Franchisee Spotlight: Mark Wilkes of Welcomemat Services

I am married with four daughters and six grandchildren. I have 35 years of experience in marketing, business development and marketing communications. Roles have varied in organizations from .com start-up Fortune 500, including market-leading, data-driven direct marketer Fingerhut, marketing communications firms Studio One and GEM, online learning pioneer University.com and Taylor Corporation, North America’s largest privately-held graphics communications company. I was also in senior leadership/management roles for 25 or so years. I attended the University of Minnesota, focused on Marketing and Mass Communications. I also attended North Hennepin Community College and received an AA in Graphic Design and Communications.?

How did you hear about Welcomemat Services and why did you choose to get involved?

I met Joe O’Brien, the other franchisee in Minnesota based in Plymouth (Minneapolis NW Metro area). I met him through a Business Networking International (BNI) chapter meeting. BNI is a global networking organization and there’s local chapters all over the US. Joe and I are in different chapters and he was visiting our chapter earlier this year. Each week every member gets a chance to do a commercial on their business and Joe got up and talked briefly about Welcomemat Services. I had never heard of it before. After the meeting, I introduced myself to Joe and asked to hear more – I actually originally thought Welcomemat might be a service I would recommend to some of my clients as part of their marketing strategy. I wasn’t originally looking to own my own franchise.

Why did you think Welcomemat Services was a good business to get into?

Welcomemat was never on my radar, as owning a franchise never really crossed my mind. What I liked about the business model was the well-defined target audience, as well as innovative products and services that Welcomemat offers to its clients, including the mix of traditional print and emerging digital channels. The Welcomemat model and portfolio is the only franchise that allows me to leverage my 35 years of marketing experience to further develop my business by helping other businesses achieve their growth goals. I had no interest in looking at other franchises – I was only interested in Welcomemat and am excited to represent the products and services that they offer.

What ties do you have with your local community and how do you plan to serve the community with your new business?

I have become very active in the BNI program. Being a member of a BNI chapter also gives you access to any chapter and allows you to visit them. I visited four different chapters in my franchise territory last month and I plan to visit one to two a week to introduce myself and get the Welcomemat Services name out there. I am also becoming more active in local chambers of commerce and business associations.

What’s next for you and your business?

Because this is my first Welcomemat Services location, my next step is to focus on building awareness for the brand locally. I also plan to work closely with Joe O’Brien, the other MN franchisee, to identify and jointly pursue overlapping opportunities to further expand the Welcomemat brand in the Twin Cities metro area.

Visit the International Franchise Association’s @OurFranchise website for more stories of passionate local franchise owners, employees and their communities.