Martin Exterminating adapts to achieve next-level growth

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September 29, 2024

Kyle Thompson

Kyle Thompson

Kyle Thompson’s journey with Martin Exterminating, founded in 1970, is one of family legacy and entrepreneurial drive. His father purchased the Roanoke Rapids, N.C.-based company from the late founder, Jim Martin, in 2003. After learning the industry ropes from his dad, Thompson relocated to Florida and worked for two large firms while earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration and getting into real estate.

By 2022, Thompson’s dad was ready to retire and sold the company to his son. Thompson knew the company had major growth potential, so he implemented a series of strategic system upgrades, including:

  • Switching routing software providers for improved operations.
  • Redesigning the company website for an enhanced presence.
  • Incorporating a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for better customer communication.
  • Upgrading the fleet for efficiency.
  • Issuing iPhones to staff for seamless connectivity.
  • Transitioning to paperless service tickets.

“I also reorganized our pest control routes, built systems and processes, revised the pay structure, and established a sales team,” Thompson adds. “At the beginning of 2023, I was able to deploy sales and marketing strategies based on the structure I built in 2022. This nearly tripled our revenue from $1 million to $2.9 million by the end of 2023.”

For 2024, Thompson has shifted focus to growing the company’s recurring revenue base. This strategy already has yielded a 20 percent increase in recurring revenue and sufficient customer growth to add a new pest control route.

Thompson is looking forward to building upon this momentum in the coming years.

“We plan to continue focusing on building our recurring revenue through targeted marketing and sales strategies,” he explains, noting this may include adding new services to keep engaged with customers and attract new accounts. “We may also explore expanding into new local areas, either organically or through acquisitions, depending on the opportunities available.”

Impressively, Thompson manages Martin Exterminating remotely from Lakewood Ranch, Fla., while also consulting for another pest control company. Operations Manager Joshua Hancock is in the North Carolina office to ensure the business runs smoothly.

Thompson says he is grateful that his career in the years away from the family business exposed him to different ways other pest control companies run. He could see firsthand what did and did not work. “Much of what I learned to return to my family business and scale it up came from that experience,” he says.

This year was Martin Exterminating’s first appearance on the Inc. 5000 list (No. 2809), but as his company continues to grow, Thompson is positive that “we’ll be on next year’s list, too.”


COMPANY NAME: Martin Exterminating
HEADQUARTERS: Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
2023 REVENUE: $2.9 million
PROJECTED 2024 REVENUE: $3.1 million
PROJECTED INCREASE: 7 percent*
THOMPSON’S BUSINESS TIPS:
1. Leverage strong sales skills to train new employees.
2. Focus on high-margin ancillary services to generate cash flow.
3. Reinvest profits into growing core recurring services.

*recurring revenue increased 20 percent, to $1.26 million

About the Author

Heather Gooch

Heather Gooch is the editor-in-chief for PMP magazine. She can be reached at hgooch@northcoastmedia.net or 330-321-9754.

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