I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job (onhand.pro)

Article summary

The author took a job as a pest control technician to learn about the industry and potentially build a SaaS platform, but ultimately decided to start their own pest control company instead. The author plans to acquire a traditional operator and tech-enable it to grow the business. The decision was made due to the incumbent software being decent, cheap, and ubiquitous, making it difficult to sell SaaS to incumbents. The author believes that layering tech into operations where it adds value is a better approach.

Main themes

• Pest control industry
• SaaS vs traditional business
• Blue collar work
• Tech-enabled operations
• Career transition

What commenters say

• Some people believe that taking a hands-on approach to learning an industry can be more effective than trying to build a SaaS platform from the outside.
• The pest control industry is consolidated, and it may be difficult for new SaaS platforms to gain traction due to the presence of established players.
• Not everyone agrees that tech workers can easily transition to blue collar work, citing differences in physical capability, tolerance for workplace unpleasantries, and relevant skills.
• Some argue that tech workers may not be qualified or prepared to handle the demands of blue collar work, and that experience in the tech industry does not necessarily translate to other fields.
• Others believe that problem-solving and diagnostic skills can transfer from tech to blue collar work, but that cultural and attitude gaps may still exist.
• There is a perception that some tech workers may be too risk-averse or lacking in hustle to succeed in blue collar environments.
• The decision to start a traditional business instead of a SaaS platform can be a deliberate choice to focus on customer and worker experience, rather than trying to scale quickly through technology alone.
• Some commenters think that the future of work may involve more people transitioning from white collar to blue collar jobs, and that this could lead to new opportunities and challenges.