26-Year-Old Opens First Business After Winning Scholarship

When Cody Napoli started working with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK* at age 24, he never thought he would be owning his own business only two years later. Napoli knew from an early age that he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Always thinking about business, he was the manager of his high school store and decided to withdraw from college to start his entrepreneurial journey. Initially, Napoli worked in real estate and moved on to work as a UPS hub coordinator until he found an opportunity to work with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as an assistant operation manager. Thinking ahead of his career, Napoli spoke with Lisa Paley, president of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, in Milwaukee, who assured him that there was an opportunity to grow within the company. He then dove into the world of moving services. 

Paley approached Napoli about a scholarship opportunity offered by TWO MEN AND A TRUCK that would provide system managers with the chance to become franchisees in partnership with their existing franchise. After studying for six months, Napoli was chosen as the scholarship recipient and given the opportunity to own TWO MEN AND A TRUCK of Fond du Lac. Napoli is honored to have been chosen, and is ready to become a business owner and bring all the experience he has working with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, as well as everything he learned in the program, to make sure he offers the community the best moving service. 

Although Napoli is a young entrepreneur, he has very clear visions for his business and looks forward to giving back to his community. Napoli plans on expanding outside of Fond du Lac in the future and is looking to hire people in the community, especially during the summer months when they get busier. Now, Napoli is going to focus on creating a company culture where his employees are proud to work and know they are appreciated. 

PROFILE QUESTIONS

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Napoli: Growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something with entrepreneurship and own a business. In high school, I was the manager of our school store. Then I went on to college, where I decided to withdraw and do some real estate. Then I worked as a UPS hub coordinator for about one to two years. I found an opportunity to work with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as an assistant operation manager online, so I applied. I wanted to work with a company where I was able to move up in positions, so I spoke with Lisa. She assured me that I could grow within the company. I worked there for one and a half years until Lisa emailed me about a scholarship opportunity with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, where four people in system management would be able to learn the process of starting a franchise and be eligible for up to 100% of their franchise fee to open a location. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Napoli: You see franchising with almost every mainstream food business, and you never really understand how much goes into it. I’m only four months into this process, and have gained so much experience and networking opportunities. If you’re able to get into it young, take advantage.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Napoli: I’ve always seen the trucks throughout Milwaukee and never knew how large they were. I thought it was more of a local company because I had never used their services. Once I saw the ad about a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK job opportunity, I was curious so I applied. In my second interview, when I spoke with Lisa, she explained everything and told me that people move forward in the company and have opportunities; that’s what attracted me to the business.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Napoli: I want to grow in the Fond du Lac community, being able to participate in community and charity events as well. After working with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK for a year, I realized many people really do need us and our services. I want to expand my office in Fond du Lac in the future and eventually have storage options as well. I also want to expand outside of Fond du Lac eventually, and partner with Tim and Lisa to maybe move into their management group, which oversees other areas. I want to build a work culture where people feel valued. If your crew isn’t happy, they won’t be performing to high expectations. I want to have a positive workplace. I’m looking to hire six people. I have one person already, but during the summer, when it gets busier I am looking for 14 employees total. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Napoli: When I was 22 or 23, I withdrew from college and I knew what I wanted to do. I knew college wasn’t going to help me get into entrepreneurship. After making that decision, it only took me three years to get to where I am today. That shows a lot about my work ethic. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner? 

Napoli: Find a company that is willing to help move people forward, ask questions, go above and beyond, and get involved with all the departments. Learn as much as possible. There’s so much that I’m still learning, and everything you learn will help you in the future.