Pest Pros, Peer Groups & People-First Growth: Maria Sorrentino’s Playbook
- S3E215
- 54:31
- August 14th 2025
Maria Sorrentino started as a tech while studying social work and went on to build Pest Pros in Kalamazoo—plus Hive Nine and the “Lead People Manage Stuff” workshops. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into how she hires, pays, and develops people, why peer groups changed her trajectory, and the faith-driven mission that keeps her scaling without losing the heart of the business. It’s a field-tested blueprint for owners who believe culture and accountability win long term.
You’ll hear:
- The “part-time is a lie” origin story and why pest control is a marketable, problem-solving trade.
- How she worked every role—tech to termite inspector to operator—and why being a people-first leader beats being a “bug nerd.”
- Comp & culture: the “altruism base” (paid non-billable hours), commission hygiene, and building a team that actually likes accountability.
- The Top-100 epiphany that expanded her vision—and how a 100-mile service radius actually works.
- Peer pressure, the good kind: inside “The Eagle’s Nest” where owners open P&Ls and leave with bruises (and breakthroughs).
- Why Hive Nine & “Lead People Manage Stuff” were built for leadership benches—not just owners.
Show links:
From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs
From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore
Produced by: www.verbell.ltd
Timestamps
00:00 – Cold open: “Pest control is a real marketable skill… it’s problem-solving.”
00:34 – Intros + how Maria connected with the Twins (Pest Cemetery days).
02:00 – Getting in: social work student → office → certified → field (and why “part-time” is a myth).
03:16 – Working every role: tech, termite inspections, then operator.
03:56 – “People person” vs. “bug nerds” at home—owning her lane.
04:31 – Starting Pest Pros (2018) with a home-inspector partner.
19:29 – The “altruism base”: paid non-billable hours that keep teams balanced.
20:22 – Paul Bello: from officiating her daughter’s wedding to training her techs.
22:08 – Vision unlock: seeing Top-100 peers and realizing what’s possible.
23:16 – Service map: running a 100-mile radius out of Kalamazoo.
25:46 – Boundaries, family, and why the business became a shared “fun thing.”
26:21 – Coaching bias: why Maria pushes revenue (and learned to respect margin).
31:24 – Hive Nine Consulting: events that develop teams, not just owners.
31:52 – “Lead People Manage Stuff”: the leadership workshop series.
32:45 – Community: why pest control attracts the “best-hearted” people.
33:04 – Her personal mission—and how faith guides the next bet.
42:49 – Inside “The Eagle’s Nest”: open books, hard feedback, real accountability.
52:05 – Superpower: being a connector—and a final invite to collaborate.
53:09 – Outro & CTA to Potomac and more resources.
The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit
Boardroom Buzz is the straight-talk playbook for owners who built their service businesses from the crawlspace up and want to master the next move—whether that’s doubling down on growth or preparing for a life-changing exit.
Hosted by Jason & Jeremy Julio—“The Blue-Collar Twins” who turned a service-truck start-up into a multimillion-dollar success—and mentored by veteran deal-maker Paul Giannamore, the show turns boardroom finance into stories you’d swap over a tailgate. Expect 40-minute deep-dives that unwrap one real transaction and one valuation lever you can pull today, plus quick “Market Pulse” riffs that flag shifts every operator should watch.
If you’re a majority or significant-minority owner eyeing the $5 M–$100 M revenue range, tune in for gritty war stories, step-by-step tactics, and the confidence to choose your own endgame. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by POTOMAC M&A.