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This week, Dan and Donnie sit down with Kevin Lemasters, Founder of PCO Leader Academy and Action Leadership, to tackle one of the pest control industry’s biggest challenges: developing strong middle management. Kevin breaks down his 18-month train-the-trainer leadership program, explains why investing in leaders is critical for growth and shares insights on self-awareness, accountability, and the traits that define an effective mid-level manager.   Guest: Kevin Lemasters, Founder, PCO Leader Academy & Action Leadership Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services        

In honor of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Dan and Donnie welcome David Coleman from Truce Software and Romex Pest Control's Technical Manager Kannon Cravey to the show. They cover how Truce turns mobile devices into driver coaching tools instead of enforcement systems, how the platform addresses distracted driving and what implementation can look like for a pest or lawn company.    Guests: David Coleman, Head of Commercial Solutions, Truce Software & Kannon Cravey, Technical Manager, Romex Pest Control Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie analyze the available data for the first quarter of 2026, including the Pest Index, unemployment figures and fuel, labor and material costs. They discuss the impact of this winter's cold snap, how the industry is holding up against the March energy spike, thoughts on price increases and AI's impact on marketing.    Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Welcome to Insiders Rewind - Recapping February   This month, we are looking back to: -Ep. 264 - No More Artificial Harmony: Master Conflict and Build a Better Company -Ep. 265 - 100 Years In: How Sprague Pest Grows & Wins in Commercial Services -Ep. 266 - Why Getting Involved with Regulatory Issues Matters -Ep. 267 - Exit by Design, Not by Exhaustion: A Planned Exit vs. A Desperate One.   A shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch:  Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure - Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control.  VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ Forshaw - A third-generation, family-owned national distributor serving the pest management and wildlife control industry across the United States. They offer over 2,000 products, fast delivery, exceptional customer service, and innovative tools to help pest pros succeed! We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider.

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome Nick Bartolo, CFA, CPA, founder of Essential Partners, a wealth management firm specializing in post-exit planning. He shares strategies for maximizing after-tax wealth, including Roth IRAs, company retirement plans, and diversification of investment portfolios, with emphasis on preparing businesses for potential sale at any time.   Guest: Nick Bartolo, Founder, Essential Partners Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie discuss why 80 percent of businesses fail to sell when they go to market, and they explore what it takes to maximize a company's value over several years using a proper discover/prepare/decide model, rather than exiting at a disadvantageous time.   Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

In Part 3 with the Pest Control Business Coach team, Rick Bell, former VP of government relations at Arrow Exterminators, joins Dan and Donnie to discuss why smaller companies need to engage with regulators and participate in legislative processes. He provides successful examples of industry advocacy and outlines the primary issues PMPs should monitor.    Guest: Rick Bell, Technical & Compliance Coach, Pest Control Business Coach Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services  

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome AJ Treleven, executive vice president of Sprague Pest Solutions, to the show. He covers the history and philosophy of the 100-year-old family business and shares how Sprague has grown to $50 million-plus with a stewardship mindset and a commercial focus.   Guest: AJ Treleven, Executive Vice President, Sprague Pest Solutions Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan and Donnie address the best way for leaders to encourage healthy conflict to ultimately improve their companies. They share their mistakes, signs you may have a problem and recommendations for getting great results, including training your team to speak up respectfully.      Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Welcome to Insiders Rewind - Recapping February   A shout to our sponsors!   Coalmarch:  Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure - Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control.  VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/ Forshaw - A third-generation, family-owned national distributor serving the pest management and wildlife control industry across the United States. They offer over 2,000 products, fast delivery, exceptional customer service, and innovative tools to help pest pros succeed! We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider.    

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome Andy Architect (COO) and Megan Striegel (Senior Director of Public Policy) from NPMA to discuss the 2026 Legislative Day event, March 15-17 in Washington, D.C. They share priorities for this year's hill visits, including state pesticide preemption and legislation related to credit card swipe fees and wildlife services. They also cover practical advice for industry members who cannot attend Legislative Day in person, including suggestions for local advocacy and networking opportunities.      Guest: Andrew Architect, COO & Megan Striegel, Sr. Director, Public Policy, NPMA Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, My Pest Pros Co-Owner Brett Lieberman joins Dan and Donnie to share his company's real-world experiences with AI implementation. He discusses his firm's AI voice agent that books jobs and handles customer inquiries, what he learned from analyzing 1.3 million lines of call transcripts and how he created an AI board of directors to provide feedback on business decisions.   Guest: Brett Lieberman, Co-Owner, My Pest Pros Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

This week, Dan & Donnie welcome Mark Ruff, a pest industry attorney with MHR Law, to the podcast. They discuss a recent incident in Florida, where officials shut down an illegal door-to-door pest control sales operation and issued a $36,000 fine. Mark discussed how two firms violated Florida regulations, while Dan & Donnie explored the implications of this case for the industry nationwide.   Guest: Mark Ruff, Attorney, MHR Law Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

In Part 2 of 2 with Pest Control Business Coach, Laura Corbin joins Dan and Donnie to discuss tools and methods pest and lawn firms can implement today to ensure office and admin teams support growth as companies scale. She also shares the one step she would take now to control chaos and avoid owner burnout.    Guest: Laura Corbin, Team Development Coach, Pest Control Business Coach Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping January!   Episodes from December: ✅ Ep. 256 - 2026 Pest Control Reality Check ✅ Ep. 257 - I Sold My Business, Now What? ✅ Ep. 258 - The King Green Journey: Growth, Family & Private Equity ✅ Ep. 259 - How to Reach Your Next Million   A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and it's time for a free month! Visit https://www.coalmarch.com/podcast to claim yours! PestSure: Providing pest industry specific insurance for your business and insuring the future of pest control. VoiceForPest: Designing and implementing unparalleled integrated voice solutions for home service companies of any size from coast to coast. https://www.voiceforpest.com/podcast/   We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and connect with us on social media @PMPIndustryInsider.   🎧 Listen On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts