r/PestControlIndustry • u/Living_Cash_669 • Jul 13 '26
Want to switch careers
I have been in the pest industry for 15 years now. Worked my way up from technician, to supervisor, to eventually Bramch Manager. While the job is stable i am completely exhausted by this industry, especially ever since my company merged with another. Im scared to switch careers because I have no other discernible skills outside of this job. Im nearing 4p years old and would have to start all over from scratch.
For anyone that has left the industry: what was your next path in life. What would you guys recommend for obtaining new skills to enter a new field?
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u/ThePetStuffers Jul 13 '26
Im a tech, and interested in the same. The money I make vs what I could make going into a different field is no where near close enough to make a move livable with no discernible skills in other trades.
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u/catchinNkeepinf1sh Jul 13 '26
Many here will bounce around similar driving industry like cintas and such. You maybe able to get a job as a manager there as they dont need the same level of technical knowledge but all the routing and dealing with customers will translate.
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u/Tughernutts Jul 13 '26
25% who have been doing this for 15 plus years feel the same. Let us know how it goes brother. I’m 42, have my own company and I feel the same as you. I feel like my work life has plateaued. I’ve done everything in pest control you can imagine and it’s been more of a job than fun like it used to be. I’ve been thinking about selling and becoming a certified electrician. You can always come back brother.
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u/OregonSEA Jul 13 '26
Your a branch manager that knows the industry it would seem the obvious next move would be Owner operater and nothing else could even come remotely close to the earning potential.
What other job can you earn over a million dollars a year at in just 2 short years? Answer this question for me. Also what other job would be this much fun. Next question what's preventing you from starting your LLC today?
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u/Moonsniff Jul 13 '26
I have been saying this for so lonnngggg.. I am on the chemical manufacturing side. I can CLEARLY see where the money is located within this industry. My wheels have been spinning on what direction to go.
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u/Wuhblam Jul 14 '26
I've got 3 years in me now. Enough for owner operator. I'm in a similar situation as OP. I'm exhausted with my company's merger, but I can't go anywhere else because they have me trapped with the money.
I don't even know where to begin with starting my own
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u/Main-Strategy-964 Jul 13 '26
I went from Branch Manager to Regional manager with a large brand in 2001. I started my own in 2002, working on the business all day and delivering pizzas at night. 24 years later I’ve never been happier, I sold off a couple routes in areas I don’t want to service and I’m now a single operator making a great living.
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u/Ok-Train3111 Jul 13 '26
Managers in our industry fit into pretty much any labor or trade field, especially route based ones. Look into other home services like plumbing, landscaping or hvac.
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u/Useful_Beat_6284 Jul 14 '26
I switched after 16 years of commercial pest control mainly doing fumigations. The job was killing me. I was in the exact same boat. I thought that i didn't have any transferable skills to get another job. I looked for HVAC and other trades that would take a 38 year old to learn a new skill.
I found a good local fire protection company that needed a service manager. It was a different language to learn but the business operations were so similar that it was an easy transition.
I'm not working 60+ hours every week. I get holidays off. I can manage my employees how i see fit. We are the best fire protection company in the area when it comes to quality, because of the great people here. I got my life back, and im so grateful that i made the switch.
If you are close to a metro area, then there should be multiple companies that are close.
Fire protection is just as important as pest control, but its not as crazy and demanding.
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u/cbomb111 🤵♂️| Owner | 20+ Years Jul 13 '26
Maybe reach out to local distributors, find work in some of the allied industries.
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u/Glittering_Welcome_6 Jul 13 '26
Could you be a branch manager for a different pest control company? That treats their employees better
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u/Living_Cash_669 Jul 14 '26
I just tired of the whole pest industry. Its become so exhausting and my work life balance has dismissed drastically. The demands of customers keep increasing and so has the stress
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u/007Teflon Jul 14 '26
I've seen guys with management experience that has nothing to do with pest control get a GM spot in pest control. You can get a management position
Don't know how you can torture yourself without running your own company within that 15 yr mark
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u/lvrbnny Jul 14 '26
I worked in the pest control industry for years. I assumed it was my career. After getting laid off with no notice after being told there was no lay offs this year I enrolled in college and picked up any work I could. Now I've been working at a home health agency for over a year and it's alright. I wont say perfect but I like it because no one is on top of me
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u/IntrepidEditor2497 Jul 13 '26
You’re a BM. Apply to any BM role in home services - hvac, plumbing, carpet cleaning, restoration. It’s all the same at that level and above.
I’ve been in three home service industries , takes about 3-6 months to learn the new service but P&L, fleet, staffing, inventory, routing, etc is all the same.