Keith Jacobs, Trades Industry Entrepreneur, Pest Management Expert and Mad Keen Fisherman
Keith Jacobs is a third-generation, fully licensed (PMT Licence 3006656917 & QBCC Licence 15386943) pest management expert with a decade’s hands-on experience in diagnosing, planning, and executing pest management strategies for both homeowners and commercial operations. It’s in his blood. Keith started working in the industry while still at school and became passionate about technological advances in pest management. He achieved his certification, developed a textbook knowledge of his industry, and while still in his early 20s earned a reputation as an industry leader. He continued to upskill, developing a keen understanding of specific certifications for the treatment of termites and fire ants. From there, he developed a new passion – entrepreneurship.
“Go Hard or Go Home”
Keith lives by the words, ‘go hard or go home!’ He puts everything he’s got into his work, which made him a natural entrepreneur. Keith took the leap into business management in his mid-20s and created his business, Brisbane City Pest Control from the ground up. Like many budding entrepreneurs, he rode the rollercoaster of successes and challenges and embarked on the steep learning curve that is new business development. He learned the hard lessons and he developed that “entrepreneur resilience” that makes or breaks a start-up. Keith’s business thrived on the back of his keen industry knowledge, and determination to create a quality-driven service. In the driver’s seat, Keith has both enjoyed and weathered, rapid growth in a highly competitive marketplace.
The Drive to Thrive
Keith’s expertise in managing rapid growth in small businesses includes managing early client acquisition and retention challenges, systems development, company structure, and compliance, as well as growing pains, including staffing, service delivery, and brand positioning. While he undertook formal compliance qualifications, Keith researched the industry and then bootstrapped his way through early growth. Keith’s hard work paid off and established and grew a team within six months of business establishment. Keith’s business acumen was then very much put to the test when his main customer base, dining establishments, were suddenly shuttered during the pandemic, many of which never recovered. Keith, like so many entrepreneurs, learned very quickly about business resilience. His ‘hard work’ and smart decision-making meant that Brisbane City Pest Control not only survived the pandemic but thrived.
The Boat
Mad Keen. Keith’s other passion in life is fishing. Keith’s first reward for building a successful tradie business was to buy the boat that drives his lifestyle. Keith’s approach to entrepreneurship is using the fruits of his hard labour to enjoy his free time with his family. As a fisherman, Keith’s other passion is wetland conservation and improving waterway health.
