Get to Know Jean-loui Navarro
Jean-loui Navarro, President
Mega Bee Rescues & Pest Control
Miami, Florida
How did you get started in the industry?
Before getting into the industry, I was in the hospitality industry for several years. In 2017, I decided to work part-time with my father in pest management as he was already in the industry as a solo operator. I worked with him as a technician and a helper on specialty jobs. I will be very transparent—I did not know exactly what I was doing or what insects I was looking at at first. Those uncomfortable moments of not knowing at the early stages of getting into the industry is what truly triggered my curiously that led to me wanting to learn more and do research on pest management, along with learning about the insects we were seeing. As time progressed, learning about the industry and getting involved became a passion. While learning about the industry at an early stage, I also decided to get into beekeeping, which helped me learn about and understand bees. With that being said, I was able to incorporate beekeeping with pest management, and we now rescue feral bee hives and provide pest management services.
Did you have any mentors along the way?
Definitely, Joe Jonovich has been a great friend and mentor along the way. I met Joe at The Pest Management University (PMU) at The University of Florida. He has been extremely helpful throughout my time operating the business. Currently as part of the Executive Leadership Program with NPMA, I meet with Bill Horgan from Debug Pest Control. He has also been a great mentor thus far. Both have really helped me think and see things in a way that benefits the way we operate as a business. A huge thank you to both of them!
What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had?
One of the biggest learning experiences I’ve had was getting into the pest management industry. It was challenging at first with zero experience but has been a great learning experience overall.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Work on getting 1% better each day.
What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Just go with the flow.
What life skill do you wish you had cultivated or were better at?
Appreciating things in the moment—at times, moments pass right by us and we don’t appreciate them until they are history.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
You have a great energy when you enter a room.
What’s one thing people don’t know about you?
Although I love being interactive, I truly value and enjoy downtime.
Describe yourself in three words?
Passionate, determined, charismatic.
What keeps you awake at night?
Wanting to be better the next day—I am constantly thinking of ways of improving not only as a business but as a person.
What would your superpower be?
I would love to time travel, go back in time and even advance time, if possible. So many things have changed over the years and will continue to do so that at times we only wish we can go back to enjoy something a bit more or look into the future to see the direction we are all going.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Leonardo DiCaprio.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
I love to eat, and truly enjoy eating great food.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Ready for some food.”
What’s heavily played on your music playlist right now?
Afro-music essentials.
What book did you most recently finish?
Traction.
How do you start your day?
A good hygiene routine is a great start to kick off the day.
Where was the best vacation you’ve ever taken?
Recently, (my significant other) Ana and I went to Egypt and Jordan for two weeks. It blew past my expectations and was an incredible trip overall.
