Jon Polenz

Jon Polenz is Managing Partner at Owner 1st, where he helps business owners navigate the most important decisions they’ll make about their companies—from investing in growth to exploring a sale. Owner 1st, LLC, a buy-side brokerage that connects strategic acquirers with quality lower middle market businesses. At Owner 1st, Jon focuses on empowering owners with access to trusted capital partners, acquisition opportunities, and a peer community designed to help them shape the future of their businesses on their own terms.

Jon knows this journey firsthand. He built and sold his own commercial service business to PestCo, then helped scale PestCo into one of the 15 largest pest control companies in the U.S., growing revenues to more than $120M in just 18 months through strategic acquisitions. Today, he continues to serve on the Board of Directors of PestCo, guiding its growth strategy and acquisition activity.

In addition to his role at Owner 1st, Jon is an advisor to Halogen Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund investing in consumer technology companies led by women, and serves on the Board of Directors of YPO Waterloo Austin. He is also active in his community, where he has been recognized with the Golden Hammer Award from Habitat for Humanity.

Jon’s career reflects a consistent passion for building and scaling companies as an operator, investor, and advisor. Having experienced the challenges of entrepreneurship firsthand, he is committed to ensuring that business owners have the clarity, resources, and partnerships they need to succeed.