INTERVIEWER: Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your company? How long have you been in business?
JASON SHEPARD: My name is Jason Shepard, and I am the owner of Coastal Wildlife and Pest Services. We’ve been in business since 2021. We’re a local nuisance wildlife and pest control company specializing in the removal of animals, along with general pest control for both homes and businesses.
INTERVIEWER: That’s great! So how did Coastal Wildlife get started? What’s the origin story here?
JASON SHEPARD: I was in the glass industry before moving into this field. I wanted to do something different, and I stumbled upon a job posting for a wildlife control company. It piqued my interest, so I looked into it, and after meeting with the company, I decided to give it a try. I quickly fell in love with the work – the challenge of figuring out what kind of animal we’re dealing with, how they’re getting in, and how to stop them from doing so. Over time, I realized I wanted to strike a better balance between running a profitable business and maintaining strong relationships with clients. That’s when I decided to start my own company, and since then, it’s been a rewarding journey.
INTERVIEWER: That’s fantastic. What initially intrigued you about moving from glass to wildlife work? What ignited that passion?
JASON SHEPARD: The difference is night and day. In the glass industry and in many trades like plumbing, electrical, or HVAC, you’re doing the same thing over and over again. With wildlife work, no two days are alike.
INTERVIEWER: That sounds fascinating! It must feel like you’re solving a mystery with every new job. I can imagine homeowners are pretty freaked out when they find animals in their homes.
JASON SHEPARD: Absolutely. People are often terrified and don’t know what to do. They hear noises in the middle of the night and think something is coming through their ceiling. We come in, not just to solve the problem, but to offer peace of mind. We guarantee our work, so they know it’s not going to happen again. It’s incredibly rewarding to be that problem-solver and provide that relief.
INTERVIEWER: Where do you provide your services, geographically speaking?
JASON SHEPARD: We cover a wide area in Northeast Florida, going all the way up to the Georgia line, including Nassau County, Amelia Island, and Fernandina Beach. We also go west to Harker County and south to Volusia County. Our service area spans Duval, Clay, Saint John’s, Flagler, and parts of Volusia.
INTERVIEWER: Are there certain areas where you see more wildlife activity?
JASON SHEPARD: In Northeast Florida, there’s plenty of wildlife everywhere. But we tend to see more activity in areas with a lot of new development, like Saint John’s County, which has grown rapidly in recent years. The same goes for Flagler and Volusia Counties, where development is increasing. Whenever habitats are disrupted, we see more animal activity as they’re displaced and need to find new places to live.
INTERVIEWER: What are the core values you want people to know about Coastal Wildlife?
JASON SHEPARD: When we started the business, we wanted to set ourselves apart from others in the industry. Words like honesty, relationship, and integrity came to mind. We wanted to build a business where customers can trust us with their property, knowing we’ll treat it like our own. That’s still our focus today, especially when hiring new team members. We’re looking for people with strong character who can uphold that trust.
INTERVIEWER: Who is your ideal customer? Is there a type of situation that you and your team excel at?
JASON SHEPARD: Our ideal customer is anyone managing a property – whether it’s a homeowner or a property manager. We’re particularly great at handling situations where animals have gotten inside a structure, like a home or business. Removing the animals is just the start; we also specialize in closing off access points to ensure they don’t get back in. We’ve invested a lot in training our team to do this right, and it’s something we take pride in.
INTERVIEWER: It sounds like you’ve built a strong foundation based on trust and expertise. Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us, Jason!