Mark Lyon encourages anyone starting out in business to have a strong incentive. “I think the most important thing, especially for young entrepreneurs, is to have a really big ‘why’,” Lyon explained. By Lizzy Yeserski

Mark Lyon encourages anyone starting out in business to have a strong incentive.

“I think the most important thing, especially for young entrepreneurs, is to have a really big ‘why’,” Lyon explained. “You know, why are you doing this? What is your main goal in life? What is it you want to accomplish?”

For Lyon, the motivation to launch an InXpress franchise came from his mom. “I really wanted to take a risk and get to the next level – build a business to have more opportunity and more freedom,” Lyon recalled. “My mom told me, ‘No, I think you’re making the wrong decision. What happens if you lose everything?’ My biggest ‘why’ was to prove my mom wrong!”

Prove her wrong he did. For almost 15 years, Lyon has operated one of InXpress’s top franchises in the country. With a team of five, including himself, he serves over 400 active clients. And he just acquired a second location.

Starting an InXpress business was a no-brainer for Lyon. He had worked in shipping and logistics for several years and knew the industry inside and out. Plus, he had ample outside sales experience to test his entrepreneurial chops.

Lyon leveraged his expertise and skills to establish a sturdy foundation and then began enjoying the freedom the brand offers. “In this business, once you build a really solid base, it gives you the opportunity to be able to hire salespeople,” he said. “It gives you the opportunity to build great residual income, and it also gives you the flexibility to be able to travel. I travel a lot.”

So it’s perfect that Lyon can operate the business remotely, from anywhere. He actually runs his Houston-based InXpress out of the Southern California dream home he shares with his wife, Lisa, and their children.

“Never would my wife and I ever think we’d be living in such a beautiful place,” said Lyon. “All that goes to InXpress. InXpress is the one that got me here.”

While Lyon is modest about his achievements, InXpress recognizes him as a leading producer.  “Mark consistently wins a spot in our Top Gun group and goes on the award trips,” said Christina Chambers, executive vice president of franchise development. “He’s also such a great leader that his staff wins awards, too! One of his past sales reps was so successful under his guidance that she was able to spin off into her own franchise, and wins awards as well,” Chambers said.

The company counts on Lyon to coach and mentor other franchisees with his leadership finesse. “I’m always here if anyone has a question,” Lyon said. “I love this business, and I’m always there if somebody needs someone to talk to about it.”

He notes that when everyone acts like a team player, everyone wins.

Lyon explained: “If they’re successful, I’m successful. It’s about building the brand. The more we build the brand, the higher we can sell the brand. We’re all in it to make the brand successful. The more successful it is, the more successful we all are.”

Lyon is finding success in other areas, too. The exceptional flexibility of the franchise has allowed him to invest in a new venture, a kids’ haircutting business. “So it just gives you an opportunity to kind of do anything,” Lyon said.

As for Mark Lyon’s long-term goals with InXpress? “My long-term goal is to get this business to the next level, where I have six to ten sales reps,” he said, adding, “My long-term goal is to be Number One.”

InXpress, the world’s premier shipping and logistics specialist, identifies the best time- and money-saving solutions for businesses to impact performance. Their strategic partnerships with world-class players, like DHL Express, UPS, and FedEx Freight, help customers ship everything from parcels to pallets with confidence. To learn how you can start your own rewarding InXpress business, visit  inxpressfranchise.com.

– Lizzy Yeserski