The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

Jeremy and Jason Julio interview Eric Triplett (“The Pond Digger”) about building and scaling a Southern California pond and aquatic business, surviving stage-four HPV-related tonsil cancer diagnosed in 2015, and the leadership lessons that followed. Triplett recounts noticing a swollen tonsil, facing seven surgeries over roughly three years, and temporarily shutting down his stressful construction division while setting longtime employees up with their own contractor licenses, then focusing on retail, service, and recurring maintenance. He explains how his fish obsession led from aquariums to ponds, the origin of the “Pond Digger” name, his patents (including the Helix Pond Skimmer), and a business model that includes substantial monthly and seasonal maintenance. He discusses podcasting and content creation (The Deep End, Pod House), using AI for marketing, studying DISC/Enneagram, and pursuing growth to $12M by aligning company goals with employee goals.

You'll learn about:

Eric's Diagnosis And Mindset
Business Pivot During Treatment
Origin Of The Brand
Scaling And Market Realities
Recurring Revenue Maintenance
Surviving 2008 And Learning Business
Manufacturing Patents And Products
 Content Journey And Podcast Rebrand
Pod House Rules
Goals and Team Alignment
Born to Teach
Scaling Systems and Delegation
Leadership Psychology Tools
Cancer Mindset Shift
Starting in a New Market
Using AI for Marketing
Legacy and Exit Strategy

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

On The Boardroom Buzz, the Blue Collar Twins interview Chad Louk, founder of Prodigy Pest Control Solutions in Sarasota, Florida, about building a fast-growing, year-round pest control company and a separate Prodigy Marketing arm. Chad shares his start in door-to-door sales in 2015, launching and exiting an initial Naples partnership, then starting Prodigy with $7,000 and a used truck; he now runs three offices (opening a fourth near Jacksonville), 54 trucks, and expects ~100 sales reps with ~30% attrition. He explains shifting from heavy door-to-door (still ~65% of customers) toward inside sales and technician-led sales, emphasizing technical training, retention (14% churn vs ~25% industry), production-based tech pay, and review generation (3,500 reviews, 4.9 rating). Chad discusses growth pains from 50% annual expansion, no-debt scaling, hiring leaders including a CEO, community branding, and plans for PCT 100, multi-state growth, and sharing equity with key employees.

You'll learn:

Door Knocking Roots
Ethics And Retention
Starting Prodigy From Scratch
Scaling Offices And Marketing
Rep Earnings Reality
Training And Differentiation
Beyond Door To Door
Tech Pay And Reviews
Community Presence
Stress and Mindset
Breaking Past One Million
Mentors and Early Lessons
Acquisitions and No Debt

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

In this episode of The Boardroom Buzz, Jeremy and Jason Julio interview Craig McGraw, Vice President of Trans American Trucking and Warehouse, a New Jersey-based family business founded in 1976 that specializes in logistics, warehousing, and heavy/oversize freight transport. McGraw explains how the company evolved from port container work into moving massive machinery—up to 300,000 pounds on 19-axle trailers—serving industries like nuclear plants and fast-growing data center construction. He describes the relationship-driven nature of sales, frequent travel and industry conferences, and how projects are awarded and managed. The conversation covers scaling limits tied to equipment costs and lead times, operational headaches like high insurance, “nuclear verdicts,” staged accidents, permitting complexity, and the role of political advocacy for trucking infrastructure and permit harmonization. McGraw also discusses community involvement through Seton Hall programs, Team Walker, and the YMCA, and shares views on AI, autonomous trucks, and power demands for data centers.

Learn about:

Oversize Freight Reality
 How Trans American Started
 What They Haul Today
Oversize Road Challenges
Family Roles and Team
Breaking Into Heavy Haul
Sales Built on Relationships
Seton Hall and Mentoring
Growth to $35M Revenue
Warehousing and Real Estate
Fleet Size and Industry Scale
Insurance Politics and Risk
Fraud Accidents and Cameras
Community Boards and Volunteering
Locations and Scaling Strategy
Data Centers and Global Freight
Customs Delays, AI Future and AI Permit Planning
Family Legacy Leadership
Service Reputation Culture
Leading the Sales Team

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Building a Legacy Pest Control Brand in Charleston with Kevin Reif

Jeremy and Jason Julio (the Blue Collar Twins) host The Boardroom Buzz with guest Kevin Reif, owner of Reif Environmental, discussing his path from door-to-door pest control sales across multiple states to launching his own company in Charleston, South Carolina. Kevin shares how Reif Environmental has grown organically to roughly double its prior annual revenue (from about $360K) by emphasizing referrals, retention, strong branding, and community relationships rather than scaling large door-to-door teams. He describes building a fun, values-driven culture, hiring technicians through social media, paying top-of-market, pricing for quality service, and delegating to maintain work-life balance. The conversation also covers strategic local partnerships, use of Clicky and influencers, green product options, bee removal and hive relocation, leadership development through mentors, and his routine, faith, and low-stress approach to business growth.

You'll learn:

Door to Door Origins
Launching Reif Environmental
Organic Growth Strategy
Branding That Sticks
Hiring Through Culture
Balancing Routes and Pay
Strategic Local Partnerships
Organic Pest Approach
Mentors and Leadership
Faith and Stress Management
Daily Routine and Branding
Five Year Growth Vision
Pest World House Networking
Sales Roots and Ethics

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

In this episode of The Boardroom Buzz, the Blue Collar Twins sit down with Mat Rogers, the COO at Lizard Marketing.

Join us to learn about Mat's career evolution from pest control to marketing. The impact of AI and digital tools on business growth and the strategies for branding and online presence in the service industry.

You’ll learn:

From Pest Control to Digital Marketing
Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape
The Impact of AI on Marketing Strategies
Building Strong Client Relationships
Managing Client Expectations
Growth Stages of Businesses
The Role of AI in Business Growth
The Future of AI in Marketing
AI's Impact on Business Operations
Optimism and Concerns About AI's Future
The Power of Branding in Digital Marketing

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore