10/31/2025

Building Better Pest Control Businesses: A Recap of MSPCA’s 2025 Business Building Blocks & Connections Event

Laying the Foundation for PMP Excellence
The event, themed “Laying a Foundation for PMP Excellence,” drew company owners, managers, CSRs, sales teams, and admin leaders from across Maryland. Participants enjoyed a full schedule from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., packed with expert-led sessions designed to strengthen leadership, marketing, technology, and operations in pest control.

The Four Building Blocks of Success

1️⃣ Leadership that Inspires — with Phil Cooper (Accelerated Gross Profit)
Kicking off the day, leadership consultant Phil Cooper energized the room with strategies for developing “managers who manage less and lead more.” Cooper introduced his Manager Development Framework, emphasizing that leadership training isn’t a “nice-to-have” but a profitability driver.

Key takeaways:

• Businesses that invest in middle managers see 2–4 % higher margins.
• Coaching and accountability are the foundation of sustainable performance.
• Identify leadership potential early — then cultivate it intentionally.

Participants left with an actionable checklist for building internal leadership programs tailored to their own company culture.

2️⃣ AI in Action — Using Artificial Intelligence to Transform Operations
Courtney Carace and Brett Lieberman shared practical, real-world applications of AI in pest control. Far from being “tech for tech’s sake,” their presentation focused on AI as a time-saver and margin-booster.

Highlights included:

• Using AI chatbots and email tools to improve customer communication.
• Automating route optimization and scheduling to reduce technician downtime.
• Leveraging AI for smarter marketing — from targeted ads to SEO content.
• Enhancing safety through predictive equipment maintenance and risk alerts.

Their message was clear: pest control companies that start small with AI now will be tomorrow’s efficiency leaders.

3️⃣ Marketing that Pays Off — with Cody Barbour
Cody Barbour, co-founder of Baton Leads, broke down how to make every dollar count. He urged owners to stop treating marketing as an expense — and start viewing it as an investment tied to measurable results.

Session takeaways:

• Understand the difference between brand marketing (trust & awareness) and digital marketing (conversion & leads).
• Track return on ad spend (ROAS) correctly by following customers beyond the click.
• Use data-driven storytelling — real customer stories — to connect locally.
• Measure what matters: website conversions, customer lifetime value, and retention.

Barbour’s session armed attendees with tools to analyze their current marketing ROI and plan their next campaigns more strategically.

4️⃣ Fleet Smarts — Turning Vehicles into a Competitive Advantage
Tyler Anderberg of Enterprise Fleet Management brought the day full circle by highlighting a surprisingly overlooked asset: company vehicles. He detailed how a smarter fleet strategy can cut costs and boost brand visibility simultaneously.

Key insights:

• Implement fleet telematics to monitor routes, maintenance, and fuel efficiency.
• Develop vehicle cycling plans to reduce depreciation and repair costs.
• Integrate branding — every truck is a mobile billboard for your business.
• Partner with fleet managers to gain data insights that directly improve operations.

For many attendees, this session turned what was once a logistical afterthought into a strategic advantage.

Connections that Matter
Between sessions, members enjoyed ample time to network over coffee, and lunch, with an added social tossed in at the nearby Hudson Coastal Raw Bar & Grill to close out the day. Discussions buzzed with new partnerships, shared challenges, and practical tips from across the industry. Attendees repeatedly noted that the event’s format encouraged not just learning — but lasting connection.

“The people I met today will be part of my business journey for years,” said Andrea Brubaker, MSPCA Treasurer.

Building Toward the Future
The Business Building Blocks & Connections event underscored a simple truth: success in pest management goes beyond the field. It’s about leadership, innovation, marketing, and relationships.

Each “block” presented actionable strategies that MSPCA members can implement immediately to build stronger, more resilient pest control companies across Maryland.

From leadership to AI, marketing to fleet management — MSPCA’s Building Blocks event gave attendees the blueprint to turn everyday operations into engines of growth.

Thank you Sponsors!

Premier Event Sponsor

Lunch Sponsors

Break Sponsor

MSPCA Connections: Chat & Cheers Social Sponsor

📸 Photo Highlights & Next Steps

Below are a few photos from the event. If you missed this event, we hope you will plan to join us for the next Business Building Blocks & Connections or an upcoming social near you!

Stay tuned for upcoming MSPCA events that continue building Maryland’s pest control community — one connection at a time.