Native to Newark, Ohio, couple Granger and Mary Ann McLaughlin are now business owners in their hometown, providing local residents and businesses with ARCpoint Labs's high-quality services.
As a local Newark, Ohio, couple, both born and raised, Granger and Mary Ann McLaughlin are excited to open their own business where they are able to positively impact the people who have been friends and neighbors for their entire lives.
On April 17, Mary Ann McLaughlin opened their doors to ARCpoint Labs, a national leader in drug and alcohol testing, in their hometown. Mary Ann is excited to provide her community and its employers the access and support to supreme and confidential testing, as drug and alcohol abuse remains prevalent in Licking County.
What were you doing before partnering with ARCpoint Labs?
I was born and raised in Newark. I graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and spent the past 13 years at State Farm Insurance, working as an insurance adjuster. Granger is also from Newark and has worked in the medical supply chain field his entire life.
How did you learn about ARCpoint Labs, and what made you ultimately decide to join the team?
My husband and I have always wanted to open our own business, and had previously looked into other franchise opportunities. After talking with the team at ARCpoint Labs, we knew the business model, offerings, and support system made this option the perfect fit for us. With my husband’s background in supply chain management paired with my experience in insurance and business management, the opportunity with ARCpoint provided the offerings that would tie in with our backgrounds.
What were your perceptions of franchising before starting the process?
I didn’t really know a lot about franchising other than how you hear and see places starting throughout the community. We were unfamiliar with what was all involved until we actually started the process of researching franchises. ARCpoint Labs helped tremendously with the structure they provided. The work they do for their franchisees, training and marketing them, along several other aspects, really helps franchisees like us get started.
What are you most excited about this new stage in your lives?
We are really excited to give back to the local community. We had an opportunity to open a territory in Columbus and other surrounding areas, but we chose Newark because that is where we are from. Our main priority is to give back to the community that I grew up with, the local employers, and school systems. I want to make sure people are staying healthy and safe from doing things that might impact their careers negatively.
If you were to speak with someone who’s considering signing on with ARCpoint Labs, what advice would you give them?
I would ask that they do their due diligence as far as researching the company and its competitors. Make sure you are comfortable with the business model and really saturating yourself within the community with that model.
What’s next for you and your business? Do you have any development/expansion plans?
We have talked about expanding and different opportunities in surrounding areas, like Columbus, but we're focused on getting our Newark site up and running beforehand.
Do you belong to any other community organizations?
I am on the board for the Licking County Coalition for Housing that provide housing for community families and veterans that are in need of housing assistance.
