Business Spotlight: Kurt and Melissa Godwin, Mosquito Joe

Kurt and Melissa Godwin of Mosquito Joe not only wanted to get into a business where they could spend more time together, but they also wanted to help the community. With their Mosquito Joe business, they were able to accomplish both. For this Annapolis business spotlight, Kurt and Melissa speak about running a business with your significant other and keeping the community safe.

When did you start with Mosquito Joe? 

April, 2013

What did you do before owning Mosquito Joe? 

Melissa was a claims operations manager for the State of Pennsylvania.  Kurt was a commercial pilot.

Why did you start with Mosquito Joe? 

We wanted to do something that enabled us to spend more time together.  Melissa was also getting bored with her job at the State of Pennsylvania and didn’t feel like she was making a difference.  With Mosquito Joe, we get the great feeling of knowing we’re helping our customers enjoy the outdoors without being eaten up by mosquitoes and also helping their safety by significantly lowering the chance of getting a mosquito borne disease.

What services do you provide to the Annapolis area? 

We provide residential and commercial mosquito control throughout Anne Arundel County.  We also do one-time events such as weddings, backyard BBQ’s, graduation parties, etc.  Our services for mosquitoes are also effective on fleas, ticks, and stinkbugs.  By significantly reducing the mosquito population at your home, we make Outside Fun Again so our customers can be outside without being bitten and without lathering themselves with bug controls, sprays, lotions, and other sticky things.

What experiences along the way solidified your choice to franchise with Mosquito Joe? 

Kurt had been in business in the past with a software business.  We went with Mosquito Joe because of the strength of the corporate team and the support they provide, along with the systems that were set up as part of the franchise.  It all enables us to give the best customer support possible.

Can you speak about running a business with a significant other?

Yes.  It’s very important that your relationship is very solid going into such a venture.  Working together is a really great thing, but you have to decide ahead of time how to resolve differences of opinion.  Both partners also need to be very forgiving as mistakes are going to happen.  But, with the right attitude, it’s awesome.  Melissa and I are very compatible and even though it’s a lot of work, the time we spend together is something we both wanted and very much enjoy.

What is the best way to contact your business?

We can be reached by telephone at 443-393-2353 or e-mail at: melissa@mosquitojoe.com.  You can find us on the web at: Annapolis.mosquitojoe.com and on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/mosquitojoeofannapolis.