Mosquito Squad Plus, the 240-plus-unit pest control franchise, named brother and sister franchise owners Keegan Cravo and Joe Clark from Mosquito Squad Plus of Hartford-Springfield Franchisees of the Year. The siblings were recognized for building a strong team, expanding operations and helping grow their business into a multi-service pest control operation.
“We’ve really built up a strong team,” Cravo said. “We can’t grow without good people helping us run the business. That’s probably the biggest reason behind the award this year. We have more managers involved in improving how we do things and ensuring everything happens the way it should. Being able to grow with more people we trust has made the business stronger.”
Before joining Mosquito Squad Plus, Cravo worked in sales, marketing and nonprofit event planning, while Clark came from a background in education, coaching and sales. The opportunity first came to the family through a trusted connection who was already operating within the franchise system.
“My dad’s business partner from a previous franchise business started a Mosquito Squad Plus in his area,” Cravo said. “He got to talking with my dad and said, ‘Yeah, it’s a really great company. You guys should look into it.’”
Initially, Cravo launched the business alongside her parents. By the end of the first year, the family realized they needed additional operational support, which led her brother, who was working in education and coaching, to join first as a technician before eventually becoming a co-owner.
“One of the things that really intrigued us about Mosquito Squad Plus was the recurring revenue model and the seasonality of the business,” Clark said. “The demand for tick control in our area was strong. In the Northeast, summers are short, so people really want to enjoy them as much as possible. We thought that combination made sense for us.”
The franchise system also gave Cravo and Clark a sounding board as they figured out how to grow. Instead of building the business in isolation, they were able to compare notes with operators who had already worked through many of the same decisions.
“I also think one of the best things about franchising is the support you get from fellow franchisees,” Cravo said. “We leaned on [longtime franchisee] Dave Macchia a ton early on, but we also met a lot of people in the system who were very open to sharing what worked for them.”
One of the most important lessons for the franchise owners was being willing to learn from others already succeeding within the system. The family visited multiple franchise owners early on to better understand the business and continues to stay connected with franchisees across the country today.
“Everybody was very welcoming to us, and we still connect with people through conventions, social media and phone calls,” Clark said. “That support has been invaluable.”
Over the years, the Hartford-Springfield operation, which covers both the Greater Hartford and Greater Springfield areas, has expanded beyond mosquito and tick control to include rodent, spider, fly and wasp services. Cravo said the company’s growth has been made possible by stronger leadership and better delegation throughout the organization.
“Having stronger support around us has allowed us to focus more on bigger-picture items,” Cravo said. “We’ve been able to grow our services because we have more people and more support.”
As a sibling ownership team, both say their differing strengths have helped create balance within the business. Cravo focuses heavily on systems, planning and organization, while Clark naturally gravitates toward communication and leadership in the field.
“I think you have to know from the beginning whether you can actually work with that person,” Cravo said. “Joe and I are opposites in enough ways that we balance each other, but we also communicate directly and honestly.”
Several members of the family are still involved in the Hartford-Springfield operation. Clark’s wife, Abbe, serves as sales manager, and Cravo’s husband helps with projects when needed. Their parents are no longer involved in the day-to-day operation, leaving the siblings to lead the business while keeping it in the family.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/mosquito-squad.
Mosquito Squad Plus
SPONSORED
After entering the business with backgrounds in sales, coaching and education, Keegan Cravo and Joe Clark expanded the operation while learning how to lead a growing team together
Mosquito Squad Plus, the 240-plus-unit pest control franchise, named brother and sister franchise owners Keegan Cravo and Joe Clark from Mosquito Squad Plus of Hartford-Springfield Franchisees of the Year. The siblings were recognized for building a strong team, expanding operations and helping grow their business into a multi-service pest control operation.
“We’ve really built up a strong team,” Cravo said. “We can’t grow without good people helping us run the business. That’s probably the biggest reason behind the award this year. We have more managers involved in improving how we do things and ensuring everything happens the way it should. Being able to grow with more people we trust has made the business stronger.”
Before joining Mosquito Squad Plus, Cravo worked in sales, marketing and nonprofit event planning, while Clark came from a background in education, coaching and sales. The opportunity first came to the family through a trusted connection who was already operating within the franchise system.
“My dad’s business partner from a previous franchise business started a Mosquito Squad Plus in his area,” Cravo said. “He got to talking with my dad and said, ‘Yeah, it’s a really great company. You guys should look into it.’”
Initially, Cravo launched the business alongside her parents. By the end of the first year, the family realized they needed additional operational support, which led her brother, who was working in education and coaching, to join first as a technician before eventually becoming a co-owner.
“One of the things that really intrigued us about Mosquito Squad Plus was the recurring revenue model and the seasonality of the business,” Clark said. “The demand for tick control in our area was strong. In the Northeast, summers are short, so people really want to enjoy them as much as possible. We thought that combination made sense for us.”
The franchise system also gave Cravo and Clark a sounding board as they figured out how to grow. Instead of building the business in isolation, they were able to compare notes with operators who had already worked through many of the same decisions.
“I also think one of the best things about franchising is the support you get from fellow franchisees,” Cravo said. “We leaned on [longtime franchisee] Dave Macchia a ton early on, but we also met a lot of people in the system who were very open to sharing what worked for them.”
One of the most important lessons for the franchise owners was being willing to learn from others already succeeding within the system. The family visited multiple franchise owners early on to better understand the business and continues to stay connected with franchisees across the country today.
“Everybody was very welcoming to us, and we still connect with people through conventions, social media and phone calls,” Clark said. “That support has been invaluable.”
Over the years, the Hartford-Springfield operation, which covers both the Greater Hartford and Greater Springfield areas, has expanded beyond mosquito and tick control to include rodent, spider, fly and wasp services. Cravo said the company’s growth has been made possible by stronger leadership and better delegation throughout the organization.
“Having stronger support around us has allowed us to focus more on bigger-picture items,” Cravo said. “We’ve been able to grow our services because we have more people and more support.”
As a sibling ownership team, both say their differing strengths have helped create balance within the business. Cravo focuses heavily on systems, planning and organization, while Clark naturally gravitates toward communication and leadership in the field.
“I think you have to know from the beginning whether you can actually work with that person,” Cravo said. “Joe and I are opposites in enough ways that we balance each other, but we also communicate directly and honestly.”
Several members of the family are still involved in the Hartford-Springfield operation. Clark’s wife, Abbe, serves as sales manager, and Cravo’s husband helps with projects when needed. Their parents are no longer involved in the day-to-day operation, leaving the siblings to lead the business while keeping it in the family.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/mosquito-squad.
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