Genma Holmes

I love being social… but I think I am pretty much beat with Genma Holmes. And if you can’t beat em, join em. From fashion model to pest control super star, Genma Holmes is CEO of Holmes Pest Control in Nashville, Tennessee. She was a very fun interview and very gracious.  Enjoy!

Thomas: Well you are such an interesting person that I don’t know where to begin an interview! I heard you speak at the Green Conference in Dallas last year, so you are obviously promoting green services, let’s start there. What percentage of your customers are on an all natural pest control service?

Genma: All. I got into the business before green became a marketing idea. Green living is my way of life…not a marketing campaign.

Thomas: All of your pest control is done with 100% All Natural Pest Control Products? That’s fantastic! I am actually relieved. I was a little disappointed in the guys at that conference that were promoting green pest control as an undefined “wrap me in a green blanket and call me a safe treatment plan.” In fact, your candid clear cut views are probably what make you sparkle. Bulwark offers this option for those that want it but few ask for the All Natural Solution.

So you are 100% all natural pest control, for how many years?

Genma: From the day I met David Murphy of EcoSmart. We had been experimenting with it but did not have a pesticide that did the job that EcoSmart. It did not pass the smell test or the lick test in EcoSmart place. When EcoSmart first started my youngest children were in kindergarten.

Thomas: Very nice plug for EcoSmart, and yes they do offer great products. So Why Nashville?

Genma: I love this place. LOVE IT. I moved here from Mississippi. I thought I stepped off the bus into Rhinestone heaven! Everywhere I went I bumped into a REAL Opry star. No to mention the number of folks like me that stepped off Greyhound (or Southwest) and were millionaires overnight. No state income taxes, homes looking like McMasion with McRibs prices. Great place to raise your children. Economic opportunities on every corner and the most philanthropic people hands down.

Thomas: Yep, I love Nashville too. I graduated from Franklin High School. It is so beautiful there and full of wonderful people, like yourself. But my wife rules the roost so I won’t be back in Tennessee anytime soon. I get that you travel a lot for speaking engagements. How many events do you speak at per year?

Genma: Hmm, colleges are the hot spots. As I type I have 15 engagements scheduled before November. I did a road trip once pushing women in the industry angle….46 stops in 42 days. I nearly died but it was a great year! I am rarely asked to do industry events but then again, I didn’t cut my teeth talking to bug people (meaning I am not a “pest control industry” person traveling to “industry” events). Majority of my audiences are consumer driven marketplaces. I do not sell to the pest control industry. My audience are non industry folks mainly who buy my services and want to hear me talk about any and everything including my fear of brown recluse spiders. When I share that in a Women’s publication or a professional women group it is ok, talk about that in a room full of pest control guys and I sound bat crap crazy.

Thomas: Not only do I admire you as a pest professional, a great speaker, and a business savvy lady,  but you strike me as a mother that cares for her family.

Genma: I respect motherhood deeply. Thomas: How many kids do you have? Genma: 3! Franz (sports medicine) Cornelius (sports journalism) Alexis (sports marketing)…all would be 2nd generation PCOs!

Thomas: What’s your favorite question to be asked? Genma: How the hell did you get into pest control?

Thomas: You know that is a great question! So let me ask you… About your politics. =)
I know that your are politically active, do you take sides? Democratic, Republican? Liberal, Conservative?

Politics... Let's break that down for you... "Poli" Many & "tics" blood sucking creatures.

Genma: I vote my conscious. That’s not a wiggle out, that is the truth. Always have and always will. My grandfather’s taught me to think for myself. I don’t put campaign signs on my trucks. My business can not vote. I personally do not endorse anyone, because of my role at several newspapers BUT I throw some of the best parties in town to support a cause or a candidate. In the last year, I formed a group called POI…pissed off independents! Never met a Margarita we did not like!

Thomas: How does your political activism help and maybe hurt your business?

Genma:It doesn’t hurt or help. From the time I came out the womb, I was given a campaign sign from my granddaddy. Knocking on doors to get people to exercise their right to vote was his life story. He spent his life being a civil rights activist. Not the kind on TV spouting nonsense about nonsense but a man of the people who loved all people. I learned from him to have that fire in your belly for something that you believe in that works for the greater good..not lining your pocket! Vote for whoever you like..just vote damn it! See there goes that fire in me.

Thomas: Do you link religion, politics, and pest control?

Genma:All the time! I love my God, I am a citizen that votes in EVERY election, and I kill bugs. I can not get around any of that! But there are times and places for everything. I try not to push my beliefs on others but I am firm in my faith. if you don’t like my politics that fine, we live in a country that allow us to have differing views. I kill bugs and I am not shame of the work I do.

Thomas: Well you are wonderful.  Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.  I look forward to following your tweets.

And I encourage other professionals to do the same.  Check her out here:

http://twitter.com/bugsact

http://genmaspeaks.blogspot.com/

Pest-Control-Stories pest control companies bugsact, Green Pest Control, Nashville pest control, pest control companies, pest control interviews, pest control service

Leave Something On The Bone – Sick Pay, Benefits, Medical Coverage in the Pest Control Industry

Great write up by Gerry, I would have assumed that most pest control companies offered. Gerry suggests that the pest control industry should be inline with offering sick pay, benefits and medical coverage. I applaud him on that. Gerry is quite the visionary. He brings a different perspective to the pest control industry with his background. He seems to possess a superb business sense and it shows with how he treats his customers and his employees.

I agree with him. It would be ideal for pest control companies, and all companies, to offer more and take care of their employees. Even offer the most they possibly can. But I hesitate to allow an outside entity to mandate how a business must run. How a business should run and how a business must run are entirely different. I see huge negatives to the government interfering with business. A government agent may not take into consideration all of the other factors associated with that business. Just because it sounds good and looks good doesn’t mean that it is good. Shouldn’t the government leave more on the bone for the business owners to divide up? (read Animal Farm again before answering that question)

Besides, I hold to a belief that the “Good Guys” will always win. Yes, call me an optimist, but its survival of the fittest. A company that offers more, and rewards employees based on their performance will have better employees and in turn a better company. Evolution. The guy that does it better, faster, bigger, or whatev-er will win. What you aim for in those wins will determine longevity. The winner of a battle doesn’t always win the war.

I believe in free commerce. I believe that an open market is best for all. I believe in Capitalism. Capitalism often equal optimization. It turns the will of invention and forward thinking. Just as I have balked at the “Green Pest Control” green washing of many companies.  But in the end, a healthier safer pest control service will win… not simply because of a title, but because of a reality.

Back to leaving something on the bone….. In the end, maybe we should consider raising a bigger cow, a bigger Purple Cow, and then there will be more to spare for all on the farm.

Thanks Gerry for your thoughts.  Its always a pleasure reading your blog.

ThomasB General Pest Control Family Pest Control, Green Pest Control, industry standards, optimism, pest control, pest control companies, pest control company, pest control industry, purple cow

Bulwark Pest Control has hit 100 customer reviews for their pest control service in Las Vegas. Wayne is truly a magnificent manager and has gone above and beyond.  Hats off to a wonderful leader and to the whole Las Vegas team.

Most Reviewed Pest Control Service in Las Vegas

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ThomasB pest control companies bug control, Environmentally Friendly, exterminating, insect control, las vegas pest control, pest control companies, pest control las vegas, scorpion, scorpion control

Google’s most recent update was that of adding their map results to searches. Now if you search for Pest Control Las Vegas NV, you will get a list of 10 local pest control companies… well supposed local companies. Unfortunately these maps are very easy to manipulate. Take for instance the search for North Las Vegas Pest Control. You will find a result for Nature’s First Pest Control Affiliate. Click on their page and there is no listing of any affiliates nor address. In fact, the address used belongs to Bulwark.

It is bothersome that google is allowing this to happen.

So the big question, HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PEST CONTROL SERVICE LISTED IN THE TOP OF GOOGLE MAPS?

Well, this is still unclear, but here are a few things we have noticed.

1- Your address. If your address is Austin, TX then you are more likely to get listed for Austin TX pest control results.  In fact, this is the main reason we believe as to why Bulwark Pest Control shows up in Austin TX.  Indeed, its almost essential for your address to be within the city to be listed at the top.

2- Get listed with other directories, like yellowbook.com, or SEOpestcontrol.com.  Unfortunately these sites cost you some money and the added benefit may not be worth the cost.

3- Verifying your account with google.  This process takes sometime and has no guarantee.  Essentially you must claim your listing with google.  Once you have done this then google will remove the -Unverified listing tag, and we believe this will help your listing.  However, there are plenty of unverified listings showing up still in google’s results.

4- Linking. Find other pest control sites that are willing to help you with links.  There are a lot of ways that the smaller pest control companies can join up and help each other, and one of those is linking pest control sites.  For most small pest control services, finding PCOs that are not in your area should be easy.  Searching SEOpestcontrol.com may help you find other like minded pest control companies.

Hopefully this helps you with your Google Maps Results.  Remember still that marketing and being found on Google will do little for your pest control company if you are lacking in your service.  Advertising can never make up for poor service.

Pest Control Locations

Bulwark Exterminating – Las Vegas – 2707 E Craig Rd # D, Las Vegas, NV‎ – (702) 255-6313‎ >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Mesa AZ – 1228 E Broadway Rd, Mesa, AZ‎ – (480) 497-3734‎ >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Austin TX 209 E Ben White Blvd # 116, Austin, TX – (512) 351-7142 >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Houston TX – 10900 Brittmoore Park Dr # D, Houston, TX‎ – (713) 849-8533‎ > directions
Bulwark Pest Control Tulsa – 2013 N Willow Ave # A, Broken Arrow, OK‎ – (918) 252-3548‎ > directions

ThomasB General Pest Control Austin Pest Control, blog pest control, bulwark pest control, google maps, industry news, internet searches, las vegas pest control, PCOs, pest control companies, pest control company

They Can copy our Service but it will not be same.

The products, the equipment, and the techniques may all be the same, but they will never have OUR PEOPLE. Our people are really what makes our service.  They are the face of our company. They are the voice you hear on the phone.  Excellent people make an excellent company.  Our people make up the Bulwark Family.  They make up our culture.  They come to trust one another and work as a team.

Further, since other companies are the ones copying they will never have the edge.  For our people, Bulwark means change.  Bulwark is constantly listening to our customers, listening to our managers, listening to our team leaders, listening to anyone that has a good idea, and implementing those ideas to make a better system.  Welcome to the Bulwark 2009 Model!  Our business in 2009 is not the same as 2008.  And next year we will role out the 2010 Pest Control Model.

So how do know which companies are different? How do you choose a pest control company?

Well… Wouldn’t you rather have an original Picasso over a copy?

Bulwark, the orginal pest control service.

p.s… This post came about because an office staff of ours took a call the other day.  The gentleman seemed very interested in our service and was asking all kinds of questions.  What kind of products do you use? Is your product safe for dogs?  Where do you treat? What are your mixed rates? Do you use baits for ants?… In fact the call went on for 20 minutes.  The caller then abruptly ended the conversation and said he would call back later.  Our office staff called to follow up with the “customer” later that same day only to get an voice mail, “Hi this is Joe Loss from Unpresentive Pest Control….” (Names changed to fictitious names to not embarrass our competitors.)

So a competitor called and found out what we used… We’re not too worried about it.

ThomasB Bulwark Family, pest control companies industry standards, insect control, pest control, pest control companies, pest control company, pest control industry, pest control joke, pest control products

Bed bugs have become a major concern for pest control companies.  Calls for bed bug service are pouring in around the nation.  The National Management Control Association says they’ve seen a 71% increase in bed bug related calls.  New York reported that bed bug infestations increased 34% during the past year. Where are these bed bugs coming from?  Why are bed bugs on the rise?

Authorities want to point fingers at international travelers.  They believe that individuals traveling abroad bring back the pests in clothes and in suit cases. Travelers within the US may also pick up these pests from hotels that are frequented by international travelers and bring them home. But what’s even more frightening is that idea that these bed bugs are moving out of the bed and into couches, airplanes, and movie theaters! …YIKES!

After a 50 year slump these bugs are back with a vengeance.  And Pest Control companies are perplexed on how to solve the problem.  They don’t fall under general pest control treatments.  Realistically it takes special equipment and several interior treatments to rid a home of bed bugs.  Plus its recommended that residents wash all of their laundry around the same time to kill of any bed bugs that are hiding in clothes. And according to pest control companies that attended the recent EPA: National Bed Bug Summit ,”Residents are a problem and are sometimes unwilling to cooperate or engage in behaviors to manage pests”  ….Residents are a further nuisance because… “Preventative and ongoing inspection is necessary to address the problem, … residents and property managers  do not  cooperate  or do not consider pest inspections to be a priority” The conclusion therefore is that IPM which integrates the residents doesn’t work.

It seems that ultimately those in attendance still don’t have a solid solution for controlling bed bugs.  They made suggestions like “Property managers must be certified pest control operators to treat their own properties.” to ideas like “Pest Control Companies should be certified in bed bugs and there should be a national accrediting body for those pest control operators.”  In the end, the biggest complaint from PCOs was that the EPA has restricted the use of products that use to work for bed bugs. So it seems they believe the only solution using the current products is a program that both the residents and PCOs can work together on and both share some of the burdens of failure or success. Needless to say,  “We need to educate the public” was among the better solutions they came up with at the summit. So at least they all seemed to agree on one thing… There is a Bed Bug Epidemic and that the public needs to know about it.

But don’t worry they plan on holding another Bed Bug Summit to further discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Read EPA’s Full report here: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/ppdc/bedbug-summit/partic-recom.pdf

Bed Bugs 2009 summit was held April 14th.

New bed bug site that proves useful and interesting: www.bugsinmybed.com 1/12/2010

Got Bed Bugs?

Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Control

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– Monday, August 04, 2008

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2008 — On July 25, Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to strengthen its cooperation and coordination on wildlife damage involving nuisance birds.

“The National Pest Management Association always has been an important partner for Wildlife Services,” said Bruce Knight, under secretary for USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs. “This agreement will ensure an even stronger relationship between our organizations by working together to address problems caused by nuisance birds, such as European starlings, house sparrows and pigeons.”

The agreement culminates more than a year of discussions between WS and NPMA and establishes regular meetings and communication between the two organizations while recognizing WS responsibility for the control of invasive species.

Under this agreement, entities and individuals seeking assistance with nuisance bird problems will continue to have the choice of using pest management companies or seeking WS help to respond to damage concerns. WS will not actively seek to become involved in the control of nuisance birds in areas where pest management companies have the established capacity to meet consumers’ needs. The MOU complies with the 2008 Farm Bill Manager’s Statement encouraging APHIS to enter into such agreements with private industries.

WS actively researches and develops contraceptive agents and other control techniques for birds, such as pigeons and geese, and will provide training to the NPMA on new techniques as they are developed. The NPMA, with more than 5,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to protect the public’s health, food and property.

Source: USDA

kennetht General Pest Control exterminating, Exterminators, industry news, industry standards, pest control companies, pest control company

Researchers, growers and Industry specialists from 22 countries are sharing the latest research into the use of Brassica species, such as mustard, radish, or rapeseed, to manage soil-borne pests and weeds – a technique known as biofumigation, according to eurekalert press release.