After a successful career as a corporate attorney and experience working in both business development and operations, Matt Rearden found himself looking for more freedom, flexibility and creativity - something he experienced working in his family's small business. In pursuit of the freedom of business ownership, but knowing he did not want to build a brand new business from the ground up, Rearden began researching franchises.
Although he initially considered various franchise opportunities, from coffee shops to other service-based businesses, Rearden ultimately chose Mosguito Hunters. the 140-plus-unit pest control concept, because of the business model and opportunity to support his community.
"I don't love pest control; I don't love mosquitoes," Rearden said. "But I like helping people. I like serving people. I like building a team."
While pest control in Florida is a highly viable stand-alone business that provides a nearly year-round revenue opportunity as is, Rearden still had some lingering concerns about the potential seasonality of the business. After learning of Humbug Holiday_Jjghting, an additional service line that parent company Happinest Brands had recently introduced into the business model, he reached a turning point. Working in both the pest control and holiday lighting space will allow Rearden to further diversify his revenue streams, market multiple services to a single customer base to maintain steady revenue, and provide consistent year-round employment opportunities for his team.
"When the opportunity to do both Mosquito Hunters and Humbug Holiday Lighting together was presented - and it was essentially a bolt-on service line that made the franchise a year-round business - it really got my attention," Rearden said. "Having the two brands helped push me over the edge. It was an opportunity to use the same systems, the same vehicles, and the same team members to offer several services, and to get in at what most would consider the ground floor of a growing and cutting-edge brand."
Having launched his Mosguito Hunters business earlier this summer, Rearden is already experiencing the flexibility of business ownership. Notably, though, business ownership has also brought Rearden a sense of fulfillment beyond his own role and career.
"What gives me joy in the business is when customers appreciate what we've done for them," he said. "Like when a customer says, 'I actually went out and bought lawn furniture because I can use my yard now,' or when parents tell me their kids can play outside without getting bitten by mosquitoes. That's what brings a smile to our face."
Looking toward his first season of holiday lighting services and his longer-term growth plans, Rearden emphasizes his commitment to a great customer experience. Whether he has 100 customers or 1,000, he wants to ensure he has the infrastructure in place to provide the best possible service every time.
"I bought two territories to start. For me, the plan is to treat customers right. When people know what we do and how we do it, the growth is going to come," he said. 'That's what I'm focused on more than anything else. Rather than serving large, I want to serve well. If we can't serve 100 customers well in one truck, I'm not going to put the second truck out there. I want to make sure we t reat our customers the way we t reat our family and close friends:'
For entrepreneurs looking to follow a similar path, Rearden says Mosquito Hunters and Humbug Holiday Lighting can be a strong investment opportunity.
"The delta for Humbug Holiday Lighting and Mosquito Hunters for me was three things: It was a reasonable initial investment, it was a scalable business that has growth potential, and it was the systems and processes available to help me achieve the growth I want," he said. "I would encourage anyone looking to get in to understand that it's a reasonable investment and to ensure they have the resources they need to support themselves and their teams for the first six months to one year. This will give you the freedom to be intentional about growth as we have been, setting you up to build a successful, sustainable business
