Mosquito Hunters Brings Much-Needed Mosquito Abatement to Land O’ Lakes, Florida

Mosquito Hunters, the outdoor pest control brand with 130-plus units across the country, saw a banner year in 2021 as it expanded its footprint to 27 states and awarded a total of 60 units. The franchisee behind one of those new units is Gabrielle Rei, a former 911 operator and background investigator in Florida who decided to follow her entrepreneurial dreams and invest in a reliable, streamlined and scalable business opportunity to secure her future. When she discovered Mosquito Hunters, it checked all of the boxes.

The Path to Franchising

Rei says her life-long plan was to train with her father to become a real estate appraiser, as her family ran and operated their own appraisal business for 20 years. When her father passed away unexpectedly, the family had to close the business, and Rei needed to find a new path. Recently, Rei worked at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office as a 9-11 officer and background investigator for 7 years. When Rei decided it was time for something new, she says entrepreneurship was the ultimate goal.

“I always knew I wanted to be a business owner, but I didn’t know how to get there,” Rei said. “That is where franchising came into play. I was introduced to a franchise coach and was interviewed to find which concept would fit best with my goals. The reason I went with franchising as opposed to starting from scratch was because of the structure. I appreciated the fact that someone had worked out the kinks of the business, figured out the marketing and best practices for certain things. It is really a guide on how to start a business. I had watched my parents build their own business, and I knew I didn't want to go through the same trials.”

The Benefits of Franchising with Mosquito Hunters

After being introduced to the brand during her research, Rei was immediately drawn to the Mosquito Hunters concept. “I loved the fact that I didn't need to have a whole slew of employees, especially in today’s world where there is a labor shortage,” said Rei. “I also wanted to be able to focus on running the actual business. With Mosquito Hunters, I knew I could hire technicians and train them to perform the actual service, while I worked from the office and focused on getting my name out there in the community.”

The Mosquito Hunters team is focused on providing franchisees with the resources they need to be successful. Mosquito Hunters’ focus on customer service, for example, allows the brand to retain customers and set up recurring revenue streams. The team also offers ongoing support through business coaches and a centralized system that handles sales leads, marketing and other franchisee support efforts.

“The total support has been amazing — at no point have I felt like I was on my own on this,” said Rei. “Between the coaches, mentors, weekly calls and MH University, it really seems difficult to fail as long as you follow the proven path.”

Why the Time Has Never Been Better to Invest in a Mosquito Hunters Franchise

Rei officially purchased the franchise in October and went through training in January. Since starting the business, Rei says she's been focused on networking and driving the trucks around town.

“Most people don’t even know about the mosquito-targeted service,” said Rei. “They just think of general pest control, but I’ve been able to introduce more people to the idea of targeting mosquitos specifically, which are the number-one deadliest animal on the planet. Our service helps both families and pets avoid diseases, and allow them to enjoy their yards even more.”

In general, mosquito abatement is a fairly new concept that has only been around for about 15 years. Mosquito Hunters franchisees like Rei now have a unique opportunity to provide customers with their services in an industry where awareness surrounding mosquito abatement is still growing among consumers. Additionally, with the COVID-19 pandemic keeping many people at home, more and more people are looking to enjoy their outdoor living spaces and backyards.

In the Land O'Lakes market specifically, Rei says demand is growing particularly fast due to the development of new housing and the warmer climate creating a year-round mosquito season. Rei says she hopes to build as dense of a territory as possible in her community and eventually expand into new territories from there.

According to Ron Ens, franchise development manager for Mosquito Hunters, this increased demand is resulting in major growth for the brand. Since being acquired by Happinest in the summer of 2018, Mosquito Hunters has expanded from six locations to over 130. Following the post-COVID boom of the home services market, which is now valued at $600 billion, the opportunities for franchisees is only expected to grow heading into the new year.

“We hope to add just as many units, if not more, in 2022,” said Ens. “Ideally, the goal is to add 40-plus units for Mosquito Hunters, but we expect to meet or exceed the same number of units awarded in the coming year.”

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/.