Mosquito Hunters

In the competitive home service franchise space, continued innovation drives brands toward long-term success. For businesses that tilt toward a seasonal model, boosting annual opportunities with additional service lines can be a major differentiator. This is exactly what&nbsp;<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise&amp%3Butm_medium=referral&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Holiday Humbug Lighting</a> has done with the launch of its new three-in-one model. Formerly Mosquito Hunters, the brand has expanded to include broader pest control services and holiday lighting, substantially increasing franchisees’ reach and revenue potential.“We 15x'd our franchise owners' combined economic upside, moving beyond just mosquito control and becoming a unique three-services-in-one brand model," said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirley-warrington-6b5aaa90/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Shirley Warrington</a>, director of franchise development at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/happinestbrands/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Happinest Brands</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/info">Hunters-Humbug’s</a> parent company. "Mosquito control is a $2 billion industry. Holiday lighting is a $5 billion industry. Pest control is a $24 billion industry (excluding mosquito services). Today, our combined industry size is now $31 billion. In the past, we were only existing in a $2 billion industry."<h2>From Seasonal to Annual Operation</h2>“One of the biggest things that comes with the expansion into pest control and holiday lighting is the potential to be a year-round business,” Warrington said. “Franchisees are firing on all cylinders year-round rather than having more of a seasonal business like many of our owners previously experienced with the mosquito-only model.”While this provides a clear benefit to franchise owners in terms of revenue potential, it also increases stability for the business, boosting employee retention and allowing franchise owners to build loyal teams and develop leaders within their organizations rather than hiring and letting go a group of employees each season."Having three high-margin service lines wrapped into one system allows for better employee retention and cash flow year-round," said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmartinfranchisedevelopment/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Eric Martin</a>, senior vice president of franchise development at Happinest. "Our multiple revenue streams complement each other throughout the year and provide our owners and their employees with predictability and consistency, attributes not commonly associated with most outdoor/seasonal franchise models. Hunters-Humbug is the only three-in-one home and commercial service model in franchising. Our owners now have 15x the opportunity to build their empires than they did in the past."The evolution wasn't just a strategic decision from leadership. It was a necessary adaptation to market changes.&nbsp;"The mosquito industry, when we started, was a niche market," said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-sorgani-176817a2/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nick Sorgani</a>, franchise business advisor at Happinest. "About five years ago, give or take, the market just exploded — with a ton of mom-and-pops popping up, a bunch of different mosquito franchises, and then every general pest and lawn care company started adding mosquito, too. This was one of the key reasons we were driven toward the three-in-one model; we knew we needed to evolve to support the continued success of our franchisees.”<h2>Attracting a New Type of Franchise Owner</h2>The expanding business model has attracted a different caliber of franchise owners — what Warrington calls “Empire Builders.” These owners bring a strategic mindset to the opportunity and are specifically interested in the growth available through the three-in-one model, as opposed to an interest in leveraging a seasonal model as a part-time “side-hustle” of sorts."I think having a year-round business with multiple revenue generation streams, multiple widgets, and better diversification is attracting a certain caliber of owner that is undoubtedly going to put us even more on the map than we ever were before,” Sorgani said.These owners and their teams are generally the type of people who find additional satisfaction in the variety offered by the diversified model.“The owners and technicians love the variety of it,” Warrington said. “They’re helping with marketing. During mosquito and pest season, they’re servicing homes for those issues. And at the end of the year, they get to make some good money and have some fun while they bring joy to their neighborhood through holiday lighting.”<h2>Flexibility in Franchise Launch</h2>Unlike seasonal businesses, the three-in-one model allows new franchise owners to start at any time of the year without losing valuable months of revenue.“It doesn’t matter when you start,” Warrington said. “There is never a bad time to ramp up. You’re not going to ‘miss’ the season. There’s always an opportunity to create revenue, no matter the time of year.”For example, owners who launch in the warmer months are positioned to take advantage of increased demand for pest control. However, if a franchise owner launches in late summer or fall, they’re able to immediately jump into marketing and closing deals for holiday lighting. Because of this, owners can reach cash flow positivity and profitability much sooner.For prospective franchise owners, Warrington offers an important insight: “Like any franchise system, it’s not about the widget or the knowledge that you have. Not all of our owners come into this business knowing anything about mosquitoes or pests or holiday lighting,” she said. “It’s about having a business-minded view and working to build relationships. That’s the key aspect; we can teach you the rest.”As the brand continues to evolve, the three-in-one model positions Hunters-Humbug for significant growth while providing franchise owners with more stable, diversified revenue streams and stronger business opportunities than ever before.To find out more information on the costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters.">https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters.</a>&nbsp;

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Mosquito Hunters Launches 3-in-1 Model, 15Xing Revenue Potential

1851 Franchise

With a rebrand to Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Holiday Humbug lighting, the three-in-one franchise has created additional stability and multiplied revenue potential by 15 for franchise owners.

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

Mosquito Hunters Triples the Opportunity: 3-in-1 Franchise Model Fuels Growth

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Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting Names Industry Veteran Court Aiken Brand President

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<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 140-unit pest management and holiday lighting franchise, continues to grow both in footprint and infrastructure, now with the addition of industry veteran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtka">Court Aiken</a> as its new brand president. With 24 years of experience in the franchise industry, including time spent with Cold Stone Creamery, Dunkin’, Clockwork Home Services/Direct Energy, Neighborly and Threshold Brands, Aiken has experience in operations, mergers and acquisitions, compliance, customer service, finance, and brand leadership. Now, in his new role with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/info">Hunters-Humbug</a>, Aiken will work alongside both franchise owners in the system and members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://happinest.com/">Happinest Brands</a> leadership team to propel the future success of the Hunters-Humbug brand.While Aiken sees clear business potential in the Hunters-Humbug model, much of what drove him to join the team was less tangible. In addition to a scalable business, Aiken sees clear value in the leadership team's approach. This alignment was a key contributor to his choice to join and will continue to inform how he steers the network as everyone throughout it pursues healthy, impactful growth.“I very quickly identified the love and dedication that everyone at Happinest shares for their brands, and it’s not just siloed into the brands that a single person might work for,” Aiken said. “It truly is a cross-functional team where everyone helps each other. The passion is palpable. One of the things that struck me very early on was that the development team at Happinest maintains their relationships with the people they’re bringing into these brands long after the ink is dry on the franchise agreement. The strength and power of these relationships is truly unique, and I’m excited to be a part of an amazing team that focuses on this aspect of the business.”<h2>Aiken’s Vision for Hunters-Humbug’s Long-Term Growth</h2>Aiken joins the Hunters-Humbug team at a unique inflection point. After&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/mosquito-hunters-three-in-one-franchise-model-2729107">officially rolling out its three-in-one model</a> last spring, Hunters-Humbug has significantly expanded the revenue potential for its franchisees and opened the door to even stronger long-term growth.“I truly believe in and endorse the idea of us not just being a mosquito control or abatement company but moving into the pest control space,” Aiken said. “The mosquito control space has become crowded both with other franchises and mom-and-pop operations — even lawn care companies have jumped in with both feet. Branching out to pest control allows us to differentiate ourselves, and adding holiday lighting only compounds the impact even further.”With this in mind, Aiken is embracing a franchisee-first leadership approach, prioritizing the support, resources and additional innovations that will propel growth. While Hunters-Humbug was built on a foundation of mosquito control, the addition of pest control was a big step, and the brand has now positioned franchisees to enter the lighting world with both holiday lighting services and the potential to provide permanent lighting solutions.“My vision is for Hunters-Humbug to be the leader in this space,” he said. “And it’s not just one space. I really look at our market as two spaces. We’re a pest control franchise, and we’re also a lighting franchise. And the team and I are incredibly well-positioned to take us to the next level in both industries.”<h2>Driving the Next Generation of Hunters-Humbug With Collaborative, Hands-on Leadership</h2>Reflecting on his career to this point, Aiken says one of the best pieces of advice he has received is to “listen first, talk later.”“When I was younger and trying to establish myself, I always wanted to be the smartest person in the room and make sure people knew it, but I’ve learned that I learn much more from the people around me than I could ever hope to know on my own,” he said. “This has taught me to be methodical… to make sure I’ve truly processed what people are saying before giving a deliberate and measured response."As Aiken steps into his new role, he carries this lesson with him, making a concerted effort to prioritize a collaborative approach and work alongside the Hunters-Humbug owners who have “boots on the ground” each day. By hearing what they have to say and not just falling back on default rules, Aiken will support and empower owners in the ways they actually need, driving success at both the unit-level and system-wide.“I’m not the kind of person who likes to sit behind the computer and tell people to do things because I think they’re the right things,” he said. “The beauty of Hunters-Humbug is that I’ve joined a team that shares that vision. When we’re making decisions for the Hunters-Humbug brand and for the franchisees, we’re asking for feedback. We’re looking to franchisees to give us their opinions.”&nbsp;“And as much as I love the franchisees, I love the technicians even more because they’re often the ones actually doing the work; they’re the ones who have to live with the decisions that we make,” he continued. “Getting out and spending time in the field with the owners and their techs is incredibly important to me. I’m a very hands-on leader.”With Aiken at the helm, Hunters-Humbug is poised to enter its next phase, balancing aggressive market expansion with a deep, personal understanding of the franchisee experience. Combining his decades of corporate expertise with the practical lessons he learned as a franchise owner himself, Aiken is charging toward the future with a high-powered, multi-service model that remains rooted in the success of the people behind it.&nbsp;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;

Photo of Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting president Court Aiken

Aiken, who brings over two decades of franchise experience and a deep passion for franchisee relationships and support, will lead the brand’s next major growth phase.

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Science and Scale: How Miguel Diaz Is Driving the Future of Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting

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Why Invest in a Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting Franchise in 2026

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Happinest Brands Turns the ‘Off-Season’ Into a Bright Spot for Franchisees

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Following a decades-long corporate career in global sourcing and green energy,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-lopez-48a785377/">Gina Lopez</a> began considering a pivot. She wanted financial freedom, but having risen to the leadership level, any corporate career move would likely require relocation, and she was determined to stay in Greenville, South Carolina. So, she turned to franchising.“What really triggered us to look at business ownership was that we wanted to have more control over our destiny from a financial perspective,” she said. “I had learned quite a bit about scaling businesses, making and keeping them profitable, even in tumultuous times, so I felt like I had the skills I needed to do it on a smaller business scale.”After connecting with&nbsp;<a href="https://happinest.com/">Happinest Brands</a>, the parent company of&nbsp;<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/">Pest Hunters-Mosquito&nbsp;</a><a href="https://humbugholidaylighting.com/">Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting</a>, Lopez completed a thorough due diligence process before deciding to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/info">Hunters-Humbug</a> to her community.“We spent several months having conversations, going through due diligence — all those things,” she said. “I really liked that Happinest had a growth objective. They intended to continue to expand their brands and service offerings, so I felt like it was a good place to land.”“At&nbsp;<a href="https://happinest.com/">Happinest Brands</a>, we combine decades of franchise expertise with a commitment to continuous innovation,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmartinfranchisedevelopment/">Eric Martin</a>, senior vice president of franchise development. “By leveraging technology, automation and data-driven systems, we’re helping franchisees operate more efficiently, improve customer experiences and scale smarter — while still maintaining the personal, community-focused service that defines our brands.”Since launching, Lopez has leaned into this growth objective as a part of the larger Happinest system and within her own business, embracing new technologies, staffing strategically and taking advantage of opportunities for additional visibility where possible.<h2>Leveraging AI and Automation</h2>As she has grown, Lopez has taken a strategic look at where technology can step in, as well as where it absolutely shouldn’t. By staying on the cutting edge of technology, Lopez learned early on that there were tools available to help her clear the all-too-common hurdle of working&nbsp;in the business rather than&nbsp;on it.By considering where technology can augment the business and team’s performance, rather than replacing the people themselves, Lopez has established a cost-efficient operating model for today and set the stage for long-term scalability within the business.“I’ve leaned into automation quite a bit,” she said. “It’s a pretty good substitute for adding people for about 80% of cases. And it’s kind of a natural evolution for a business like this to integrate some of these things because it’s really how people are used to behaving now… They’re no longer making phone calls; they’re sending inquiries online. They’re used to chatbots.”As the technology develops, Lopez is also keeping a close eye on the data it yields, using it to make smart decisions for the business.For example, she built an AI agent that can generate 90-day cash flow forecasts and acquisition plans. She performs detailed return-on-investment analysis on additional fleet vehicles at specific revenue points to ensure her expansion is backed by real data.“Business is a combination of taking your own knowledge and leveraging AI, and some of that is just a gut check,” she said. “For me, the AI analysis is typically confirmation of what I was thinking anyway, but with real numbers and a tangible business plan that I can look at and say, ‘Okay, am I executing to this?’”While the tools and technology have been key to her success, Lopez’s commitment to the human element remains an important part of her strategy.<h2>Prioritizing Connections, Locally and Nationally</h2>Having created a strong baseline with the Hunters-Humbug system and her own technology integration, Lopez has been able to focus even more closely on the interpersonal aspects of the business. From networking locally to contributing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bhg.com/home-checkup-after-winter-11931911">Better Homes &amp; Gardens article</a>, Lopez keeps her focus on the visibility and relationships that will drive the business.“Leaning into networking and becoming an active member of the community has been so valuable for me,” she said. “Having worked in corporate America, my network was global, but this is a different network now. I’m really leaning into different business networking groups and fellow business owners to find opportunities to increase my sphere of opportunity. As the owner, you’re the face of the business, and you have to build a reputation through relationships.”As she looks toward the future, Lopez is leveraging the three-pillar revenue model that includes mosquito control, pest control and holiday lighting. With a blend of AI-driven efficiency and a real commitment to her Greenville community, Lopez is building her business and securing her family’s future.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters.">https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters.</a>&nbsp;

Photo of Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting Gina Lopez

Gina Lopez, owner of Hunters-Humbug of Greenville, blends executive-level data analysis with a high-touch community presence, reimagining what home service franchise leadership looks like.

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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;

Photo of Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Humbug Holiday Lighting franchise owner Jake Jones

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.

Mosquito Hunters Triples the Opportunity: 3-in-1 Franchise Model Fuels Growth

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