How Geoff and Trish Sherlock Merged Their Marine Corps and Sales Experiences Into a Career with Mosquito Hunters
Ten and a half years ago, Geoff and Trish Sherlock met at a cookout hosted by mutual church friends. “Geoff drove me crazy, and he thought I was great,” jokingly recounted Trish. That type of playful humor is a staple in their relationship. The two fell in love, married and raised two children together, Zach and Kiley.
On October 22, 2018, just a day before their eighth wedding anniversary, the Sherlocks gave themselves a life-changing gift: they became co-owners of a Mosquito Hunters franchise.
The couple’s professional backgrounds set them up for success as first-time franchisees. Geoff Sherlock learned about structure and accountability during his six years of service with the United States Marine Corps. He then attended Indiana Wesleyan University on his G.I. Bill, earning a degree in Business Management before transitioning to military recruitment in Idaho where he honed his networking chops.
Trish Sherlock attended the University of Louisville in the city where she was born and raised. She then gained valuable experience in media sales in the digital and television space, also working in hospitality and community building. Most recently, Trish bolstered her marketing expertise by serving as a Regional Sales Director.
The couple came upon the Mosquito Hunters brand a few months ago. Geoff was ready for a career change, so they started looking into what it would take to go into business for themselves. Through Business Network International (BNI), Geoff met Amanda Berry, a consultant with FranNet. She invited the couple to meet with her to explore whether franchise ownership was right for them.
It was during that consultation that Berry mentioned Mosquito Hunters for the first time. The brand’s partnership with Lawn Doctor meant the Sherlocks would receive the support, outstanding quality of service and brand credibility of a long-established franchise. “We were impressed with the fact that with a franchise, you get some of the things that a business built from scratch doesn’t have, like brand recognition and reputation,” said Trish. Another important detail: Mosquito Hunters specifically looks to award franchisee licenses to qualified couples—and veterans.
For Trish, it was Mosquito Hunters’ marketing strategy that really stood out, as the brand impressively mandates a minimum investment in marketing efforts annually. “When we found out the investment that was required toward marketing, I knew we were in a really good position with this company,” said Trish. “I tell people we went from ‘not yet’ to ‘When can we sign up?’ after hearing about Mosquito Hunters.”
The Sherlocks spoke next with Eric Martin, Vice President of Franchise Development, and the rest was history. “Once we talked to Eric, he basically had us at ‘hello,’” said Trish. “The brand clearly fit our goals and needs.” They officially signed on as Mosquito Hunter franchisees.
“When I think of Geoff and Trish, ‘hardworking,’ ‘driven’ and ‘passionate’ are words that come to mind,” said Eric Martin, Mosquito Hunters’ Vice President of Franchise Development. “Trish has spent her career in hospitality sales and management, so she knows the importance of customer relationships as much as anyone in our system. Geoff was in a consultative sales role most recently, but served our country in the U.S. Marines prior. This business savvy coupled with his servant’s heart will help him build customer loyalty and retention. We are so excited to see this dynamic duo take off.”
The Sherlocks have long been active in making the Louisville community a great place for all to live. Now, they are looking forward to helping families stay happy and healthy through mosquito season—no matter what species those family members are.
“Most people don’t realize that the only way for a dog to get heartworm disease is through a mosquito bite. We are able to offer protection for people’s pets as well,” said Trish, adding that the Sherlocks have three dogs they consider family members. The Sherlocks plan to partner with the Kentucky Humane Society and American Heartworm Society for adoption and other events. Mosquito Hunters of East Louisville will also be actively involved in Toys For Tots, a cause run by the U.S. Marine Corps and close to the Sherlocks’ hearts.
The Sherlocks first got hooked on giving back to the community after starting their own nonprofit, “What the Troops Need.” The organization sent care packages to deployed Marines and service members. With Geoff as President and Trish as Vice President, the two also got plenty of practice managing their own business together. “Our strengths and weaknesses complement each other,” said Trish.
The couple believes in being proactive as opposed to reactive—especially when it comes to mosquitoes. Utilizing their backgrounds in networking, sales and marketing, they are already running promotions, attending local expos and planning for warm weather Kentucky Derby and graduation parties. Geoff has hit the ground running, already having attended 15 BNI events just this month to spread the word.
“The success is contingent on what we do. There’s a lot to be said for that,” said Trish. “When working for another company, your success is theirs, but with this, our success is ours. It gives you more drive.”
Trish added that the flexibility of franchising has helped the Sherlocks accomplish more than ever before. “You can get a lot of work done, and we can pick our daughter up from school, do laundry, go to sports events, get groceries. It’s that flexibility to truly live your life,” she said.
When asked how they would define success for their business, the Sherlocks said that, while success should be measured by more than just profits, they are working hard to position themselves to have a profitable and enjoyable opening season this year. “We’re most excited to drive that big Mosquito Hunters truck and start spraying some yards,” said Geoff.
Maintaining a sense of humor is never bad for business, either. In regard to their goals for their first season, the couple agreed: “Getting through this first year, we’d like to be in the positive—and stay married through it all.”