Learning & Growing in Pest management with andrew mcdonald from highland pest response

0:01 I've been lucky that one of the places I worked as a gamekeeper, we were surrounded by high end individuals. We'll see. High end. In business and stuff like that. So I've been fortunate in that sense to pick up some tips from them. And you know, like you should really think about X or Y, you know, sort of things. And I never really took it on board, to be totally honest. And when I was in the States, we were actually, we were actually staying with one of these. They're one of these guys. And I haven't seen him.

0:34 It was quite nice because I haven't seen him for quite a while. And it was nice to go over and stay with him and Steph and we were chatting about business and stuff like that. And you know, it's, it's there is a big difference in working for a wage and running a business. You know, there's there's a big difference and speaking to different fork about it and whether they're high end or not, it's it's so interesting, the varied opinions and I've I've grown too fast and it's not it's not a good thing.

1:07 But like again, I was having a conversation today about stuff and by probably this time next year it could be potential, if not sooner, potential for having another another person full time. It's good. It's good to get different perspectives because I recently I've had a few conversations and because I do want to, I do want to grow like eventually maybe run 2 vans and into the future. And it all stems from we're investing into a new website. We are we're talking to a few people and and I've recently asked been asking people for more advice and trying to take it on board and because you're just going to be like fun.

1:51 Yeah, you're just going to be like a sponge and a driver. Yeah, you have. But that's pretty cool that he went out to America and you got some advice as well, so. No, Liz, I'm grateful for it. That's the thing, you know, and if I continue to grow the way things are going and and all that, like I'll forever be grateful for that advice, you know? But it's not till you like I can sit there and say to you like, yeah, but you need like you're on about your website. You need to also think about I'm just making this up, but like local advertisement and you and you think, Oh yeah, yeah, but it's not till you stop and actually think about it and break it down.

2:28 What's been said? You're like actually, you know that that makes sense and and whatnot. And but yeah, it's it's it's. I. Don't know how else to say I'm grateful for it, you know? Yeah. It's good to, it's like I've noticed any industry, everyone's now because obviously I've never met you, but we talked nearly daily through the voice notes. Same about them. I can see you about them. He said that he he one of his terriers used to be called Bracken. That's what. That's what he's just but, but yeah, but we all talk and we all ask each other through voice or whatever.

3:09 And there's a lot of people with a lot, lot more experience in this as well, like some of the advice I've got for people who are a lot more experienced than me because, because I'm learning it all, because obviously one day I will take the firm over. And it's, it's all learning knowledge. It is just trying to trying to learn how to get more, say more commercial contracts and things like that. I've been asking for advice and it's quite good advice. A lot of it is to. Be fair. Oh it's good it is. Every day is a learning day.

3:41 Every day is a learning day. Like asking advice. Like people. Some people are too proud to ask for help or advice and stuff like that. I generally don't care if I look like an idiot asking a question. I don't care as long as I get the answer that I'm looking for, you know, like I might ask, I don't know, I'm just going to make this up. But like, how do you, how do you treat a wasp's nest or something? And that might be something like, you know, a lot of people that and go, what, what are you talking about?

4:09 I've never dealt with it. So I know I do do them and I do know I would do it, but I'm just saying for an example, But it's just I don't care if I look like an idiot. I want to learn. I want to know, you know, it's like, well, just when you're saying about Adam, they're like, I asked Adam about something yesterday and I was like, I've never used it. I have no idea. Can you explain how that works? You know, because I because I didn't know. I'm never afraid because it's. Like I. Think that's a good thing?

4:35 Sorry, go on. Carry on, carry on. Sorry, Sorry. I. Was just going to say I think that's a good thing with like the pest control industry. Like there is there is such a tight knit community there. So like there's a lot of people who are happy to help and they want to see you do well and succeed and learn and all that sort of stuff. Don't get me wrong. There is also the little part of like within the community that are like dead against it. Don't want to see, you know what I mean? They want everything for themselves and there is that side of it.

5:04 But that's like every industry, you know, it's, but I do think like, I know we're not really talking about UK baton supplies here. But like I was saying to you earlier on today, the friends I've made within the industry with the new Cape Town supplies, they're lifelong friends. I've never met them in person. But again, we speak daily and all this sort of stuff and it's, it's amazing. And every one of them wants to see you do well.

5:34 It's good. Because I think there's a, there's a change of over the past couple of years, there's there's been a change because in the groups, not saying which ones, but when you used to ask questions, people used to laugh and say you should know. But some of these groups like to get help and advice. And I've noticed that people don't really take the Mickey anymore. And if they do, people go, well, hang on. Because there's certain like I can't remember, it was ages ago and I think I was in, I don't know what group I was in.

6:08 I put this is an educational group. What are you laughing at? Or, or it's to get different because obviously with the change of the guard and how we do wast tests with chemicals, etcetera. There's a lot tonnes of chemicals. There is there's you, there's the there's all sorts, there's all sorts. So if you've never used them, you're asking for a voice, isn't you? This. Is what? You can try. You'll learn like it's all very well doing like I, I stand by this and it it might be wrong, but I stand by it and I'll always stand by this.

6:45 You can read as many books as you want. You can watch as many podcasters as you want. You can do as many training courses as you want, but you will never learn as much until you make the mistakes making them and and being on the job. That's how you learn the most. Like I can read. I've got first aid course next week coming up right and I can tell you right now, I've been doing them for years and I I get it, but every every couple of years it changes. You know, like one year it's like don't give chest compressions.

7:13 Next year's no, no, give chest compressions, but don't give my you know, they change all the time. But I walk over there like I walk out of that first aid course and I'm like, what the fuck did I just learn? It's. Even even though you've done it, when you if you ever have to do it, you'll be like it'll come back shit on the real person. It'll come back like I've I've had to do not CPR and but I've had to do like pretty like emergency first aid, we'll call it on on someone. And it just came flooding back like that.

7:54 You know what? I'm just like, it was to do with a knife wound is what it was, but it was just like the way it was. It was like, oh shit, you know, like we need to get this dressed up and stuff. And it's like, you think it's not hard to tie a bandage, don't get me wrong, but it comes flooding back to you when you when you go to use it, you know, it's the same as if you think to

8:15 like, I haven't done. I'm trying to think of saying I haven't done for a long, long time that I don't actually know. I'm just trying to think of saying there, but you get what I mean. Like the point of it comes flooding back to you, But when you leave that room, it's out your brain, you know, And when you're on the job, that's when you learn. It's trial and error. It's true. It's like when you do your courses, it's like like your RSPH, level 2 warding, pest management or all the basics. Can you remember every single thing that was in that?

8:49 My, you know, I was doing it though My brain melted. I wrote it all down, don't get me wrong, but getting it to stick is is different. Yeah, 100%, yeah. I've got I've still got all my notes. Now I if you ever need, need to go back and look. But I think it's it's, you know, you when you don't use something as well, you lose it.