From Broke College Kid to $500M Pest Control Empire — David Royce Explains
Mon Dec 29 2025
In this episode of The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex, Paul sits down with David Royce, a founder who built one of the largest residential pest control companies in North America by focusing on systems, culture, and execution in an industry most people overlook.
David breaks down how a commission-only sales job in college became the foundation for scaling a pest control business that now generates over $500 million in annual revenue. Instead of chasing trends, he leaned into fundamentals—sales training, leadership development, and building a company that could scale without relying on the founder to do everything.
In this conversation, David shares:
How early failure in sales shaped his competitive edge
Why pest control and other “boring” industries create massive opportunity
The role culture plays in attracting top talent
How to build systems that allow a business to grow beyond one operator
This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone looking to build real businesses with long-term value.
Connect with David Royce on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425
Make sure to add Paul Alex on all social platforms:
Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024
Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw
LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024
Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur?
Check out CashSwipe:
👉 https://www.cashswipe.com
Get a FREE copy of Paul Alex’s book:
📘 Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream
👉 https://www.officialpaulalex.com
Your Network Is Your Net Worth
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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In this episode of The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex, Paul sits down with David Royce, a founder who built one of the largest residential pest control companies in North America by focusing on systems, culture, and execution in an industry most people overlook. David breaks down how a commission-only sales job in college became the foundation for scaling a pest control business that now generates over $500 million in annual revenue. Instead of chasing trends, he leaned into fundamentals—sales training, leadership development, and building a company that could scale without relying on the founder to do everything. In this conversation, David shares: How early failure in sales shaped his competitive edge Why pest control and other “boring” industries create massive opportunity The role culture plays in attracting top talent How to build systems that allow a business to grow beyond one operator This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone looking to build real businesses with long-term value. Connect with David Royce on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425 Make sure to add Paul Alex on all social platforms: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out CashSwipe: 👉 https://www.cashswipe.com Get a FREE copy of Paul Alex’s book: 📘 Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream 👉 https://www.officialpaulalex.com Your Network Is Your Net Worth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices