AKRON, Ohio — A lot can change in 80 years, especially with four generations of family members putting their own spin on growing a business in the evolving pest control market. That holds true for Akron, Ohio-based Epcon Lane Pest Control, but one thing has remained steadfast at the core of their business model — a family-first approach.
This approach has led to organic business growth and an even stronger family bond, said fourth-generation CEO Kacey Wyman.
“We’re lucky because I do feel like we are different [from others] in that we’re together all the time as a family, and we all respect each other,” Wyman said. “Even the small times that we don’t get along. I can come in and have an argument with my dad about what I think should be happening and then I say, ‘Ok, so are we still getting Mexican tonight?’”
80 Years in the Making. In 1945, Albert Lane started the original Lane Pest Control company just doing termite inspections. Kacey’s parents, Pat and Leslie Wyman, watched from the sidelines as Leslie’s dad took over the company so Albert could seek retirement, Leslie said.
Then in 1992, it was Pat and Leslie’s time to shine.
“In 1992 when I was pregnant with Kacey, we started Epcon Lane, which was focused specifically on environmental pest control,” she said. “When my husband and I took over, we were solely treating commercial accounts in terms of growing that recurring revenue.”
Pat and Leslie’s outlook on growing the business was different from previous generations, Leslie said, as their main focus was implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, which was a newer concept back in the 90s, Leslie said.
“My dad sent me to the Purdue Pest Management Conference to learn about IPM,” she said. “I came back and that was what we focused on — where the people or products had a sensitivity to chemicals. It’s always been very important to us as a family to have that mindset.”
Leslie said it wasn’t smooth sailing at first for the husband-and-wife duo; each having to find their own areas of expertise, while not stepping on each other’s toes.
“We had to find our lanes in the company really quickly,” she said. “It could be dinner conversation, but it could not be me walking over to a technician telling them what I think they should do, and vice versa on the business side.”
For Kacey and her siblings, Robyn Meismer and Carrie Wyman, their entry into the family business was a different story. Kacey said none of them initially wanted anything to do with the business; each finding their own career paths and pursuing other passions.
“Originally it was in our basement, and I would come home and go into the basement, and they would hand me the inspection forms, and I would put them into the typewriter to get the reports ready for my dad,” Kacey said.
But one-by-one, each of them made their way back home. Kacey and Robyn work together as business owners, and their youngest sister, Carrie, is out in the field working as a technician.
“I graduated college and moved to Chicago, ended up coming back and got another degree in education and moved to South Carolina,” Kacey said. “It reached a point where it sounded nice to be able to work for myself and have that freedom.”
People First Approach = Organic Growth. In 2019, Kacey made her entry into the business and hasn’t looked back.
From being involved in the National Pest Management Association’s Executive Leadership Program to growing the company into the Cleveland, Ohio, market with Kacey’s marketing experience and Robyn’s implementation of processes and procedures, the company has grown to have between 85 to 95 percent of recurring business, in commercial and residential customers.
“My parents really set the business model for recurring business. Robyn and I have been able to continue to grow it with our processes in place and fine tuning them,” Kacey said.
While staying close as a family, the Wyman’s also find joy in giving back to families in need in their communities. The establishment of the family’s non-profit organization Beeatrice’s Blessings started after the loss of a childhood best friend’s battle against pediatric cancer.
“My husband still serves the children’s hospital every Thursday. It’s the only account he still does,” Leslie said. “During the holidays, we have several families that we adopt to give gifts to. It’s the whole family and it’s anything that they ask for, from electronics to gift cards.”
A portion of sales in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month goes to local children’s hospitals as a way to give back year round, Kacey said.
“A part of my culture building that I work on is giving back, but we also do fun things with our team, from paint ball and axe throwing to sporting events,” she said.
Passing of the Torch. Kacey said the company’s experiencing a growth spurt right now, which “is a good problem to have.”
“The next logical growth would be into the Columbus market,” she said. “My parents really set the groundwork for us to be successful.”
And while Pat and Leslie have stepped away from running the business, Leslie said she finds the most joy watching her three children flourish.
“It makes my heart warm, and I am a very gratuitous mother,” she said. “I love being a mom first and foremost, so to see my three children be such close friends makes me so happy, and to see them grow and develop into business owners, it’s an amazing thing.”
