Focus on Residential Sector Spurs Insight's Great White North Expansion

BURLINGTON, Ontario – What started as a small team knocking on doors has grown into one of Canada’s largest residential pest control companies. Brendan Quinlan, co-founder of Insight Pest Solutions Canada, credits that growth to the power of personal connection — selling door-to-door (D2D) and teaching homeowners why prevention beats extermination.

When Quinlan was a college student in Canada, he was recruited to become a D2D pest control sales professional in Florida. He then started and grew two pest control companies, eventually selling them. With this experience, he went back to Canada and started selling D2D in the country.

Quinlan and his wife, Jessica, founded Insight Pest Canada in 2020, which quickly grew and expanded to service residents throughout the country.

Quinlan said for Insight Pest Solutions Canada, an important part of the business strategy is educating customers and building relationships through D2D.

“The most important thing [with D2D sales] is that the consumer is being properly educated and the way that it’s being sold is the way it’s being serviced,” said Quinlan. “The classic issue with door-to-door is that it’s overpromised and under-delivered. So, one of our ethos is under-promise, over-deliver.”

Educating customers about the benefits of a reoccurring pest management program was another strategy the company focused on because many residents questioned the need for pest control services during the long Canada winters, said Quinlan.

“We really have tailored our service to have a lot of scopes that are beneficial to a home in Canada during the winter,” Quinlan said. “And a lot of that is doing exclusionary work, using dust and gels, and also completing interior services.”

Currently, Insight Pest Solutions Canada has up to 500 sales representatives that canvas in Canada, Quinlan said. He said it takes time to build relationships with customers and educate them about pest control.

There are more regulations around D2D in Canada than there are in the U.S., Quinlan said. However, he said the strictness holds them to a higher standard.

“I think that keeps things cleaner. I think the quality of the sale is higher,” said Quinlan. “I think it holds our industry and pest control to a higher standard.”

Quinlan recently brought Insight Pest Solutions to Australia. The first branch was opened in Melbourne last year and the second branch was opened in Brisbane this year.

Under the same ownership group as Insight Pest Solutions Canada, Vantage Marketing Canada recruits students for D2D sales opportunities. Quinlan’s background is in teaching, so he said Vantage Canada allows him to continue that passion.

“I get to teach sales, pest control, leadership and so I am a teacher to this day,” Quinlan said. “I just get to preach the skills that I’ve learned, whether it’s on the doors canvassing, or it’s out servicing or it’s out coaching sales teams. So, it’s been a cool journey and allowed me to parlay what I learned in school.”

*Editor's note: Some of the Insight Pest Canada locations are owned by the U.S.-headquartered Insight Pest Solutions.