Avoid This One BIG Hiring Mistake! | When and How to Make your First Hire In Pest Control

One of the smartest things you can do early in your business is buy back your time by hiring. But the real question is: who should your first hire be?

I’m Jonas Olson, owner of Pest Badger, an eight-figure pest control business. Over the years, we’ve hired over 100 employees, and I’ve learned this lesson the hard way: your first hire should not be a technician.

Why You Should Avoid Hiring a Tech First

Hiring a tech might sound like the next logical step, but early on it adds more problems than it solves.

• You don’t generate new revenue immediately

• You take on a full-time salary

• You’ll likely need a second truck and equipment

• It increases your admin work

• You lose time training when you’re already stretched thin

Hiring a technician too early adds overhead without fixing your most important bottleneck: your time.

Why Hiring an Admin is the Smartest First Move

When you hire an admin, you immediately free yourself up to focus on revenue-generating tasks. Let’s break it down.

If you’re in the field, you might be earning $100 to $200 per hour. When you’re on the phone or sending invoices, you’re making $0.

Let’s say a virtual assistant (VA) costs you $250 a week and gives you back 15 hours. That’s $3,000 in potential revenue per week you get to earn instead.

You’re also no longer missing calls. Most operators I talk to miss 5 to 10 calls per day. At an 80% close rate and a $600 average contract, that’s $24,000 in missed annual revenue—per day.

And beyond the numbers, a good admin keeps you organized. As entrepreneurs, we’re not naturally structured. Having someone manage the chaos lets you build a strong foundation for real growth.

My Hiring Horror Story

I made the mistake of hiring a technician first. It was chaos. I was still doing all the admin work—calls, scheduling, routing, and follow-ups—on top of training and fieldwork.

Three months later, I hired a CSR. And everything changed.

They started answering calls, booking jobs, handling emails, and saving me hours each day. That time gave me the ability to focus on sales and marketing, generate more leads, and finally get the full value out of my technician.

It was a huge turning point. And I wouldn’t want you to go through the mess I did just to learn the same lesson.

How to Hire an Admin the Right Way

Here’s how to make your first admin hire a success.

Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Admin

You have three solid options:

• Local CSR – More hands-on, scalable into full-time.

• Virtual Assistant (VA) – Lower cost, very eager to work.

• Call Center – Minimal training needed, consistent coverage.

Personally, I like starting with a call center or VA and layering on a VA over time to take more responsibility.

Step 2: Set Your Budget

• CSR (Local) – $600 to $700 per week

• VA or Call Center – $250 to $350 per week

This is less than a single termite job—and worth every dollar.

Step 3: Train Them Properly

If you hire a CSR or VA, start with:

• Phone scripts

• Scheduling

• Quoting using your price sheet

• CRM walkthroughs

• Cheat sheets for services, sales, and billing

Expect 2 to 4 weeks of training. Sit with them often. Record calls. Keep it simple and process-based.

Step 4: Teach Them to Sell

Train them to confidently handle basic objections and upsell common services like mosquito or lawn care.

Booking inspections and pitching add-ons will save you time and directly increase your revenue.

Step 5: Grow the Role Over Time

Once they master the basics, they can:

• Order products

• Plan routes

• Request and respond to Google reviews

• Follow up on old quotes

They won’t just save you time—they’ll start generating profit.

Final Thoughts

Hiring an admin as your first employee might not sound as exciting as hiring a tech, but it’s the move that will unlock growth, save your sanity, and build the foundation your business needs to scale.

What’s the one thing stopping you from hiring your first admin? Drop it in the comments—I’ll personally respond.

Every six-figure pest control company started right where you are. They didn’t just work harder—they worked smarter.

Jonas Olson
CEO, Pest Badger

P.S. watch the full video here: