’s a competitive advantage. And with long-tenured leaders like Jesús steering operations, the culture behind the brand is every bit as strong as the visual identity.  🎧 A masterclass in brand discipline and operational pride — showing how elevating the image of an entire industry starts with elevating your own. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com

From history teacher to CEO, Dan Peltz never planned on becoming an entrepreneur — but when he saw a gap in how young adults with special needs were supported after graduation, he built something extraordinary. This week, the Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the founder of Shift New Jersey to uncover how a simple idea turned into a statewide service helping thousands — and ultimately, a multi-million-dollar acquisition. Dan shares how he launched Shift with no business experience, survived losing his investors just six months in, and scaled the company to 40+ employees and over a thousand clients served each month. He opens up about leadership lessons from the front lines — building systems, hiring for personality over experience, and surrounding himself with mentors who kept him grounded through growth. Now serving as Director of Organizational Effectiveness for the company that acquired Shift, Dan reflects on what it takes to balance impact with income — and why sometimes the right move isn’t to double down, but to step back. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com

What do a CrossFit gym, a frozen yogurt shop, and an ice cream parlor have in common? Jay Vigilante. This week, the Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the serial entrepreneur who proves that saying “yes” and figuring it out later can build a life most people only dream about. From overcoming addiction in his early twenties to owning three thriving businesses on the Jersey Shore, Jay’s story is raw, real, and relentlessly motivating. He shares how community, creativity, and curiosity became his secret weapons — turning a struggling gym, a $30,000 yogurt shop, and a for-rent ice cream store into profitable, family-run operations. Jay opens up about the power of second chances, the stress of employees, and why his definition of success has nothing to do with Ferraris — and everything to do with family, freedom, and fun. 🎧 Tune in to hear how a few bold bets, a lot of heart, and one simple rule — say yes more than you say no — shaped a life built on grit, growth, and good ice cream. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com

Dominic “DJ” Mazza walks through how a third-generation New Jersey scrap and demo outfit became one of the region’s most diversified recycling platforms—spanning transfer stations, a single-stream MRF, mulch & bagging, roll-off and commercial collection, scrap, concrete, and more. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into capital intensity, acquisitions (Liberty/Bull), building a professional management layer, and why process, cost accounting, and tech are DJ’s real superpowers. You’ll hear: How a Big Four CPA ditched fluorescent auditor rooms to scale the family business with cousin Jimmy.The “feed your own transfer station” move: launching roll-off & commercial collection to control inbound.Building a state-of-the-art single-stream MRF and a Scotts mulch bagging line—plus what they’d do differently.Buying right: Liberty & Bull, when to keep local brands, and bringing in an A-player COO from Waste Management.Valuation reality in waste/recycling, why the industry is capital- and compliance-heavy, and where DJ’s building next. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: capital-intensive ops, team size, and early acquisitions (Liberty/Bull) 00:49 – Intros; first waste/recycling guest on the Buzz 01:32 – BU → Deloitte CPA years; why auditing felt like “double-checking” not building 02:36 – Back to the family business; the 1964 roots and grandfather’s original operation 05:12 – The cousins’ plan: DJ + Jimmy begin shaping the next chapter 07:24 – From local scrap to regional platform; footprint across New Jersey and greater Philly 07:46 – Exiting demolition to focus: redeploying time/capital into scalable lines 09:15 – “Feed the transfer station”: launching roll-off with a truck and ten cans 10:32 – New bagging plant: producing Scotts mulch for Home Depot/Lowe’s in the Northeast 11:17 – Inside the single-stream MRF: optical sorters, PET capture, and why the facility’s different 12:59 – Why processing costs are high; plant capex and how the permit strategy started (cardboard → full stream) 15:08 – Touring plants, picking vendors, and what they’d change in hindsight 15:41 – Size, scope, and staying privately owned; leading a 250-person team 18:45 – Property bets from the ’80s and how real estate underpins growth 25:22 – Business lines roll-call: transfer stations, MRF, mulch/topsoil, scrap, concrete, tires, roll-off & commercial routes 27:17 – Open to the public; marketing mix and in-house director driving search & demand 31:20 – M&A integration: DJ runs diligence/legal, Jimmy runs deal sourcing; adding a seasoned COO 32:47 – Valuation talk, regulatory moat, and why scaling takes management depth 35:24 – Planning horizon, pivots, and what it takes to double again 38:03 – Hours & throughput: accepting to 5pm, processing to 10pm; hiring/keeping A-players

Skye LaJaunie joins the Blue-Collar Twins to unpack how she moved from salon owner to visionary at LaJaunie’s Pest Control, why EOS transformed her leadership, and how the Eagles Nest peer groups are forging courageous, accountable operators. From door-knocking with her family to doubling goals and navigating the next wave of regulation and tech, Skye lays out a clear, people-first path to scale. You’ll hear: How Skye shifted from integrator to visionary—and why disciplined meetings changed everything.The origin of Eagles Nest peer groups and the “feedback is a gift” covenant that drives real results.Women in leadership: turning “different” into a superpower and finding mentors across the industry.Daily cadence: 4–5 a.m. starts, meditation, yoga, and staying out of the office to empower leaders.Future lens: drones, smart traps, and why regulation may force evidence-based applications.Growth plan: doubling the business while keeping purpose, clarity, and culture at the core. Show links: From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: “Entrepreneurs and leaders make the world better—by showing up.” 00:50 – Intros and early story: salon owner → service entrepreneur → pest business partner 02:30 – Counting doors at age 8: the money/operations curiosity that never left 04:10 – “Be better to do better”: mentors, books, and servant leadership 06:45 – EOS enters the chat: L10s, IDS, and hiring a pro implementer 10:55 – Roles evolve: from Jared’s integrator to Skye as visionary with an integrator under her 13:40 – Women in pest: why being “different” opened doors and accelerated mentoring 18:50 – Eagles Nest: structure, radical accountability, and measurable growth 26:00 – Purpose over shiny objects: clarity, focus, and saying no to distractions 31:30 – Daily habits: 4–5 a.m. routine, yoga, meditation, task mastery 34:45 – Why grow now: doubling as a way to expand people, capacity, and impact 39:30 – Tech & regulation: smart traps, IPM, and the shift away from calendar apps 42:30 – Acquisitions: two small buys and lessons learned 45:30 – Wrap: staying positive, empowering leaders, and writing “The Writer” book next