Arizona-headquartered Truly Nolen has had an amazing year of growth and exciting changes, says Florida-based Scarlett Nolen, the company President and member of the third generation of the Nolen family. We spoke to her last year about the roots of the business and what has made it so successful and we came back to see how the company has evolved since, within the current market challenges.
Truly Nolen proudly continues the legacy of Scarlett’s grandfather Truly Wheatfield Nolen, who opened Economy Exterminators in Miami Beach, Florida in 1938 during the Great Depression. Scarlett’s father (and Truly Wheatfield’s son) Truly David Nolen worked for his father for a short time and then, after college, headed west to Tucson, Arizona in 1955 to open his own pest control company under his first and last name. Truly David bought his father’s company in 1966 and merged its history in with his own, and it was Truly David’s dedication to the company that inspired his children and grandchildren – the third and fourth generations of the Nolen family – to pursue careers in the company and industry.
Today Truly Nolen offers general pest control services and specialised treatments for more than 100 types of pests ranging from rodents to scorpions, serving thousands of customers across the US as well as overseas. Its iconic yellow ‘mouse cars’ have helped to identify Truly Nolen as a company that approaches pest control with a sense of humour and a taste for fun.
The company has been steadily growing over the years, and 2023 was no exception. Still, Scarlett Nolen explains that after 85 years of operations, changes were necessary to make the business more efficient and more fit to face the current market environment.
“We undertook the daunting task of restructuring our management system, not an easy feat in a traditional company but a very necessary one,” she says, explaining that a hub-and-spoke concept was used that focuses on managers’ strengths and aligns them with their direct tasks.
In practice this means that different business functions such as sales, operations and finance have been assigned to the best suited individuals, forming a top team that supports the branch manager, who then can fully focus on strategic management. “The results of the restructuring have exceeded our expectations,” she affirms.
On a growth trajectory
Continuous innovations and exploring the latest inventions have always been part of Truly Nolen’s strategy, and in 2023 the portfolio of its services was further enhanced by novel technologies such as termite heat treatment. The company’s Total Termite Protection PlanSM is now the most complete termite protection plan offered in the U.S.
“We have been looking for a fumigation alternative for decades, because fumigation tends to be very taxing and labour intensive. Finally, in 2023, following several years of R&D, we included heat treatment in our service – a method that uses no chemicals and can be completed in one day. As far as I’m aware, no other company offers this service to homeowners, so it adds yet another competitive advantage to Truly Nolen. Therefore, heat treatment may be that future alternative.”
This is not the only leadership that the company has achieved recently. Its insulation division, which plays a key part in rodent control, has recorded the largest growth in its 10-year history, reaching 26% and making its team the absolute leaders in the industry. A similar rate of growth was also achieved by the national commercial division that oversees services to large companies operating nationwide, something that Truly Nolen is set to further capitalise on.
“Historically, our revenues have come from residential customers, who today still represent about 75% of our work,” says Scarlett. “We are now aiming at a more balanced split, planning to achieve 30% of income from commercial customers, hopefully reaching 50-50 in the longer-term future.”
Giving back
It is not all just about business at Truly Nolen, its community and environmental engagement is just as important – and growing. For example, in addition to a number of other social initiatives, in 2023 Truly Nolen partnered with the American Heart Association to raise awareness of heart disease.
“The campaign, greatly enjoyed by all our employees, was a real team builder, bringing awareness to something that unites all of us in the health struggle, in a country where health insurance is a challenge for everyone,” says Scarlett, who was officially recognised in April 2024 by the American Heart Association ‘Woman of Impact Winner for Orlando’.
She insists that as a pest control provider, i.e. an entity playing an important role in public health, being integrated in the community has always been part of the business. “Our community engagement has recently been further boosted by adding to our customer base the INTER&Co Stadium that is home to Orlando City of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Being a very small part of soccer, a game loved globally and with huge significance for the community, is very exciting.”
On the environmental side, Truly Nolen has done a tremendous amount of research to find the highest performing, naturally occurring pest control products available and has included them in its protocols. The company has already begun including hybrid vehicles in the mix with a view to a change to electric once the charging infrastructure is ready.
She added, “As infrastructure and technology evolve, so will Truly Nolen and the mouse car. Our mouse car is iconic around the globe, and as much as it is a part of our roots, the mouse car will drive into the future. This includes embracing alternative energy sources.”
The next generation
Hearing about these recent achievements and business success, it seems that Truly Nolen is in excellent shape, set to pursue its founder’s legacy into the future. Moving forward, Scarlett reflects that the biggest challenge for businesses is transitioning with the new generation.
“It is important to adapt leadership styles and customer communication approaches to the newest generation in the workforce, Generation Z, those born from 1997 to 2012. This group brings a unique set of skills, preferences and values to the table. On the other hand, they are just entering the world of work, post-pandemic, with limited experience and different expectations.”
“As this generation begins to enter the pest control industry in greater numbers, both employers and employees must adapt, in order to leverage opportunities and address the challenges ahead. Our biggest challenge is now going to be learning and adopting to Gen Z, because they are a whole new group with a whole new priority. Understanding how Gen Z is going to influence business is the next challenge that we need to factor in when designing our strategies.”
The task for the imminent future, however, is to continue to improve the quality of service, she affirms. “My goal within this year is to focus on what I call the yellow standard, a kind of a spin-off of the gold standard. This is really about stewardship, excellent service and professionalism, our key differentiators. As we grow, it is fundamental to maintain that high quality.”
