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When we worked on this month’s photo shoot with Vaughn Thomas for the cockroach management supplement, we were on a time crunch because he was leaving soon for a 15-day family vacation. “Are your technicians ready to be without you that long?” I joked.
“Oh, it’s just me,” said Thomas, owner of Cleveland Best Pest Control (CBPC). He laughed as he watched me process the idea of a sole proprietor taking off for two weeks during the busy season. But he had it covered: CBPC is a member of a local pest management professional (PMP) group, the VTX Alliance.
“The alliance consists of other local PMPs who own their own businesses, and offer their resources on an as-needed basis,” he explained. “This way, we can scale our businesses up and down as needed to meet customer demands.”
While the initials stand for Vexrid and Total Xtermination, the business names for the two PMPs who started the alliance, Thomas teases it should stand for “Vaughn Thomas Xtermination, since I rely on them so much!” The group shares wisdom and insights along with tech help.
Such collaboration lets these hard-working owners also enjoy the fruits of their labor, such as going on a well-earned vacation in September.
