Mosquito Joe Franchise Signs 100 Territories in 24 Months

Mosquito Joe, a mosquito control treatment company serving residential and commercial customers nationwide, has closed out 2014 with outstanding success. Among the numerous highlights of the year, the brand celebrated the addition of 43 new franchisees and a system-wide increase of sales by 311 percent.

1851 had the opportunity to speak with Jodi Ramoino, director of franchise development, about their success.

You are selling franchises faster than most concepts. What is your secret?

When you think of pest control it is usually dirty, buggy images that come to mind. We don’t take that approach. We make it fun and concentrate on making our customer’s outdoor spaces more enjoyable. We don’t require contracts for customers. We go on the honor system and treat the yard every 21 days.

I’ve been with Mosquito Joe since July of 2013 and was instantly drawn in because it is a great brand with a great team that provides great support for happy franchisees. That combination makes my job easy.

Prior to joining Mosquito Joe, I worked at Liberty Tax Service for 11 years before joining Mosquito Joe and we just signed our fourth Liberty Tax franchisee. There is a lot of synergy there because both brands are seasonal and the opposing seasons complement each other.

Where are you planning to grow in 2015?

We are targeting Texas, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia and Minnesota. We have open territories in Houston, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Chicago, northern Ohio, Cincinnati and Atlanta that could be very fruitful for the right investor.

Who is the right investor?

Husband and wife teams are awesome. I also love to sign on what I call “MBA moms” who have been staying at home with their children for years but looking for a way to contribute financially to the home now that the kids are getting older and more independent.

We have also found success with early retirees who are too young to completely stop working but determined to never return to the corporate world. They can run a Mosquito Joe franchise from their home and love the seasonal aspect of the business. They work hard for six months out of the year and can enjoy the rest of the year anyway they please.

What inspires you?

I love a quote from the CEO of Luvo, Christine Day. She wrote, “If you wait for evidence, you’ll be a follower, not a leader.” That is the way I’ve always lived my life. I get a gut feeling and go with it.

What is your gut feeling for sales in 2015?

For the company, our goal is 50 new franchisees and 100 new territories. Personally, I plan to close 35 to 40 of those deals.