Hosts on different coasts share their pest control experiences

Hosts Andy Sanefski and Gabe Seymour (from left to right) offer audio-only and video formats. SCREENSHOT: PMP STAFF

Andy Sanefski and Gabe Seymour are pest control business owners and co-hosts of the “Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk” podcast. They are willing to share the opportunities, the challenges and everything in between they’ve encountered in the pest control industry.

Their unique perspectives can be attributed to their experiences and home bases. Sanefski began his pest management career in 1997 as a technician, but the company he worked for was sold in 2006. So, in 2008, he and his wife, Holly, founded Perimetek Pest Management in East Syracuse, N.Y.

Seymour, meanwhile, started Pest Patrol in 2021 after operating a mole and gopher control company for four years. He is based in Portland, Ore.

Making a connection

Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk is hosted by Andy Sanefski and Gabe Seymour. LOGO: COAST 2 COAST PEST TALK

After connecting on LinkedIn, the duo launched “Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk” in March 2023, and make the podcast available in audio-only and video formats.

“Gabe and I had been talking about various business topics,” Sanefski explains. “At some point, I got it in my head that I wanted to share our conversations and thoughts on the pest control industry with anyone interested in hearing them.”

They cover topics pest control business owners likely have experienced, including losing a client, establishing a company culture, hiring and recruiting employees, and weeding out difficult customers.

“We go toward the deeper issues and concerns we are facing in our day-to-day businesses that we don’t see being discussed in the wider industry dialog,” Sanefski says.

Seymour agrees, adding, “We also end up working through current issues we’re facing in our own businesses or things we’re processing through.”

As it turns out, they are learning right along with their audience. Sanefski readily admits he has grown over the two years since “Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk” launched.

“Gabe asks questions that require refinement of my thoughts to answer,” he says. “Our guests have all had a few ideas I’ve never considered. I mostly learned that doing a podcast consistently is hard!”

Learning the fun way

As for Seymour, the podcast has provided clarity and instilled confidence. “A lot of that is from Andy’s input, and a lot of it is due to the repetition of talking every week about various topics and trying to find my stance or opinions on them,” he adds. “My company has been transformed through my weekly interactions with Andy and his team at Perimetek Pest Management.”

The hosts did not have guests the first year. The second year, they invited the pest control company owners featured in Pest Management Professional’s “Start-up Stories” column that year.

“Mostly, we have on people we think are interesting to talk to or would have a unique perspective,” Sanefski says.

Seymour says he has enjoyed meeting all the guests they’ve had on. “We want to equip our listeners with the tools they need to thrive in their businesses, and having fantastic guests on the show is one of the best ways to do that,” he says.

With “Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk,” Sanefski wants listeners and viewers to know they are not alone on their pest control journeys. “I hope we can provide some peace of mind and comfort for small business owners,” he says.