Jack Scilla is a get-up-and-go kind of guy. So, when his longtime advertising position in New York was “outsourced’’ during the pandemic, he got up and looked for a way to stay in marketing, be his own boss and still turn a profit. By Patty Horansky
Jack Scilla is a get-up-and-go kind of guy. So, when his longtime advertising position in New York was “outsourced’’ during the pandemic, he got up and looked for a way to stay in marketing, be his own boss and still turn a profit.
In November 2021, Scilla became an authorized dealer for N-Compass TV, the largest owner-operated indoor digital billboard network in the country.
Scilla, who dubbed his dealership AllBestMedia.com, began in the spring of 2022 with five screens in five locations. By September, he had placed 50 screens in restaurants, gyms, salons, car-repair shops and more throughout his southeastern New Jersey territory.
“It’s considered to be an outdoor billboard inside,” said Scilla, whose screens range from 40 to 70 inches and feature full-motion ads in loops of 20 to 25 seconds per advertiser. Host businesses pay for the placement of the screens, and advertisers pay for their content to be shown.
The Colorado-based N-Compass TV began more than a decade ago with a vision that indoor digital billboards would be a major player in an exploding digital out-of-home market. It now has more than 100 dealers in over 3,000 locations throughout the U.S., and it is growing.
As print and other traditional media wane, local advertisers seek better, more affordable ways to promote themselves. “This business is in the early stages and will boom as more and more advertisers recognize how effective and affordable it is to advertise on indoor digital billboards,” Scilla said.
The digital screens promote the host location, as well as other area businesses, reaching people where they shop, dine and have fun. The model is designed to provide passive income while allowing dealerships to be as large or small as they desire.
In addition to the business boasting a low-entry fee, scalability and recurring profits, Scilla said the benefits of ownership include no brick-and-mortar location, no weekends, no competition, no mailing costs, and outstanding support, from ad design to customer service. “It truly is a great business model,” he said.
While prospective owners will benefit from sales or marketing experience and relationship-building skills, Scilla added: “Anyone who has a get-up-and-go attitude can make it in this business.”
Patty Horansky