S01E06 Matus’ Story: The Bed Bug Guy Nobody Talks About. Until they have to.

When I reached out to Matus, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Bed bugs aren’t exactly a glamorous topic. But that’s kind of the whole point of this show, isn’t it? The stories that don’t get told. The people doing the work nobody wants to think about.

Matus Baran runs Green Heat Bed Bugs Exterminators out of Hamilton. He’s been doing this for ten years. He bought the business from a man he met on vacation in Cuba, drove home, and built something real. Chemical-free. Heat only. Unmarked truck. Ninety-day guarantee. One and done.

What I didn’t expect was how much of this conversation was actually about people. The mom who hasn’t slept in weeks. The family who asks him not to put any branding on his vehicle because the neighbours can’t know. The customers who are ashamed of something that had nothing to do with them. Matus walks into people’s worst moments for a living and he does it with honesty, patience and a steadiness that I think a lot of us in small business could learn from.

We also talked about becoming a dad for the first time. His baby is almost one. This is his first Father’s Day. And what he said about protecting time at home, being present, and what he hopes his son understands about the work he does one day…I’ve thought about it more than once since we recorded.

When I asked Matus what he wants to be remembered for in this community, he said: “You’re not just a number to me. That’s all.”

That’s it. That’s the whole episode.

Find Matus at bedbugsexterminators.ca or on Instagram at @greenheatbedbugs.

Because your story matters. 🎙️