As Mosquito Authority continues to grow, we pride ourselves on having a strong franchise community. Each year at our national conference “RitaCon”, we give out a Rookie of the Year award to a new franchisee that has exceeded expectations for both revenue and dedication.
Our Rookie of the Year for 2020 was Willy Beach from northern Michigan. We interviewed Willy to find out what brought him to Mosquito Authority and what helped make him successful on his way to winning this award and his advice on anyone looking to purchase a franchise.
What brought you to Mosquito Authority?
I considered this type of business a couple of years ago but never acted on it. When the opportunity presented itself again, I decided to act on it and make “the call.” I’ve been traveling a lot throughout my career and needed to start to look for an exit strategy for something I could own and run as a business for the second phase of my career.
What is one thing you have learned during your first year as a franchisee?
One of the many things I learned is that you can never be too prepared. I entered this industry with zero days of experience but I spent an extreme amount of time making sure I had all the information I needed, all the tools I needed, and making sure everything was in place and ready to go for customer #1.
What do you think has helped you be successful in your first year as a franchisee?
Certainly having a career in sales and marketing experience helped a great deal. Although this business is completely different from my career in medical sales and marketing, a lot of the fundamentals are still the same- research, prepare, perform, and make the customer the #1 focus.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is considering buying into a franchise?
Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know as it relates to the industry. If you’re driven, not afraid to talk to people, and want to make a great future for yourself, dive in headfirst and go for it.
What do you think is the benefit of buying a franchise as opposed to starting a business from scratch?
Hands down, corporate support is the biggest benefit, and Mosquito Authority is top-notch when it comes to that. The franchise fees (albeit very fair) may seem surprising for some, but when you consider the amount of coaching and support you get, a marketing team of your own, a web-based software of your own, and a science team behind you, it is well worth it.
What support did you receive from corporate?
The support I received started from day one with the Franchise Sales/Purchase process. That’s not a one-time conversation, rather an ongoing conversation covering all questions, concerns, and possibilities. From there, once committed, the Corp. training is comprehensive and prepares you to get started. Once you get started, the ongoing support for marketing, approaching your territory from a business and start-up perspective, and any questions/concerns related to “how-to” as you move forward are all professionally and timely handled by the team at HQ.
What are you looking forward to the most in your next year as a Mosquito Authority franchisee?
I’m looking forward to many things, but generally speaking, we are looking forward to continued growth and success and have the goal to more than double our sales. I look forward to providing more people with more jobs and look forward to helping more families and businesses protect themselves from the potential dangers of mosquitos and ticks.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, please fill out the form below and we will be happy to share with you the many benefits of becoming a Mosquito Authority franchise owner.