Leadership, Training, and Retention: Building Technicians Who Last | EP 221

As the industry heads into a new year, strong leadership and people development matter more than ever.In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Alan Feuer, Associate Certified Entomologist with over 36 years in the pest control industry, Marine Corps veteran, and former Technical Director at Preventive Pest Control. Together, they dive deep into what it really takes to hire, train, and retain great technicians and why most companies struggle to do it well.Alan shares proven insights from decades of experience building teams, developing leaders, and implementing structured training systems, including the importance of the first 90 days, why interviews rarely tell the full story, and how character and integrity matter more than technical skill. They explore Preventive’s team lead model, leadership pipelines, and how both small and large pest control companies can create accountability, trust, and consistency without losing their culture.This episode also tackles:Why early attrition isn’t always a bad thingHow to train leaders instead of promoting by defaultThe difference between mistakes and character failuresApplying military leadership principles to pest controlWhy owners must take full ownership of results; good and badWhether you’re a one-truck operator or leading a growing organization, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership, training, and responsibility and give you practical ideas to start building a stronger team in 2026 and beyond.A must-listen for pest control owners who want better people, better leaders, and better long-term results.