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Taking the sting out of a painful job hazard
Pete Schopen with technician (and half-bee-suit model) Justin Gutierrez. PHOTO: SCHOPEN PEST SOLUTIONS In 1987, during my first summer of pest control, I set out to tackle my first-ever bald-faced...
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My budget is no longer up in the air
The author can sometimes be found juggling shoe booties in the Schopen Pest Solutions offices. Why? Because he can. PHOTO: SCHOPEN PEST SOLUTIONS When I was 15 years old, I intercepted a pass during a...
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Pushing on while feeling the pressure
Photo: Anthony Boulton/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images When I was a senior in high school, my best friend asked me to type his final English paper. It was supposed to be 10 to 12 pages long and...
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Change is good for business
These vans have replaced pickup trucks in Schopen’s fleet. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN I don’t like change. My wife gets frustrated with me because I have the same pullovers, hoodies and even underwear since...
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Highly trained salespeople make the best first impression
Schopen Pest Solutions’ Sales Super Stars who handle inside sales are, from left, Justin Gutierrez, Jessica Baumann, Kimm Navarette, Stephen Fillmore, Jennifer Hargrove and Sean Rorig. PHOTO: PETE...
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Insurance ensures gratitude
My son Caleb was able to walk away from this mishap with just minor injuries. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN Gratitude can come on many different levels. You can be grateful when your college football team wins....
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PMP MVPs, a play in one act
Photo: SimoneN/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Setting: Evening in a high school classroom. Chairs are positioned in a circle, with characters sitting near one another. PETE SCHOPEN leads the...
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A new kind of start-up
Illustration: Ellagrin/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images “All good things must come to an end,” but I hate when it happens. Like the last french fry in a McDonald’s bag or the last page in a...
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3 industry leaders to host leadership seminars
Pete Schopen, Maria Sorrentino, ACE, and Alan Feuer, ACE Industry insiders Pete Schopen, Maria Sorrentino, ACE, and Alan Feuer, ACE, will partner to host several seminars this year on the importance on...
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I sold my startup
Spending more time with my wife, Tami, and sons Trey and Caleb was a big factor in my decision. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN Twenty-four years ago, I removed my broadcaster headset and gently laid down my...
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Rollins brand acquires Schopen Pest Solutions
From left: Chris Aust, Stuart Aust, Pete Schopen, Dennis Cone, Dan Aust and Nick Aust. PHOTO: OPC PEST SERVICES OPC Pest Services, a subsidiary of Rollins based in Louisville, Ky., has grown its...
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Evans’ new training program leads to growth
Photo: ffikretow/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images It took me three tries to finally hire my first full-time technician. My first attempt was a friend who worked within the industry. I hired him...
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Expanding the team gives Tailor Made room to grow
For those of you who have been following my antics in this great magazine for the past 17 years, you know I tend to stretch myself too thin sometimes. By my fifth year in business, Schopen Pest...
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Steady improvement is Lugo’s key to success
Photo: LdF/E+/Getty Images I can’t believe the holidays are here already. Where did this year go? Seriously, 2023 flew by faster than Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets career. We began the year with me...
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‘First Five’ share lessons learned
Photo: cagkansayin / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images Growing a business is a lot like raising a child. You try to do what is right, but sometimes you fail miserably. For example, during my 17...
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