In 2010, Mark Derylo and his wife Jodi became the proud owners of a Molly Maid franchise, whose territory covers Kalamazoo and Portage, Michigan. Part of the Neighborly family of brands, Molly Maid has been one of the leading franchisors in the residential home cleaning business for the past 40+ years. The iconic brand has now grown to more than 500 locations throughout the U.S. Mark’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspirational, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him as part of our ongoing series of Client Success Stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Mark and Jodi were able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in his own words, Mark shares the details of his personal journey - from his successful 30-year career in the energy and oil business to launching a successful franchise business in the home services industry.
Background
“I grew up in Wyoming,
Michigan, a southern suburb of Grand Rapids. After graduating high school in
1979, I immediately went to work for J&H Oil Company, managing a small,
full-service gas station. I methodically worked my way up the ladder, wearing
lots of hats, until I was eventually promoted to operations manager. I
met my future wife, Jodi, while on the job, though she was finishing up her
teaching degree at the time. We began dating, but in 1986 I received some
daunting news about my health. Diagnosed with leukemia, I was told I only had a
few years to live. We grew closer and closer together and, despite my
prognosis, decided to get married in 1989 and face our uncertain future
together. Two years later, I had a miraculous and life-saving bone marrow
transplant that was literally like getting a second lease on life. We hoped to
start a family right away, but that proved to be complicated after the intensive
treatments. But there was room for hope. Then, in
1995, we were blessed with boy-girl twins. And three years later, another set
of girls! In 2004, we welcomed another girl, which brings our family to five
beautiful children. After our first set of twins were born (Kailey and Zach), I
made a lateral move into sales with another oil
company. At Crystal Flash the focus was primarily servicing construction and
trucking companies. Over the years, there were many ups and downs, but I always
worked my way back into managerial roles. Eventually, I grew tired of the
volatility, so I took a voluntary severance in June 2010 to figure out my next
move.”
On Choosing an
Entrepreneurial Path…
“I’d been told many times I should start my own business, but for the first time in my 30-year career, I really didn’t know what would come next. But I took advantage of the outplacement services, which is where I first crossed paths with Mark Cory with FranNet of Michigan. I found the idea of establishing an entrepreneurial life through franchise ownership an attractive choice. So, Mark and I went to work, assessing my strengths and poring over my ‘wish list’ of what I wanted in a business. It was important to me to have weekends off and a way to stay closer to family. After reviewing several concepts, I discovered that Molly Maid was an ideal match for what I was looking for – both in terms of a business and how it would integrate with my goals and lifestyle.”
What Attracted You to
the Molly Maid Business Model?
“I mentioned that I created my own wish list of items I wanted in a business. As I investigated the Molly Maid business model, I was impressed that most clients like to be serviced on an ongoing basis. And I liked the fact that the business is based on recurring cleaning! I was willing to work hard to succeed, and Molly Maid checked all the boxes for me. So, it just happened that the Molly Maid of Kalamazoo/Portage franchise was up for sale. The previous owner wanted to retire to spend more time with her family. Although it was 65 miles from my home, I was fine with it. The rest is history. It ended up being perfect timing. I was impressed with the brand’s track record – over three decades in business and Molly Maid has become a well-known and recognizable name in the residential cleaning business. I really liked how professional and buttoned up the operation was – and I knew I could succeed by following their proven business model. Our bread and butter is recurring cleaning, but we also perform our share of move-in, move-out cleaning. We also do special occasion cleans upon request. It’s not complicated, really, and we really enjoy playing an integral part in our community.”
Tell Us About Your
Experience Getting Started
“We took over in
December of 2010. We kept all the original staff, including the general
manager. As we built up the business, our goal was to clean anywhere from
90-100 homes per month, using uniformed two-person cleaning teams and our
branded cars. Being a lifelong believer in customer service, we do our best to
go above and beyond. We guarantee satisfaction – I know how important it is to
earn the trust of your customers. If we do that, they’ll stick around as
recurring customers. And that’s exactly what happened. We’ve hit our benchmarks
year after year and continue to grow our staff and expand our territorial
reach.”
Where Do You Stand
Today?
In August of 2015 we purchased Molly Maid of Grandville from a struggling newer owner. It was closer to home and turned out to be a great move for us. Since then, things have continued to go quite well. My daughter Kailey joined us as our office manager (in Grandville) but eventually decided to leave in November of 2023. That got my son Zach brainstorming and evaluating his personal wish list and lifestyle. Having grown up watching me run our Molly Maid business, he was inspired to pursue a business degree. He had launched a small entrepreneurial operation of his own – an ADT home security business, which he grew into one of their larger offices in the Midwest. Of course, that did take a toll on him, and the 70 to 80-hour workweeks, knocking on doors cold calling were beginning to wear him down. He had recently married and wanted to spend more time with his bride. That’s when we began talking about joining forces, so to speak. Zach joined the business in January of 2024 and became my partner a year later. Now I have a perfect succession plan in place. I’m truly touched when I hear him say it was the best decision he made and the best thing that ever happened to him. He not only brings his sales experience, but he has great knowledge in marketing. His technical skills prepare the business to excel in the future, which had often been a struggle for me. We’re now perfectly matched, a nice mix of young and old. And as a result, our businesses have newfound energy.
How Did FranNet Support
Your Journey?
“I have nothing but the nicest things to say about Mark Cory and FranNet of Michigan. The first time I saw him speak at a seminar on franchise ownership, I was impressed with his knowledge and background. What he provided me with, first and foremost, was an education on franchising – what it was, how it works, and what to expect. He was patient and answered every question I could come up with. I never felt pressured to make a certain decision and he was always encouraging and kind. We methodically worked our way through the assessment, reviewed several concepts, narrowed them down, and then discovered that Molly Maid was the right choice for me. Whenever I hear of someone who wants to start their own business, I advise them to do their homework and get a business that suits their lifestyle. “By all means, if you want to go the franchising route, speak to Mark Cory first.”
What’s Next for Mark
Derylo?
“I’m not ready for retirement just yet, but I’m trying to slow down and I’m ready for Zach to take the reins! I’m not the least bit concerned, because I know I’ve already got a great partner and succession plan in place. We’ve never stopped thinking about expanding or increasing our territory, possibly acquiring another Molly Maid territory. I’m extremely thankful that we ended up launching and nurturing a family-owned business. It’s given us the exact kind of lifestyle I’d hoped for, and I have no complaints. Over my lifetime, I’ve certainly faced my fair share of challenges, but I consider myself one of the most blessed people I can think of. I’m very thankful and grateful that I met Mark Cory and appreciate him choosing to feature me and my son in his series of Client Success Stories.”
For more information, please visit Mark Derylo’s Molly Maid franchise on the web.