Military Background Helping Robertson Brothers Excel as Franchisees

Brothers Bailey and Brandon Robertson took different paths to the military, but those paths converged when they re-entered civilian life and took on co-ownership of Mosquito Squad franchisees.

For Bailey, a two-year mission trip to Ghana in 2018 gave him a new perspective, and got him thinking that the Army “would be a good way to transition back from that time away and gain valuable experience for my future” and also the promise of adventure and the opportunity to try a lot of new things was also appealing to him. 

Bailey was following in the footsteps of big brother Brandon, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2008 out of high school, deciding that he was not ready for college, and “the adrenaline rush of the military was appealing to me. I also knew the experience would help prepare me for my future.”

Brandon entered the Marines as a machine gunner in Memphis and served a total of six years. He then attended Utah State University to study agriculture. Three years ago, while working on his farm in Idaho, he joined the National Guard.

Bailey served three years in the Army at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg. He started out in infantry, then moved into the airborne division and supported Special Forces teams with medical training.

The brothers launched their Mosquito Franchise one year ago. Although they started with little pest control experience, they have made up for it with confidence in each other, a competitive spirit, and a commitment to efficiency, instilled by their military training. And mosquito control has been a great fit for the Robertsons, who are both outdoorsy and filled with a conviction to help others. “It means a lot knowing that we’re helping our customers enjoy their time outdoors,” said Bailey. “We did not have prior pest control experience, but working with a business model like Mosquito Squad’s gave us a lot of structure in learning the techniques.” 

In just one year’s time, the Robertsons have expanded by acquiring existing territories. They now own Mosquito Squad territories in Tennessee, Northwest Georgia , Alabama and, most recently, Ohio (Cincinnati). The brothers credit their team for coming together and work well as a unit. “The customer renewal rate for our two Alabama territories were the highest those offices have ever seen, and we’re already working on adding a fifth territory to our portfolio.” 

The biggest learning curve for the Robertsons has been sales and marketing, but they are learning how to raise their profile in the community and keep their social media pages and review sites updated.

How have the Robertson’s benefitted from their military training? Brandon explains, “The military trains you to be replaceable, which has turned out to be a really valuable lesson for us as we run our business and grow to owning multiple locations. We can’t be everywhere at once, so it’s important that our technicians and office teams feel confident in making decisions on their own. You learn how to incorporate systems into everything you do so your employees know what to do if you’re gone.”

Added Bailey, “The military is also big on having things handled at the lowest level. As an owner, you don’t want to get buried in the day-to-day of running the business. You want your employees to feel confident in knowing their job. When the right processes are in place, the business can run smoothly without you.”