The industry is evolving, for the better

Scarlett Nolen

An unbelievable three years have passed since I became president at Truly Nolen. Beyond the obvious changes in the world, our industry as a whole is evolving tremendously! Pest control interfacing with our local communities have quickly changed. Historically, door-to-door and local events have been our best way to embed ourselves within our communities. Although these tried-and-true practices are still a part of the service world, how we engage with our communities continues to evolve.

For one, leadership is changing. Historically, pest control has been a predominantly white male-led industry. industry. It is exciting to see more women and minorities enter our industry at all levels! This change expands our industry with new opportunities.

Per Forbes, women control or influence 85 percent of consumer spending. However, per Greenfield, 91 percent of women feel that advertisers do not understand them. This is important data for service companies to embrace. Businesses with women having a seat at the table have a distinct advantage over those that do not. Service companies in particular could have blind spots without critical diversity in leadership.

For example, years ago at our company, a group of men stood in a circle debating on drill bit size for termite work. My brother Really Nolen had the foresight to pull in one of our female team members within earshot of the conversation. Without hesitation, she declared that she would pay more for the smaller drill bit. This decision opened the door to asking other women in the office, previously not considered for the “big decisions.” Unanimously, the women agreed they would pay more for a company providing smaller drill holes. This is one example of successfully expanding opportunities by diversifying decision makers in an organization.

As we embrace diversity, we have the opportunity to understand a broader customer base — and attract a larger candidate pool as a result. Per Zippia, companies with racially diverse leadership have a 36 percent greater change of outperforming companies with little or no diversity.

When I appeared as a guest March 23 on SearchKings Presents, Stories from the Field, a podcast featuring stories from women in different service industries, I was able to further reflect on these past three years and stressed the importance of empowering others within your organization to make decisions.

While it may be early to forecast how the next three years play out, I do believe our entire industry will continue to evolve in positive ways. I look forward to updating this particular blog post in March 2025 to see the further evolution!