INTERVIEW | Make Money in “Unsexy” Industries, feat. David Royce
David Royce is a four-time founder and serial entrepreneur who has quietly built an empire in “unsexy” home services. Starting as a broke college kid who was terrible at sales, he turned door-to-door pest control into a personal masterclass—eventually founding and exiting multiple companies for a combined enterprise value approaching $200 million in his 30s, and later scaling Aptiv Environmental to over $500 million in annual revenue and 6,500 employees across 5,000 cities. He’s an expert at creating powerful sales engines, leveraging door-to-door in overlooked industries, and structuring exits so he can keep the “golden goose” that drives growth.
On this episode we talk about:
How David went from broke college student to top rookie in door-to-door pest control sales in a single summer
Why door-to-door sales is still one of the best training grounds for future entrepreneurs
The strategy behind building four pest control companies and repeatedly selling the “book of business” while keeping the sales engine
How he used culture, training, and transparent data to massively outperform competing sales programs
Smart compensation structures and retention tactics for commission-based sales teams
Why he finally exited Aptiv in 2025 and what he’s thinking about for his “post-money” chapter
The massive opportunity in blue-collar businesses and what excites him about AI and the coming “silver tsunami”
Top 3 Takeaways
You don’t have to be naturally gifted at sales to win; stubbornness, daily learning, and high-volume reps can turn you from zero deals in your first week into the top rookie in the company.
The real asset isn’t just the customers—it’s the growth engine. If you keep the sales systems, leadership, and culture in-house, you can sell the book of business, reload with capital, and build again on the same foundation.
Culture perks get people in the door, but elite training, clear data, and a high-performance environment are what actually keep great sales reps and drive outsized results over time.
Notable Quotes
“You can be killing it and dying at the same time if you don’t understand cash flow.”
“We’d sell the customers, but we’d never sell the growth engine. We kept the golden goose.”
“Door to door is one of the best educations you can give yourself—especially in a world where AI will automate so much. Those soft skills are going to win.”
Connect with David Royce:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425/
Other (Recruiting / Opportunities): https://www.aptiverecruiting.com/
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