Before he became a business owner, Josh Ambrose served as a U.S. Marine for more than two decades. He first became aware of franchising as a career opportunity when a friend of his started working with a franchise consultant. Ambrose says he hadn’t previously considered entrepreneurship, but, inspired by his friend, he too began working with a franchise consultant and was eventually put in touch with Mosquito Hunters, a 130-plus unit outdoor pest control brand.

Ambrose signed his franchise agreement in January of 2020, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and his territory was fully up and running in March of 2021, at a time when the home services industry began booming and the need for mosquito abatement was continuously growing.

But it wasn’t only that increase in demand that inspired Ambrose to become a franchisee. When Ambrose decided that he would invest with Mosquito Hunters, it was because he was impressed by the “ground game” the brand offers its business owners, meaning the marketing systems and tools the franchise provides to help build brand awareness. This ground game covers everything from branded vans and lawn signs to digital  marketing efforts.

“Mosquito Hunters franchisees told me all about the ground game,” he said. “No other franchisees talked about it as I was researching other brands in the segment, so I was unsure of the process at first. But that all changed when I saw the impact it made on my business. If you’re not putting out door hangers, road signs or getting the logo out there, you’re missing out on so many more touch points with potential customers, and the ability to acquire a customer who has a mosquito problem you can solve.” 

Ambrose said when people in his community think of mosquito abatement, he wants to be the first person who comes to their minds. “I have had friends say, ‘I’ve seen your signs everywhere,’' he added. “Everyone in the community is seeing them and I’m hitting more touch points quicker and faster than the competition, so brand recognition is stronger for me.”

Another reason Ambrose chose to franchise with Mosquito Hunters was because of the industry itself. “After many validation calls with Mosquito Hunters franchisees, I was convinced it was exactly what I was looking for,” he said. “I get to operate out of my home and don't have to worry about finding a building, securing a lease or extreme overhead with employees.”

Other advantages Ambrose leverages as a franchisee with Mosquito Hunters include recurring revenue streams, payroll management, converting leads into sales and the ability to focus on running the business rather than the behind-the-scenes tasks. 

“Under parent company Happinest, Mosquito Hunters offers expertise and outsourcing that extends much farther than just one brand,” he said. “The marketing dollars for three brands go further, they outsource when necessary and extensive support is available when I have questions or run into an issue.” 

As he continues to grow his business, Ambrose says he is excited about future growth thanks to the support he finds with Mosquito Hunters and Happinest. Franchisees like Ambrose are seeing growth as demand for home services continues to climb following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry is valued at $600 billion, and the team at Mosquito Hunters and its parent company Happinest are prepared for even more growth going into 2022. 

“COVID really was the perfect storm in terms of setting up growth for Mosquito Hunters,” said Stephanie Ruby, Director of Franchise Development for Mosquito Hunters. “People are at home more and want to be able to go outdoors, and now with staffing shortage issues all over the country, Mosquito Hunters provides a great opportunity for franchisees to work for themselves in a booming industry.”

“Ideally, the goal is to add 40-plus units for Mosquito Hunters [in 2022],” added Ronald Ens, Franchise Development Manager for Mosquito Hunters. “After the acquisition of the brand in 2018, there were six units, today there are more than 130 locations nationwide. And with so much demand in the industry, there is plenty of room for franchise expansion.”

The total investment necessary to open a Mosquito Hunters franchise ranges from $73,937 to $96,437. The franchise license fee ranges from $25,000 to $35,000. For more information on franchising opportunities with Mosquito Hunters, visit https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/.