JM Pest Solutions Owner Shares Company Start-Up Journey

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — For some companies, growing to be bigger and better in employee and revenue numbers each year is their No. 1 goal. But for Michael Fries, the owner of JM Pest Solutions, Belleville, Ill., his goal is to remain a small, but mighty, pest control company.

“In 2016, I got into pest control, first doing nothing but termite work,” Fries said. “I’ll be very satisfied with a smaller and better-quality group of clients. My target client audience is to have roughly 500 or so loyal customers, and I think I’ll be good.”

Before starting in pest control, Fries worked in retail, restaurant and industrial jobs. Fries said these experiences inspired him to find a niche that “wouldn’t involve working directly with people as much.”

By 2020, Fries was unhappy with where he was working for another company in the industry, and found himself ready to try working for himself.

“I launched the business because I got tired of being passed up to get certified and excel in the industry,” Fries said. “Even before the pandemic and the ‘Great Resignation,’ I had already made up my mind. I’ll never feel successful working for someone else.”

Fries lives 15 miles East of St. Louis, and services the bi-state area. He believes the services he offers differentiates JM Pest Solutions from other companies.

“Providing services like mole trapping that other companies don’t do,” Fries said. “I have a couple of bedbug techniques that I feel will be successful that would definitely set me apart from other companies.”

As solo owner and operator of his company, Fries said he hopes to grow his business while gaining more certifications and taking classes that pertain to pest control.

“I do want to get certified in nuisance wildlife trapping,” he said. “I also want to take classes at SIUE that pertain to pest control and biology. … Those are my future dreams.”

The products and knowledge Fries share with his clients speak on his honesty and transparency, he added. But one challenge Fries has experienced is having strong enough marketing to reach new customers to see a payoff in his work.

“I’ve been doing everything you’re supposed to do to start a new business, like website, SEO, business cards, legal stuff, google profile, insurance and advertising where I could,” Fries said. “Getting [more] customers and gaining that financial freedom will have all the change in the world for sure.”