Josh Fleenor: Whatever It Takes—Building Pest Pros, Owning Multifamily, and Leading with Heart
From a wrong-number job interview to running two Bay Area branches and finally launching his own shop, Josh Fleenor lays out how Pest Pros grew from two trucks to a regional force—anchored in multifamily, a “whatever it takes (the right way)” culture, and promoting leaders early so the company can scale without breaking. You’ll hear the origin story, the first-year sprint to $747k, the blue-ocean play in property management, and how hugs, hard conversations, and clear guardrails keep the team winning year after year.
You’ll hear:
- The misdial that led to pest control, five years at Clark, and the leap after a dissolved partnership.
- Why multifamily became the beachhead—and how value + pricing flipped “dirt-cheap” accounts into real margin.
- The year-one LinkedIn blitz, $700k booked in property management, and testing channels by turning Google off.
- Culture in practice: “no excuses, find a way,” hugs and vulnerability, and guardrails so “whatever it takes” doesn’t burn families out.
- Hiring slow for core values, promoting early to build leadership layers, and a structure that rotates HQ leaders into satellite offices.
- Tech & tools: cautious AI (great for SOPs, not for phones—yet), contests, and experiences that bond the team.
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
Produced by: www.verbell.ltd
Timestamps
00:00 – Cold open: “Whatever it takes”—and why the team hasn’t missed an annual goal in 7½ years
01:00 – Origin story: the wrong-number interview that led to pest control; Clark → Bay Area branch leadership
04:45 – “Meant for more”: deciding to go all-in on the industry
08:00 – Partner plan dissolves; Josh launches Pest Pros with two trucks and a people-first vision
11:55 – Year one: LinkedIn property-management push and $747k produced by December
13:50 – Headwinds: SPB complaints, Yelp shutoff, and finding the blue-ocean in multifamily
16:30 – Pricing for value (not “dirt-cheap”); personal connection as the wedge
18:45 – Financial lumps and learning—what he’d do differently
19:45 – Leadership layers: promote early so managers can practice accountability
22:00 – Morning routine, boundaries, and defining what “whatever it takes” does—and does not—mean
24:50 – Channels & testing: billboards, TV, referrals; turning Google off to see what’s real
28:10 – Expansion map: Concord HQ, Yuba City, Roseville; “own NorCal” before jumping farther
30:40 – Rebuilding a misfiring satellite office around core values; HQ leaders rotate in monthly
33:00 – Production targets: $1,400–$1,500/day per truck—without 12-hour burnout days
36:30 – Culture mechanics: hugs, vulnerability, Kings-arena party, Tahoe yacht, contests
42:45 – Hiring for values; when a “maybe” hire isn’t a culture fit
44:00 – AI today: SOPs/emails yes; phones not yet—protect the experience
47:00 – Imperfect reps > perfection; posting, writing, and getting better on camera
49:30 – Parenting and adversity: giving his daughter the space to earn her own stripes
51:10 – Closing: mentorship, masterminds, and a people-first vision for the next chapter
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