Mark Ciociola and his wife used Discovery Maps
when they went on vacation and liked the product so much as users that they
decided to open up a franchise. And then another. And then two
more.
We recently sat down with Mark Ciociola, owner of four Discovery Map
franchises: Gatlinburg, TN; Pigeon Forge, TN; Big Island, HI; and Park City, UT.
We learned how they overcame some of the challenges they faced when opening up
their franchises, where they see their businesses headed in the next five years
and what advice they have for potential franchisees.
How long have you owned a franchise?
We purchased our first one in March 2009 and another one a year later. We
started Big Island, HI in 2013 and Park City, UT in 2015.
What were you doing before becoming a Discovery Map franchise
owner?
We were selling real estate. In 2008 the market crashed where we were working
and we quickly realized we were going to have to find something else to do to
support our family, especially with our first child on the way.
Why did you choose your franchise?
We had always used the maps when we went on vacation and really liked the
product as users. We had always felt it was a great thing for a community to
have. We considered starting a new franchise in the location we were living;
however, we weren’t sure we wanted to do that since several of the local
businesses were struggling at the time. Our timing was impeccable, however,
because right as we were talking about that I noticed the existing and
established Gatlinburg, TN location for sale on the Discovery Map website. It
was about an hour away from where we were living so we decided to jump on that,
and I commuted the hour.
What does a typical day look like for you?
It depends on the time of the year. The busiest time of year for each
franchise is the eight weeks or so each year when we do sales. I typically do
office work for about an hour each morning and then hit the streets from about
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. I will go door to door to local businesses
and talk to them about the map. In addition to a business, it has been a great
way to get to know the local business owners, and we have met some friends as
well.
What were some of the challenges you faced when starting your
franchise?
Since we purchased an existing map I was expecting to retain a large number
of the businesses on map the previous year. However, what I failed to take into
account was we purchased in 2009 when several of those businesses were
struggling. We lost several of the existing clients we had purchased. However,
it ended up working out in the long run because we found several new businesses
who saw the need to advertise more in a down economy. Several of those new
businesses are still with us six years later.
Where did you research or get advice about starting a
franchise?
I spoke with a couple of fellow franchisees prior to buying our first
territory. We also looked back at the renewal rate throughout the years of the
businesses on the map we were buying. We had used the product before so knew we
were buying a good product from a franchisor that had been around (at the time)
for almost 30 years.
What is your secret to success?
Be nice to people. The majority of our customers are small business owners
like us. We take the approach that we are not selling them something but are
offering them an avenue to help their business grow. We have had a great time
getting to know many of our customers and have shared advice with each other
that benefited both of our businesses. We really like the fact that we are just
one of many small businesses in our community.
Where do you see your business in five years?
Our goal is to consolidate to multiple territories within a fairly easy
commute of each other. The nature of this business is that once you have a
territory up and running it is feasible to spend just 2-3 months a year in that
area. While it is definitely possible having four territories in three different
parts of the country, it gets to be a lot of travel. Having everything within a
day’s drive of each other is definitely a priority for us.
What advice do you have for others looking to own a
franchise?
Every year that we start a new sales cycle in one of our locations we see a
number of businesses close and new ones pop up. It’s always sad for me to see,
someone with a dream and a vision that did not make it. It also makes me very
humble and grateful that we found this business. I ask myself why that is and
what separates us from the bakery, t-shirt shop, restaurant, you name it, that
didn’t make it. I think it is two-fold. First, we have a proven product that
people love and use. Second, we have a low overhead. Very little equipment to
buy and no storefront required.
Would you recommend others be franchisees? Why?
Absolutely! It is a great business model that allows us to make a good income
doing something that is fun. It allows great flexibility in scheduling our time
and has very little overhead, especially compared to many other small
businesses.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
One thing we did not anticipate when buying our first territory back in 2009
was the rapid changing nature of the technology side of the industry. However,
we are fortunate that the franchisor did. They have been out in front of this
ever-changing digital industry. They continue to roll out new features, products
and aspects of the business that continue to make us at the forefront of the
industry. Had this not been the case we may not have chosen to expand as far and
as quickly as we have.
Franchise Interviews / September 17, 2015 © Discovery
POI
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Ein kostenloser Stadtplan, der liebevoll gestaltet alle wichtigen
Sehenswürdigkeiten einer Stadt zeigt, steht im Mittelpunkt des Franchisesystems
Discovery POI. Der farbenfrohe Plan, der fast ein Souvenir ist, wird kostenlos
über die Touristen-Information, über Hotels, Restaurants, Bars oder Geschäfte
verbreitet. Für lokale Unternehmen bietet der Plan aufmerksamstarken Platz für
Werbeanzeigen. Denn nicht nur jede Sehenswürdigkeit ist zeichnerisch
hervorgehoben, auch die Standorte der werbenden Unternehmen können dargestellt
werden. 
