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Excellence Award Winner: Kevin Wilson, CEO and President, Mosquito Joe

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Starting the company In June of 2012, I led an investor group that acquired Mosquito Joe, a two-truck operation based in Norfolk, with the plan to rebrand and remodel the company into a nationwide franchise opportunity. Today, we have 112 locations open in 23 states with more than 160 trucks on the road.

Hardest part of launching the company I believe the hardest part of any company, either new or old, is finding the best possible people you can, who believe in the mission of the company and who do their jobs well. This is particularly important in a small early-stage company where each employee has a meaningful impact.

A lesson learned Many of our franchisees have little to no business experience, and for most, it is the first time they have owned their own business. With this background and being a seasonal business, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. It was critical for us to develop strong systems and reporting so our franchisees understand exactly how they are doing at any point in time. We provide them with tools that help to keep them more organized and effective.

Risks taken I have 55 unique investors from whom I have raised $4.8 million, most of whom have been friends and business associates in my career. Although I am the largest investor in the company and our interests are aligned, I feel an enormous amount of pressure and personal reputation to build a successful business that they will be proud of.

Biggest obstacle overcome In January of this year, a few months before we were to open 73 new locations, my director of operations resigned. As a small company, this was a significant setback. I am fortunate to have a very committed team that stepped up and worked longer hours until we could find a replacement. This situation and others like it have made our team even stronger.

What or who has helped you the most in establishing your business? Without question, the person that has helped me the most is my wife. She is a great listener, very smart and serves as a sounding board for me on all significant decisions I make. She keeps everything working well at home, which allows me to really focus on the demands of the company.

Other business partners I am a big believer in the importance of strong corporate governance. I rely on my business partners and a strong board of directors to help me. They all have different backgrounds and experiences, and each has played a pivotal role in helping make our company successful.

Greatest innovation In the world of franchising, the business model we offer our franchisees and how it has evolved would be considered innovative. By raising a significant amount of equity, we were able to hire an experienced team of executives, develop significant infrastructure normally only seen in much larger companies and go to market with a low franchise fee. With only one corporate territory, our exclusive focus is on supporting our franchisees to become successful.

Company growth The company has experienced significant growth since we started. In June 2012, we had one territory open; in 2013, 15 territories; in 2014, 39 territories; and this year, we will have 112 territories open in 23 states. We are ahead of the original business plan and expect to have more than 200 locations open in 2016.

Earning a profit We raised enough money to fund some initial operating losses. Our priorities have always been selecting great franchisees, providing them support with an experienced franchise team, and growing Mosquito Joe into a national brand. This approach will drive profitability.

Future plans The long-term vision for our company is to twofold: support our franchisees to help them achieve at least the same level of success that our single corporate territory has experienced, and two, build a national company with more than 400 locations within the next three to five years.

Biggest challenge for the future Aside from the usual big challenges we face of selecting great franchisees and growing our corporate team to support them, it's always important for us to continue to innovate our brand but stay focused on our mission of making "Outside Fun Again" for communities across the country.

Mosquito Joe provides outdoor pest control treatments to residential and commercial customers, featuring a variety of kid-friendly and pet-friendly services.

 

Excellence Award Winner

Inside Business

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