Tar Heel Pest Management News
October 2016
United We Stand

Join pest management leaders from across the state for the 2016 United We Stand, Together We Grow Leadership Conference. 

This is an unparalleled program designed specifically for company owners and business leaders in pest management.
During two days of industry-specific programming November 17-18, attendees will learn the latest techniques and practices from industry leaders. There are six focal areas that will enable attendees to improve their businesses in the years to come.
Each session is developed to be hands-on leadership training that helps pest management business owners, executives and managers to develop and grow their businesses. 
Don't miss your chance to join us at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro. 
To register, visit the NCPMA website.
In This Issue
NCPMA Outreach: Welcoming the Newest Pest Management Technicians

We love our members! They are truly the heart of NCPMA, and we want to continue to grow
our membership to include more wonderful pest management professionals statewide.

In the summer of 2016, NCPMA launched a new initiative to recruit members statewide.  

Through this initiative, NCPMA is reaching out to individuals who have recently received their Structural Pest Control License. We mail each individual a Welcome Packet from NCPMA that introduces them to the association and explains the many benefits of membership. 

And, we are revamping our website to include more information for potential new members.

We'll be following up with each of these individuals directly to answer their questions and invite them to join the NCPMA family.  If you're interested in helping with this initiative, contact NCPMA Vice President Donnie Shelton.

Meet the Board
Andrew Architect
NCPMA Executive Director

Andrew Architect is a familiar name to many of us because he's the current NCPMA Executive Director. 

Andrew, who works at the National Pest Management Association, has worked with NCPMA for the past three years.

Coming from a background in private equity, he was pleased to experience the close-knit atmosphere of the pest management industry.  "This was such a unique industry of entrepreneurs and although folks were competitors (at times fiercely), it was much more of a family than it was just a livelihood."

Andrew lives in Virginia with his family and enjoys trying new restaurants, biking around the Washington, DC area and traveling when he's not chasing around his 18-month old child.
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NCPMA Insider
"Business Reports: How to Understand the Bottom Line"

By Dee Dodd 

As all pest management business owners know, pest management is about more than just killing bugs. It's a business, and at the end of the day, it's all about the bottom line.

Over the years I've noticed that many company owners don't pay close attention to the numbers in their business reports because they aren't comfortable with them.  The fact is, the bottom line is more important than the top line, and it's a critical part of being successful. The business and accounting classes I took in school are skills I've come to rely on everyday in my career.  But, you don't need a business degree to gain a strong understanding of your business growth. You just need some knowledge.

A few things have been instrumental in helping our company track our financial progress. One is a good reporting software such as Service Pro coupled with Quick Books. This allows us to prepare quality interim financial statements that are customized to meet our needs.  

In order to stay educated about our progress, I monitor our financial information regularly through various  reports that are reviewed daily, weekly, monthly or annually . These reports monitor our sales, billing, inventory, technician production and bank balances in addition to many other things.  

We also are able to benchmark our financial progress against NPMA surveys and other companies.  Having something to compare your numbers to whether it's a national average or competitors, gives you something to shoot for and let's you know that you're on the right track.

Finally, an ongoing relationship with a good, competent CPA can be extremely helpful. A CPA that knows your business and goes over the numbers with you is critical.  In addition to helping complete your company's tax return annually, he or she can make meaningful suggestion for tax planning, general operations and succession planning. 

--Dee Dodd is the CEO and owner of Carolina Pest Management in Monroe.  He served as president of NCPMA in 1997.
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