Mosquito Hunters

Many people who look into franchising love the prospect of becoming their own boss, and this was no different for Army veteran-turned-<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=casey-and-jessica-reed-of-mosquito-hunters-ready-to-go-from-the-army-life-to-the-franchisee-life-2711521" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mosquito Hunters</a> franchisee Casey Reed and his wife, Jessica.The former Chief Warrant Officer was less than a year away from retiring from his 21-year career with the Army when he learned about <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/latest-stories.html">Mosquito Hunters</a> in December of 2018. FranNet consultant Amanda Berry briefed Reed and other retiring Army colleagues about the world of franchising while they were still on base in Fort Knox, Kentucky.&nbsp;“The Army has a pretty exhaustive, comprehensive program to help transition soldiers into civilian life and a lot of that has to do with résumé-building and looking for what we’re going to do for the next chapter of our lives,” Reed said. “What the consultant did was pair retiring and transitioning soldiers and military personnel with potential franchises and educate us on the process.”&nbsp;The lifestyle opportunities for a franchisee stood out the most to the Reeds, especially when it came to having job autonomy and spending more time with family.&nbsp;“What Amanda briefed us on was everything I was looking for in future employment,” Reed said. “I wanted a little bit of freedom and autonomy, to stay at home and not travel so much. I wanted to come home every single night and eat dinner with my wife and kids like a normal family and be my own boss.”&nbsp;The Reeds signed their Mosquito Hunters franchise agreement in February.&nbsp;“We purchased while still being active-duty,” Reed said. “I had six months left before retirement, so we purchased knowing we’d do a delayed start.”As a mother to five children and as a spouse who navigated the Army life alongside her husband for many years, Jessica is more than prepared for her family’s new enterprise.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I’ll be doing the spraying and operations, at least to start, and she’ll be the one really running this thing and keeping me on track,” Reed said of his wife. “She’ll be doing a lot of the scheduling and the books. I like to say she’ll be the brains.”The Reeds looked at a total of five different franchises but it was “very apparent” from the start that Mosquito Hunters was <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/the-top-5-reasons-a-mosquito-hunters-franchise-makes-business-sense-in-2019-2709386">a standout opportunity</a>. Since its founding, Mosquito Hunters has earned recognition as a competitive and affordable franchise option. <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/why-mosquito-hunters-is-a-dream-business-for-franchise-prospects-2707761#trending">Its low cost of entry, simple business model and recurring revenue stream</a> are just a few reasons as to why it is considered a great investment. In May of 2018, the brand partnered with the more established franchise <a href="https://lawndoctorfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=casey-and-jessica-reed-of-mosquito-hunters-ready-to-go-from-the-army-life-to-the-franchisee-life-2711521" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Lawn Doctor</a>, which has been around since the mid-1960s, further increasing its reach and scope.&nbsp;Mosquito Hunters also has a significant offering for Reed and his fellow veterans: The <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/mosquito-hunters-provides-franchise-discount-to-military-couple-to-begin-next-chapter-of-civilian-lives-2708221">brand offers military veterans</a> and first responders $10,000 off the franchise fee.&nbsp;Throughout the discovery process, Reed especially enjoyed the conversations he had with members of the Mosquito Hunters Franchise Development team.&nbsp;“They had answers for every question I had and they were true answers, not what he thought I wanted to hear,” Reed said. “I felt like Mosquito Hunters was a real organization with real people and they had real stories. I didn’t want to get swayed into making this decision. Our talks were very educational and there was no pressure.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetfran.org/for-veterans/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=casey-and-jessica-reed-of-mosquito-hunters-ready-to-go-from-the-army-life-to-the-franchisee-life-2711521#veterans-and-franchising" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">According to VetFran</a>, an organization that educates veterans about the benefits of franchising and also educates franchisors about the benefits of involving veterans, veterans leave the service with strong leadership skills and an understanding of teamwork, positioning people like the Reed family for success. Veterans account for 7% of the U.S. population, but 14% of franchisees are vets, according to VetFran.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Reeds’ Mosquito Hunters will be located in Boerne, Texas, about a half-hour drive from San Antonio, and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2020. Their Boerne Mosquito Hunters will also service the nearby cities of Spring Branch and Bulverde.&nbsp;The decision to franchise in Boerne was a strategic one. Reed noted that Boerne is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. While Boerne has general home service offerings, there isn’t anything specifically related to mosquitos.&nbsp;The Reeds are open to the idea of expanding with the brand and opening more territories, but for now, they are focused on getting their first location off the ground.The Reeds just purchased a house in Boerne, so they’re not yet <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/mosquito-hunters-recent-female-franchising-force-is-taking-the-market-by-storm-2710182">fully integrated into the community</a>, but they do plan to be heavily involved. This includes becoming members of their local Chamber of Commerce and getting involved through their church.&nbsp;Reed believes the brand will be well-received in his market, especially considering the warmer weather. ”The length of our season here is going to be much longer than the average because there’s definitely <a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/san-antonio-listed-as-one-of-top-25-cities-with-most-mosquitoes?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=casey-and-jessica-reed-of-mosquito-hunters-ready-to-go-from-the-army-life-to-the-franchisee-life-2711521" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a mosquito issue in my territory</a>,” Reed said.&nbsp;The Reeds also plan to get their five children involved in their new franchise venture.&nbsp;“We’ll spend a lot of Saturdays at farmers’ markets; really wherever we can get the whole family involved,” Reed said. “I’m also pretty heavy into volunteering with youth sports and that can be paired up nicely with the franchise. We can get a bunch of little 8-year-old soccer players with Mosquito Hunters-sponsored shirts.”&nbsp;Reed anticipates he and Jessica will enjoy the franchisee life.&nbsp;“I think it’s going to be a very good business marriage because, for the better portion of my career, I’ve had the ability to work both on my own and as part of a team a lot in the military,” Reed said.&nbsp;He feels that a franchise opportunity like Mosquito Hunters is a great opportunity for military veterans.&nbsp;“What a lot of soldiers, especially retired soldiers, bring to the table is the work ethic and the understanding that what we put into it is what we get out of it,” Reed said. “It’s going to be successful based on the sweat coming off of the brow.”The startup costs for a Mosquito Hunters franchise range from $70,107 to $85,903. The franchise license fee ranges from $25,000 to $35,000. To learn more about franchising with Mosquito Hunters, visit <a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=casey-and-jessica-reed-of-mosquito-hunters-ready-to-go-from-the-army-life-to-the-franchisee-life-2711521" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/</a>.

Casey and Jessica Reed of Mosquito Hunters Ready To Go From the Army Life to the Franchisee Life 

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The newly-retired Chief Warrant Officer and his wife will open their Mosquito Hunters franchise in the spring of 2020 in Boerne, Texas. 

This brand page has been paid for by MOSQUITO HUNTERS. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-jones-a4726443/">Jake Jones</a>, a former corporate salesperson, spent about 20 years in the award recognition business before exploring opportunities to become his own boss. Though he initially considered brick-and-mortar brands, Jones found his way to the home services space and eventually got connected with the team at&nbsp;<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise&amp;utm_medium=referral%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Elite%20Window%20Cleaning%202-minute%20drill">Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting</a>, the over 140-unit pest control and holiday lighting franchise backed by&nbsp;<a href="https://happinest.com/">Happinest Brands</a>.“At the time, I knew nothing about franchises. I just knew I wanted to be my own boss, and given I’d been in the recognition industry for 20 years, I didn’t have any background on starting a business,” Jones said. “I had no education on accounting or marketing, so I needed a franchise to get me trained in both pest management and holiday lighting, as well as the how-tos of starting your own business.”Jones made sure he took the time to find the right fit before launching his business in July of 2025.<h2>Family Inspiration and Support</h2>While Jones’ corporate role was flexible in terms of his schedule and the option to work from home, he was no longer fulfilled by the work. When he was “no longer excited to get out of bed in the morning,” Jones knew it was time to look for another path.“My wife, Kelly, played a big role in this process,” he said. “Her dad was an entrepreneur, so she grew up in that lifestyle. She was very supportive through the transition from having a set salary to taking the leap of faith. She wanted to see me doing something I enjoyed.”With the encouragement of his wife and three daughters, Jones launched his&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/info">Hunters-Humbug</a> business last summer, just in time to take advantage of a busy pest season and build a runway for a steady holiday lighting season, too.“The pest management got off to a quick start, then the lighting season was fast and furious for sure,” he said. “It started in October and November with sales and installations and continued through December and January with maintenance and take-downs.”<h2>Early Wins and Lessons Learned</h2>While business ownership was new to Jones, he was able to draw on his prior sales experience to serve as a foundation, of sorts, as he began to grow. The industry was new, but the practice of building relationships was not. His prior experience actually paid off nearly immediately, empowering Jones to sell services to a large country club in his area in his first week of sales.“I apply the relationship-driven approach to residential sales, too,” he said. “There is so much information available as you walk up to someone’s house. Maybe they have a Kansas City Chiefs flag, a motorcycle or animals out front. I’m always just trying to build the personal connection. I’m not trying to sell them on anything immediately. I’m introducing myself, explaining that I’m a small business owner and trying to break down some barriers to help them feel a bit more comfortable.”This approach has helped him make the most of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/hunters-humbug-franchise-success-year-round-launch-2729733">Hunters-Humbug’s three-in-one model</a>. While the recurring nature of the mosquito business helps stability, the ability to build strong relationships with clients and expand services from that point has opened the door for substantial business growth.Now, Jones is also passionate about the Pest Hunters facet of the business, noting that it allows for higher-level problem-solving and an opportunity to shine in an industry where many providers fall short.“The mosquito control is a huge part of the business, but, for me, pest management is the biggest piece of the pie,” he said. “A lot of times, people are intimidated by it, and there are a lot of pest control companies that don’t do a great job. The opportunity to complete those services at the level of quality we maintain is what really gets me excited. I just think there’s so much potential.”<h2>Jones’ Future With Hunters-Humbug: Growth Through the Franchise Model</h2>As he looks toward the future with the business, Jones is focused on scaling, and he feels confident to pursue this growth thanks to the backing of the franchise system.“One of the huge benefits of the franchise system is your peers,” Jones said. “I've got three guys who were in my training class, and I talk to them daily. We're all at the same point in our business journey having been live for about the same period of time, but there are also franchisees I can talk to that have been doing this for a long time. The amount of information they have is very valuable, and everyone’s willing to help everyone else out.”Armed with the operational playbook from Hunters-Humbug and the support from fellow franchisees, Jones is focused on expanding, hiring and training a team to focus on execution while he continues to focus on business development.“My plan for the year is, essentially, to sell and figure it out later,” he said. “I feel confident I have the tools available to figure it out, and I’m working to build a team to be out in the field so I can do more of what I enjoy, which is the growth of the company. As I look back on the first eight months of operations and how far I’ve come in such a short time, I feel this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If I could do it over again, I would — in a second.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters">https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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After about two decades in sales performance and award recognition programs, Jake Jones turned to the pest management and holiday lighting brand as a pathway to exit the corporate world.

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In the pest control industry, there is a wide range of skill sets, and a deep divide between “a guy with a sprayer” and a technical expert who understands how and why certain treatments work and the complex regulatory demands of the industry. For&nbsp;<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/">Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting</a>, the three-in-one franchise backed by&nbsp;<a href="http://happinest.com">Happinest Brands</a>, having this knowledge at the leadership level and disseminating it among franchisees is foundational to its continued growth.Leading this effort is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-diaz-34a19519">Miguel Diaz</a>, who serves as director of operations and brings decades of experience to the system. Not only has Diaz spent over 20 years learning the industry firsthand, but he has shown a steady commitment to professional development and is part of an elite group of experts recognized by the Entomological Society of America.<h2>The Rare ACE Credential</h2>For large pest management organizations, having an entomological expert on staff provides additional knowledge and expertise to support pest identification and other problem-solving needs. While Diaz did not go to school for entomology, he holds the Associate Certified Entomologist designation, a credential that requires years of frontline experience and ongoing demonstration of expertise. Even rarer is the&nbsp;<a href="https://entocert.org/awards/past_winners/ace-professional-award">ACE Professional Award</a>, which Diaz received in 2018.“The ACE Professional Award is presented to those who have demonstrated excellence in the industry and made significant contributions,” he said. “I’m one of only nine in the nation. How many pest control companies are there in the U.S., and how many of them have someone with an ACE Professional Award on board? For franchisees buying into the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/info">Hunters-Humbug</a> model, there is built-in support from someone who has been recognized as one of the best in the industry.”Over the course of his career, Diaz has translated his knowledge into state-approved continuing education courses, provided training sessions and remained engaged with leaders throughout the industry at large. Now, he’s able to leverage this expertise and prior teaching and training experience to elevate Hunters-Humbug owners and teams throughout the system as it continues growing.<h2>Further Professionalizing Hunters-Humbug’s Commercial Services</h2>As Hunters-Humbug continues to scale, Diaz is leveraging his knowledge to support franchisees in branching out to commercial services. In sectors like hospitality, warehousing and education, there are specific procedures and requirements necessary to meet widely accepted standards set forth by organizations like the&nbsp;<a href="https://aibinternational.com/">American Institute of Baking</a> or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nsf.org/">National Sanitation Foundation</a> (NSF). Diaz’s background in auditing and prior experience with these agencies bridges the gap between Hunters-Humbug and major industries in need of service.“Pest control is in the background of almost every industry,” he said. “There’s nothing you buy on the consumer side that didn’t go through an auditing process to make sure it’s safe for consumers. You can’t sell to the public without being certified.”Beyond consumer goods, even industries like education and hospitality require specific pest management practices. For example, most schools have integrated pest management coordinators.“There are certain requirements that schools have for managing pests,” Diaz said. “We always start with the safest, least‑intensive options. If those don’t work, there’s a clear step‑by‑step process to move to something stronger, and that next step may need approval.”“These are the kinds of things you need to know to service these customers,” he continued. “All of these things are documented, and there are steps in place. These are the rules we have to follow for commercial accounts, and because I know them well, I can support our franchisees in navigating their commercial contracts properly.”<h2>The Three-In-One Edge</h2>Diaz joining the team was a crucial resource as the brand evolved from just mosquito-related services to pest, mosquito and holiday lighting. Adding pest control to the lineup transformed the brand into a powerhouse multi-service platform, drastically increasing the total addressable market for franchisees and supporting steady, year-round revenue streams.As Diaz’s leadership has bolstered franchisees’ growth in the commercial space, these successful commercial relationships have also expanded across services.During the 2025 holiday season, the Humbug Holiday Lighting arm brought in more revenue and added more commercial accounts. More businesses are looking for one reliable partner to handle both pest control and lighting, and Hunters-Humbug is positioned to deliver that.With precision, reliability and expertise front and center in all interactions, Hunters-Humbug franchisees deliver a service experience that builds trust and encourages clients to both explore additional service offerings and maintain a steady, ongoing relationship with the brand.“At the end of the day, it’s the education, the knowledge and the person doing the work that’s important in these relationships,” Diaz said. “As a franchise system, Hunters-Humbug is a locally owned company, but the owners and teams have the skill and expertise of a major national brand.”<h2>Building the Playbook for 2026 and Beyond</h2>Under Diaz’s leadership, the training program for new franchisees has been further built out to include both classroom education and immersive, hands-on experiences.“We have a full day of classroom education and a full day of on-site training where our owners are walking around with a flashlight, describing and using the equipment,” he said. “This hands-on approach ensures that, as our owners go throughout their days, they aren’t just looking for bugs. They’re looking for risks, entry points and other integrated pest management opportunities, and they’re also familiar with and able to describe how their tools work to a client who wants to understand the treatment plan.”As Hunters-Humbug continues to grow, Diaz will ensure franchisees have the tools and training necessary to exceed the “fly-by-night” perception that some clients have of the pest management industry and develop a relationship-based, science-backed business.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters">https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Photo of Miguel Diaz, Pest Hunters, Mosquito Hunters, Humbug Holiday Lighting

With decades of experience and the esteemed Associate Certified Entomologist designation, Diaz brings deep knowledge to the Hunters-Humbug franchise system, empowering its next phase of growth.

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Casey and Jessica Reed of Mosquito Hunters Ready To Go From the Army Life to the Franchisee Life

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