Tips to turn obstacles into opportunities at your business

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Every business has its share of obstacles and opportunities, and pest control companies are no exception. Successful pest management professionals (PMPs) find a way to minimize setbacks.

When our 2025 State of the Industry survey asked for the top obstacles expected in 2025, the answers reflected a change from our 2024 survey. The responses remained the same, but the order in which they were listed did not. Last year, the top obstacle was fuel costs; this year fuel ranked fourth. Also this year, inflation took the top spot.

Prevalent problem

Inflation has been the biggest obstacle for Aaron Garza, owner of Double A Pest Management in Conroe, Texas. Price increases for chemicals, equipment and fuel have reduced his profit margins. “I have had to pass on these costs to customers and it can be tricky, especially in a highly competitive market area like Southeast Texas,” he says. “Supply chain disruptions also have hindered me because delays in obtaining products can slow down service and affect customer satisfaction and work timelines.”

Pest-End CEO Adam Carace, ACE, says inflation and the economy have been an issue in his Plaistow, N.H., market. They have not had an impact on residential customers as much as affected commercial accounts, however.

Adam Carace, ACE

“More companies are going out of business,” he explains. “They have not been able to make it, especially if the owners were close to retiring. It was not worth it for them to fight inflation for another year or two, so they just closed their doors.”

One obstacle that did not make the Top 5 this year is “regulations limiting product availability and uses.” The option did not even crack the Top 10. But with stricter regulations on the horizon, this obstacle may rank higher on the list soon.

Garza is one PMP who admits that evolving local, state and federal regulations, particularly around pesticide usage, environmental protection and health standards has an impact on how he approaches certain pest control situations.

Growth Solutions

Carace says another obstacle is hiring, as finding good employees has not been easy. “We have been growing a lot over the past couple years, so we are hiring both for growth and to replace team members,” he says. “We have had a couple of employees who have moved on because it is now too expensive to live in our area.”

Fortunately, Carace has rounded the bend on this obstacle. To fill vacant positions and add much-needed team members as business grows, he has added six virtual assistants and plans to hire two more. These team members are in the Philippines, helping in multiple areas within the company, such as handling customer calls after normal work hours and on weekends.

“We have a big remote workforce anyway, so whether you’re 20 minutes from the office or 20 hours from the office, it doesn’t really matter,” he says. “We have not replaced any of our current staff with virtual assistants, but we have added them to help support our staff as we’ve grown. They have been a great addition to our team.”