What if you could save $35,000 per hire, increase productivity by 30%, and free your team up to focus on revenue — all without adding more U.S.-based staff?

In this episode, Seth Watson, founder of Focus Virtual Assistants and owner of Arete Pest Control, shares the exact playbook he’s used to build a 100% VA-powered back office — and how he’s helping pest control companies across the country do the same.

If you’re doing $1M–$20M and want to grow 30% year over year, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on hiring, training, managing, and scaling with VAs — the right way.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ The first roles pest control companies should offload to a VA
✅ How to set up VAs for success (and avoid common failures)
✅ Why most operators hire wrong — and how to do it right
✅ Real cost breakdown: agency vs. DIY VA hiring
✅ How VAs are helping companies save overhead and grow top-line revenue
✅ What separates the pest operators who scale successfully with VAs

Connect with Seth. Check out Focus Virtual Assistants.

Learn more about Pesty Marketing.

2:11 – Why Pest Control Is Perfect for VA Support
5:00 – How Seth Built a 100% Virtual Back Office
7:54 – First Roles You Should Offload to a VA
10:36 – How to Set Up a VA for Success
13:15 – The Biggest Mistake Pest Companies Make with VAs
16:04 – Real Retention Numbers: How Long VAs Stick Around
18:32 – DIY vs. Agency VA Hiring: What’s the Real Cost?
20:55 – What a $9/Hour VA Can Really Do for Your Business
22:08 – The Roles Pest Companies Are Filling With VAs
23:48 – How One Operator Saved $100K in Overhead
25:47 – Boosting Productivity and Margin With Offshore Talent
29:26 – What the Best Pest Companies Do Differently
34:07 – How Seth’s VA Helped Build Company Scorecards
36:18 – SOPs, Loom Videos & Using AI to Train VAs
38:09 – Why VA Training Includes AI Tools Like ChatGPT
39:21 – Final Advice for First-Time VA Users