As the demand for mosquito control services continues to climb due to persisting concerns of mosquito borne illnesses, awareness of the Mosquito Joe brand is becoming more prevalent. Since launching its franchise opportunity four years ago, Mosquito Joe has grown rapidly to provide exceptional outdoor pest control services across the country. The brand has maintained its reputation as an excellent franchise opportunity and was recently named number one in category and number 26 overall on Entrepreneur’s 2017 Franchise 500 list, one of the top 200 franchises of 2017 by Franchise Business Review and earned the top spot on Franchise Gator’s list of the new year’s fastest growing franchises.

Mosquito Joe is building on the momentum provided by the growing awareness for the brand’s necessary services. With plans to partner with even more franchisees in key development markets in upcoming years, the brand will continue to position itself as the leading outdoor pest control franchise. And with 230-plus units already successfully operating, the following exemplify why savvy entrepreneurs are buying into the concept.

1. Low-cost investment

Between the brand’s mobile concept that allows franchisees to eliminate the need for brick and mortar real estate, as well as the ability to start service with just a few employees on board, Mosquito Joe provides a great opportunity for motivated first-time business owners as well as experienced entrepreneurs looking to diversify their portfolios without breaking the bank. The total investment ranges between $69,600 and $122,500.

2. Flexibility and quality of life

As a seasonal business, Mosquito Joe is able to provide operators with options to focus on other parts of their lives while running the business. From husband and wife teams simultaneously growing their family to owners of multiple businesses that peak during different seasons, Mosquito Joe affords a high quality of life while remaining lucrative for franchisees.

“I consider Mosquito Joe to be more of a ‘quality of life’ business; not just a mosquito control company,” said Charleston, South Carolina-based franchisee David Scully. “I like the recurring revenue model and the people behind the brand made it an easy decision.”

3. Valuable opportunity for veterans

In addition to its already low start-up cost, Mosquito Joe provides additional discounts for veterans of the armed forces that buy into the brand through participation in VetFran.  The Mosquito Joe team takes great pride in helping veterans find new purpose in giving back to their communities by using the same skill set the military gave them to own their own business. The Mosquito Joe system is represented by 20 percent of its owners who are veterans.

“We feel vets bring the right set of experiences and work ethic to our business,” said Brian Garrison, Chief Operating Officer and retired Captain with the United States Navy. “Veterans coming through the pipeline look at the other vets in our system, and it resonates with them. Our team has close to 100 years of franchise support experience. We can look veterans in the eye and say ‘We understand that you don’t have any experience in the private sector, but we can be a backstop for you as you make the transition.’”

4. Outstanding corporate support

As a whole, the franchising industry provides added value for business owners through the support of the corporate team behind them. Some brands live up to this perk of franchising better than others and Mosquito Joe’s support for its franchisees is something that stands out. The corporate team is committed to putting the success of the franchisees first, remembering that all decisions made at a higher level will affect the system as a whole.

Because of that, their franchisees rave about their culture, and in turn, spread the positive message that Mosquito Joe stands for: “Outside is fun again.” By being a brand represented by fun and success, it’s no surprise that growth of the franchise system is on the rise.

5. Growth opportunities in major development markets

While Mosquito has made impressive strides since it started franchising just four years ago, most recently growing from 113 territories open and 220 territories sold in 2015 to 171 territories open and 278 sold in 2016, the brand has huge potential for expansion. The brand is focusing on growth in the Northeast, specifically in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Delaware. Additional priority target markets include Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi, California and Utah.

“The growth that we have seen in the past few years is a testament to the strong team that we have built and the operators who are creating a positive reputation for our unmatched services,” said Mosquito Joe CEO Kevin Wilson. “With over 300 trucks on the road to service our growing base of more than 65,000 customers, we look forward to welcoming new operators on board to continue to building the brand’s momentum.”