Mosquito Hunters Franchisees Take Advantage of the Brand’s Semi-Absentee Model to Expand Family-Run Business

Alicia Harkins has always been interested in customer service and business ownership. She initially worked in the restaurant industry and then was a kickboxing instructor with the iLoveKickboxing franchise, where she got to personally experience the franchising model. It interested her, so when her father-in-law John brought up the idea of buying a business together, she was on board.

The two worked with a franchise broker, who showed them a few different industries and options, one of which was Mosquito Hunters, which now offers a semi-absentee business model. They signed on for two territories in Long Island, New York — Huntington and Smithtown in Suffolk County — in late 2019, and opened in early 2020 with the support and guidance from the Mosquito Hunters team. While John acted as the semi-absentee owner, Alicia was involved in the day-to-day business.

“Mosquito Hunters has fantastic support. They give you a lot of support compared to some of the other franchises, so it's great. The team we work with is fantastic,” said Harkins. “With the pandemic, we really picked the right business to get into given the rising demand in the home services segment. I felt very fortunate to find the right business model at the right time.”

Their business ramped up quickly, as Long Island is a muggy and rainy region with many bodies of water. Mosquitos and ticks are a major problem there, so there is a need for pest management services in the area.

“It's been moving so quickly,” said Harkins. “We had over 100 clients in our first year, and then the second year we doubled, so that was great. I hope we double again this year, and I want to hit 1,000 clients in the next few years.”

That drive to grow their family-owned semi-absentee business is shared by Alicia’s cousin-in-law Andrew Triolo, who bought out shares from his uncle John and now runs the operation. Triolo, who has a background in engineering and owns a vending business, was intrigued by the family business, which his son previously worked for. Now, his role is to oversee the day-to-day operations as the business grows while Alicia manages the franchise overall.

“Last year, my son, who's 18, worked for Mosquito Hunters. He used to come home and talk about it, and it piqued my interest. So I started looking into it,” said Triolo. “I couldn't be happier that I did.”

Together, Harkins and Triolo are taking advantage of the semi-absentee model while working to cater to their two territories during what is sure to be a very busy season. Harkins said they are getting calls every day to sign up new customers. They are happy to provide the service to the area and rid properties of pesky insects.

“One of the things I love is that the heart of the businesses is helping people enjoy one of their biggest investments in their life — their house. Letting them take advantage of their yard all the time makes it a nice business to be in,” Harkins said.  

“I like helping people and knowing that our business is doing a legit service for the neighborhood. It makes me feel good,” said Triolo. “And I like knowing that people enjoy the service and tell us we did a good job.”

Mosquito Hunters’ corporate team said they are thrilled to have the Harkins-Triolo team operating the Long Island territories. 

Mosquito Hunters franchise development manager Ronald Ens said, “Customer service is a sort of dying art form. When our franchise owners go above and beyond with customer service like Alicia and Andrew do, it puts us in a position where we’re going to continue to outshine our competitors. Because we truly care, and we execute that through customer service.”

The total investment necessary to open a Mosquito Hunters franchise ranges from $89,187-$116,187. For more information on franchising opportunities with Mosquito Hunters, visit https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com.