Mosquito Hunters

Launching a new franchise business requires a lot of time and attention. For franchisees entering a new stage in life&mdash;whether that&rsquo;s shifting careers or moving to a new state&mdash;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Mosquito Hunters</a> offers innovative rollout strategies to help smooth the transition into full-time franchise ownership.

As of this year,<a href="https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-mosquito-hunters-offers-soft-opening-strategies-for-franchisees-2709769" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Mosquito Hunters</a> now offers two different strategies depending on a franchisee&rsquo;s needs: Soft Roll Out and Sign and Secure.

Soft Roll Out (SRO)

Mosquito Hunters offers a Soft Roll Out for franchisees who sign on between May and August. Because summer is peak mosquito hunting season, an owner who signs during this period wouldn&rsquo;t have time to<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/how-jeff-kelly-and-danny-woodhouse-became-mosquito-hunters-in-just-a-couple-months-2709614" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> get up and running fast enough</a> to capture full season customers. Instead, they can train in the summer and potentially attract late-season customers. With company guidance, they can also clock several months of preparation through running crucial &ldquo;ground game&rdquo; activities&mdash;networking and marketing at the local level in preparation for a successful Spring.

Mosquito Hunters&rsquo; Soft Roll Out strategy allows new franchisees to maintain their day jobs while running ground game part-time to establish their brands. Franchisees who opt for the Soft Roll Out must attend training in July or August and receive up to a nine-month deferral on their financing note with the company. Franchisees receive<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/the-top-5-reasons-a-mosquito-hunters-franchise-makes-business-sense-in-2019-2709386" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> best in class corporate-led marketing support</a> that includes targeted promotions, social media ads and SEO strategy as the full season begins the following Spring.

&ldquo;Through Soft Roll Outs, franchisees can start building the foundation of their businesses without having to scramble for it,&rdquo; explained Ron Ens, Mosquito Hunters&rsquo; Franchise Development Manager. &ldquo;Their website is built, they get their van, they attend networking events, they can start generating leads and even start servicing accounts. But the bulk of their allotted marketing funds are not spent until the next spring.&rdquo;

Soft Roll Out franchisees are responsible upfront for the franchise license fee, costs of their Mosquito Hunters branded van and vehicular insurance, website development fees, software costs and coverage for ground game activities. &ldquo;A new owner should not expect a ton of customers or revenue during a Soft Roll Out,&rdquo; explained Ens. &ldquo;If they start generating some revenue, that&rsquo;s great, but those initial months are set aside for working the ground game locally&mdash;which sets them up for an explosive Spring season.&rdquo;

Sign and Secure (SAS)

For Mosquito Hunters franchisees who are not ready to launch mid-season, but are ready to reserve a territory, the Sign and Secure option affords both job security and flexibility. Because Mosquito Hunters territories can move quickly, this is a great option for certain buyers.

&ldquo;We have a family in Colorado right now that wants to move back to Anchorage, Alaska, where they&rsquo;re originally from,&rdquo; said Ens. &ldquo;They saw the Sign and Secure as an opportunity to secure their business ahead of next year&rsquo;s move. They&rsquo;ve licensed the territory, and are set to open next Spring.&rdquo;

To hold the territory, Sign and Secure includes payment of the $35,000 franchise fee, which Mosquito Hunters reduces to $25,000 for<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/how-geoff-and-trish-sherlock-merged-their-marine-corps-and-sales-experiences-into-a-career-with-mosquito-hunters-2709615" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> military veterans</a>, first responders and minorities. For entrepreneurs considering a move and comparing their options between several cities, Mosquito Hunters can check and communicate territory availability. Once a franchisee decides where they&rsquo;ll call home, Sign and Secure takes the burden of job hunting out of the equation.

Ens says that while no other pest control companies have soft opening strategies that compare to Mosquito Hunters, these two options are already proving to be successful and attracting owners to sign on, start building their businesses and lay the foundation for a successful spring next year.

&ldquo;We had a couple of people who are going to a Discovery Day later this week that are interested in a Soft Roll Out. It&rsquo;s resonating,&rdquo; said Ens. &ldquo;We anticipate that after this week&rsquo;s Discovery Day, we&rsquo;ll have six Soft Roll Outs, and we already have two Sign and Secures.&rdquo;

The current initial investment for a Mosquito Hunters franchise is $69,949 to $82,209, with a franchise fee of $35,000. Learn more about franchising with Mosquito Hunters at https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com/.

<div>&nbsp;</div>

Why Mosquito Hunters Offers Soft Opening Strategies for Franchisees

1851 Franchise

The home services franchise now offers franchisees the opportunity to “Soft Roll Out” or “Sign and Secure” their businesses to set them up for an explosive spring season.


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://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.

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

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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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Photo of Humbug Holiday Lighting team members wearing festive sweaters, beanies, smiling at camera

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

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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.

Why Mosquito Hunters Offers Soft Opening Strategies for Franchisees

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