Building a Pest Control Empire With D2D Sales
Two decades of knocking on doors have taught Brendan Quinlan a thing or two about building a business from scratch.
In a recent D2D Podcast episode, he sat down with Hunter Lee to share how he went from a rookie rep to founding and scaling Canada’s largest pest‑control company. This blog distills his journey and extracts the sales tactics and leadership lessons you can use to elevate your own team—whether you’re a rep looking to level up or a manager trying to grow a scalable sales force.
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Key Takeaways
Stick with it long enough to master your craft.
When Brendan first started canvassing neighborhoods in the early 2000s, there was no LinkedIn or virtual training. He spent 13 years in the field, learning by doing and honing his craft the hard way. The key takeaway? Stick with it long enough to master your craft.
Too many reps treat door‑to‑door as a “summer job”; Brendan treated it as a career, which gave him the perspective and patience to learn from every setback. He calls the inevitable dips in momentum the “salesman rollercoaster.”
If you’ve had a monster month only to see your next one tank, you’ve been on that ride. The antidote isn’t to switch careers—it’s to build habits that make performance predictable.
In a brief guide on how to overcome sales slumps, D2D founder Sam Taggart explains that reps cam break out of a slump by focusing on four fundamentals: habits, staying present, taking intentional resets and thinking about what you want instead of what you fear.
Brendan credits these same fundamentals for his longevity. Every day he would:
- Protect his mornings. Instead of rolling out of bed and rushing to turf, he developed a routine of exercise, reading and study. That clarity carried into his pitch and posture.
- Treat selling like brushing his teeth. He didn’t “hope for a sale”; he expected it because knocking was part of his daily non‑negotiable routine.
- Stay present. Rather than dwelling on yesterday’s rejection or worrying about tomorrow’s quota, he focused on the person in front of him—asking good questions and listening deeply.
- Reset when needed. When burnout crept in, he’d step back, revisit his vision and reconnect with the reasons he started. Sometimes that meant a hike, meditation or time with family; other times it meant doubling down on training.
These habits didn’t just help Brendan survive the rollercoaster; they helped him thrive and eventually build something bigger than himself.
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Building a 500‑Rep Pest‑Control Team
After years of selling, Brendan saw an opportunity: there was no dominant Canadian pest‑control brand built on the door‑to‑door model. So he recruited a handful of reps and launched his own company. Within five years he had 500 representatives across two countries.
How do you scale that fast?
- Recruit aggressively, but hire thoughtfully. Brendan looked for people who had grit, a student’s mindset and a willingness to work. Experience was nice, but attitude was everything.
- Train like crazy. New hires were immersed in scripts, objection handling and live ride‑alongs. Brendan often knocked doors with rookies to help them get their first “hit” and build momentum. This aligns with Taggart’s coaching advice—leaders should occasionally give a struggling rep a deal or knock with them to re‑ignite belief.
- Create culture on purpose. Brendan built a culture of accountability and recognition. Daily correlation meetings, weekly awards and an environment of fun kept morale high. When someone was in a slump, they weren’t left on an island; the team rallied around them with training, ride‑alongs and encouragement.
- Invest in systems. The company implemented a modern CRM and tracking tools to manage leads, territory and deals. Processes were documented in playbooks so a rep in Toronto could be trained the same as one in Vancouver.
Crossing Borders: Leadership Lessons for Managers
Brendan didn’t just build a team; he built a scalable business. Once the pest‑control company dominated Canada, they expanded into the U.S. Here are leadership lessons he shared:
- Pick a big mission. Brendan’s goal wasn’t just to sell accounts; he wanted to elevate the door‑to‑door industry. That mission attracted ambitious people who wanted to be part of something meaningful.
- Lead with love (but hold standards). In the podcast, Brendan spoke about pulling reps aside to remind them they’re amazing when they’re down and pumping them up with affirmations. But he balanced that with high expectations—if you signed up for 30 doors, you knocked 30. The combination of belief and accountability kept reps engaged and growing.
- Share the margin. Brendan isn’t afraid to sacrifice some of his override to get a rep re‑energized. He’ll give away a deal or two if it helps a salesperson get back on the horse. Long‑term retention and team morale are worth more than a quick buck.
- Stay humble. He knows he can still personally knock doors, so he never asks reps to do something he wouldn’t. This humility builds trust and loyalty.
These leadership practices echo what many successful sales organizations preach. Harvard research shows that teams with psychological safety—where members feel respected and supported—outperform those that operate purely on pressure. Brendan’s balance of toughness and empathy cultivates exactly that environment.
Tactics & Mindset for Modern Door‑To‑Door Reps
Whether you sell pest control, solar or roofing, Brendan’s story highlights tactics every rep should adopt:
- Learn your industry. Brendan became a pest‑control expert. He studied different pests, chemicals and treatments so he could educate customers and build trust. Take the time to master your product so you can speak confidently and ethically.
- Use storytelling. Rather than rattling off features, Brendan tells stories: the neighbor whose ants disappeared or the family who slept through the night because mice were gone. Stories help homeowners visualize results.
- Ask smarter questions. Great reps diagnose before they prescribe. Brendan trains reps to ask about the homeowner’s pain points (“What’s been bugging you lately?”) instead of diving straight into a pitch.
- Stay consistent. He reminds reps that sales is a numbers game. If you talk to 30 people a day, you will find a sale; if you talk to five, you’re leaving money on the table. Consistency beats intensity.
How to Apply Brendan’s Lessons to Your Team
Managers and owners reading this can implement similar principles:
Document a playbook. Write down your sales process—from how to knock on the door to what happens after a contract is signed. If you don’t have a playbook, download the free D2D Sales Playbook inside the Disco community and customize it.
Institute daily correlations. Brendan’s teams meet each morning to role‑play, learn from top performers in door to door sales and set goals. This 20‑minute huddle builds skill and camaraderie.
Coach in the field. Don’t just tell a struggling rep to “sell more.” Go knock with them. Celebrate their effort, give them real‑time feedback and let them see how you handle objections.
Leverage modern tools. Use a CRM tailor made for field sales operations to assign turf, track leads and measure conversion rates. Then use AI coaching tools to analyze call recordings and provide targeted feedback. Data removes emotion and helps you coach based on facts.
Focus on development. Invest in your people through continuous training. Encourage them to take free courses and attend webinars. The more they learn, the more they earn, and the longer they’ll stay.
Final Thoughts
Brendan Quinlan’s journey proves that door‑to‑door sales can be a launchpad to building an empire. By sticking with the craft for nearly two decades, adopting strong personal habits, leading with empathy and discipline, and investing in systems and people, he scaled a 500‑rep team across two countries. Whether you’re a rookie rep or a seasoned manager, the formula is the same: commit to the grind, coach others, and never stop improving.
Want to follow Brendan’s path? Start by upgrading your own skills. The D2D University Free Tier offers on‑demand videos, live training, scripts and playbooks that mirror what top performers like Brendan use every day. You can join the community, learn from peers and get immediate access to resources that will help you recruit, train and scale a high‑performing team.
