EP 52: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 2)
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
Release Date: 01/31/2025
EP 56: The ACOR Principle – A Simple Framework to Attract, Convert, Optimize, and Retain Customers
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 56: The ACOR Principle – A Simple Framework to Attract, Convert, Optimize, and Retain Customers for Business Growth Watch the full video, with illustrations, on Youtube: Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty dives into a powerful business principle he learned during his insurance career—the ACOR Principle (Attract, Convert, Optimize, Retain). Rusty breaks down this simple yet transformative framework that applies to any business, from pest control to restaurants, and shows how it can drive sustainable growth. Using real-world examples and a hand-drawn visual (check...
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EP 55: PEACO Fest 2025 – A Sneak Peak of Prewett Pest's Annual Company Kickoff
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 55: PEACO Fest 2025 – A Sneak Peak of Prewett Pest's Annual Company Kickoff Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty and the PPC team recap PEACO Fest 2025, their annual company-wide event designed to energize, educate, and engage their entire team. Rusty, Brittney (Director of HR), Mike (East Alabama Service Center Leader), and Danny (Service Team Leader) share highlights, insights, and practical advice from this impactful event. From detailed logistics and planning tips to competitive team-building activities, guest speakers, and celebrating employee achievements, this...
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EP 54: From Side Hustle to Scaling – How Magic City Pest Control Built a Multi-Million Dollar Business
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 54: From Side Hustle to Scaling – How Magic City Pest Control Built a Multi-Million Dollar Business Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty Prewett sits down with Kenzie Prosch, owner of Magic City Pest Control, to discuss his unexpected path into the pest control industry and how he built a thriving business from the ground up. Kenzie shares how a broken-down car led him into pest control, his experience bootstrapping the company with just $100, and the strategic moves that helped him scale to $2.5M in revenue. From door-to-door sales to leveraging Facebook marketing and...
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EP 53: Visit With EOS Implementer, David King, After PPC's 2 Day Annual Planning
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 53: Visit With EOS Implementer, David King, After PPC's 2 Day Annual Planning Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty Prewett sits down with David King, an EOS Implementer, to break down the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and how it has transformed Rusty’s business over the past three years. From quarterly planning to accountability charts, they discuss what it takes to implement EOS effectively and how it helps businesses scale while maintaining clarity, accountability, and simplicity. If you've been considering EOS or need a refresher on how to get back on track,...
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EP 52: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 2)
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 52: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 2) Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty Prewett continues his deep dive into 2024, sharing both the hard-fought wins and the unexpected challenges that shaped his company’s trajectory. If you missed part one, go back and catch up on the goals and benchmarks set for the year. Now, in part two, Rusty takes you behind the scenes of what it really took to grow a pest control business—from hiring key players to overcoming financial roadblocks. Key topics covered: Celebrating Wins: The first-ever PEACO Awards trip, hiring...
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EP 51: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 1)
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
EP 51: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 1) Welcome back to The Journey: Navigating Pest Control and Business! In this exciting episode, Rusty Prewett reflects on a whirlwind 2024 and kicks off 2025 with fresh goals and lessons learned. Join Rusty as he shares insights from a year full of challenges and triumphs, including: Achieving $1.8 million in new sales and lessons from ambitious targets. Growing the company to $3.7 million in revenue and expanding operations. Hiring and onboarding a stellar team while fine-tuning processes. Successfully entering a new market with a...
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EP 50: Driving Culture & Building Vision- Speech at the West Alabama SHRM Conference 2024
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
In this special episode, we feature Rusty's keynote speech at the 2024 West Alabama SHRM Conference, where he highlights the journey of Prewett Pest Control in building a clear vision and strong workplace culture. In this episode, listen and discover powerful strategies for cultivating a strong organizational vision and driving a positive workplace culture. Whether you're a business leader, HR professional, or simply passionate about effective leadership, this episode offers valuable insights into creating a vision-driven, culture-focused environment that leads to lasting success....
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EP 49: Journal Entry Update. 8.14.24
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
The Journey Podcast is alive! It's been 5 months since our last episode so Rusty checks in with a quick update. Rusty and the team have been busy at Prewett Pest in 2024 as they've brought on new team members including a Marketing & PR Coordinator, HR Director, Director of Sales, 4 new Sales Professionals, and 4 new Service Professionals. Additionaly, PPC has expanded into a new market with a company aquisition in North Alabama.
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EP 48: Journal Entry Update. Recap Of 2023 (Part 2)
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
Join Rusty in Part 2 of the 'Recap of 2023' as he reviews the previous year and talks about the kickoff of 2024. 2023 was defined as year of growth and CHANGE! After 14 years of owning and operating an Allstate Insurance agency, Rusty shares the details of selling the business, which was bittersweet, but allowed him to focus on growing the pest business. He also touches on developing new leaders in the organization, utilizing the company's Development Program. Is the program perfect? No. However, it helped to provide a framework for some key people who had a desire to grow professionally...
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EP 47: Journal Entry Update. Recap of 2023 (Part 1)
The Journey Podcast - Navigating Pest Control & Business
Join Rusty in EP 47: Part 1 as he shares another journal entry update and recaps 2023. Prewett Pest started in July 2020 and 3 years later the company crossed over the $3MM mark but not without wins, losses, speed bumps and road blocks. Rusty shares the company's 2023 goals and gives an update on the final results. The good, the bad, and the ugly! Reverse engineering goals has proven a strategic way to break down big goals and allows the team to focus on the daily, weekly and monthly things that help move the company to its 10 year target of being a $25Mm company.
info_outlineEP 52: Reflections and Resilience: Lessons from 2024 (Part 2)
Welcome back to The Journey! In this episode, Rusty Prewett continues his deep dive into 2024, sharing both the hard-fought wins and the unexpected challenges that shaped his company’s trajectory. If you missed part one, go back and catch up on the goals and benchmarks set for the year. Now, in part two, Rusty takes you behind the scenes of what it really took to grow a pest control business—from hiring key players to overcoming financial roadblocks.
Key topics covered:
- Celebrating Wins: The first-ever PEACO Awards trip, hiring pivotal leadership, and expanding into Huntsville.
- Building a Stronger Team: The impact of hiring a Director of Sales, an HR Director, and top-tier talent.
- Financial Challenges & Lessons Learned: The challenges of forecasting, cash flow planning, and finding the right bookkeeping partner.
- A Hard Hit from Google: Losing 1,500+ five-star reviews overnight and the determined comeback.
- Scaling for 2025: The importance of SOPs, fire prevention (not just firefighting), and strategic planning for growth.
Rusty also shares his mindset going into 2025, including an upcoming trip to the Scale event by Pest Daily. Whether you're in the pest control industry or simply navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom and practical insights.
⏱ Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome Back to The Journey: Recapping Part One
0:35 – Why Reflecting on 2024 is Crucial for Growth
1:26 – Celebrating Wins: The First-Ever PEACO Awards Trip
3:07 – Hiring a Director of Sales & Their Shift to Operations
4:06 – PEACO Fest: The Annual Team Event & Special Guest Speaker
5:38 – Key Leadership Hires: Bringing in an HR Director & Recruiter
7:03 – The Game-Changer: How Our HR Director Made an Immediate Impact
9:03 – The Challenge of Financial Forecasting & Cash Flow Management
10:56 – Transitioning to FRAXN for Bookkeeping & The Learning Curve
11:43 – Expanding Into Huntsville: Acquiring a Mosquito Business
12:49 – Joining the Alabama Pest Control Association Board
13:26 – Challenges Faced in 2024: From Google Woes to Scaling Struggles
14:31 – Losing 1,500+ Google Reviews Overnight & Fighting Back
16:00 – Turning a Setback Into a Comeback: Rebuilding Our Reviews
17:00 – The Need for Scalable Processes & SOPs for Growth
18:25 – Fire Prevention vs. Firefighting: A Key Leadership Lesson
19:44 – Preparing for 2025: Why Strategic Planning is Essential
20:26 – Looking Ahead: Attending the Scale Event by Pest Daily
22:00 – Closing Thoughts: Lessons Learned & A Mindset for Success
23:08 – Call to Action: Leave a Review & Stay Connected
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