Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Pirrello.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mark. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started out as a group counselor at Meadowbrook Day Camp in Weston, Massachusetts before becoming a certified Level 1 USA Archery Instructor during my final year at the camp. At the end of the summer, I decided to drop out of Merrimack College and start a mobile archery company which only lasted a year and a half before it failed and was dissolved.
After learning a lot of hard lessons and gaining valuable experience from the first venture, I created On the Mark Archery, LLC in December 2013 and began to rebuild all aspects of the business from the ground up. However, none of the growth from that point forward would have been possible without the loyalty and perseverance of the first two people who joined the team of instructors: Winston Woo and Michael Ryan. They have developed into knowledgeable, confident and enthusiastic coaches and can communicate complex ideas and concepts in simplified terms for participants of different abilities and skill levels to understand. Our combined energy and passion for helping others discover their potential is the driving factor behind the popularity of our program and continues to be the reason why students of all ages are excited to be a part of this movement.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, any entrepreneur will tell you that the road to success is filled with obstacles, difficulties and challenges that must be overcome. The hardest part is taking it all in and seeing things from a positive mindset, even when conditions around you have deteriorated to the point where quitting seems like the best option. The breakthrough moment is realizing that the struggles we endure are only lessons meant to strengthen and define our character.
One of the biggest problems early on was finding new clients who were willing to take a risk on bringing in an archery service to their school or recreational program. When meeting with clients to discuss adding indoor classes during the winter months, there was a lot of concern giving kids (and adults!) projectiles to shoot indoors without damaging the facility, even with adequate safety netting and protection. Trust is the key in cultivating client relationships and it was only after consistently demonstrating through outdoor classes how safe the range could be that we were slowly given scheduling space at select locations. This snowballed into more and more organizations gaining confidence in our ability to operate effectively in different environments and opportunities began to emerge. In 2014, most of the indoor sites were basements, cafeterias or other areas of secondary importance – a few weeks ago we setup a live archery range for a corporate event inside a conference room on the second floor of the Hilton Hotel in Back Bay.
Another angle to consider is that being a business owner requires a lot maturity, responsibility and discipline. When I was 21 years old, I had to learn in real time how to budget a limited amount of resources while straining to figure out the best way to invest time, energy and capital to continue to grow the company and avoid contracting and failing (again). Sacrifice is required to make these decisions and it is best summed up in an old French proverb: “The future is purchased by the present.”
On the Mark Archery – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
On the Mark Archery is a mobile archery company. Our unique quality is the ability to adapt and travel to locations near and far and setup an archery program for kids, adults and families to experience in the comfort of their own community. We have grown over the years to offer birthday parties, private lessons, corporate events and tournaments as part of our service and are always seeking new ways to expand. The idea of traveling archery is not new or unique and there are others who engage in the same industry. The common theme, according to our students, is that our passion sets us apart from the rest. For us, it is more than just archery: we want to motivate the individual to learn the process to achieve the result.
Our style of shooting is known as ‘barebow’ because we shoot wooden takedown recurves without any sights or accessories on them to make it easier to aim. This requires the archer to develop a deep connection between mind, spirit and body to find repeated success. It takes a lot of time and effort, but by focusing on the steps first, we are creating a system that can be applied to any challenge in life and the benefits stay with the students long after they have left the range. This is the ultimate reward and the most powerful way to make a difference in an individual.
As a company, we have a relentless desire to improve and make things better for the next class, event or training session. By analyzing our performance objectively and encouraging feedback from our students, we create an environment that is constantly evolving with time.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, I do not see success as a destination to be reached. Success is a constant journey with the end goal always appearing just beyond the hilltops. Each time you approach it, the goal moves farther away. With this mentality, my work ethic, drive and passion for constant improvement will always be kept. I think the most dangerous thing a person can do is see success as a permanent location and then stop to rest on their laurels, not realizing that time has passed by and the moment for respite was only meant to be fleeting.
I think that a critical step towards moving forward on the journey is setting goals and working towards them with discipline and consistency, every day, not just Monday – Friday. A lot of people will not set milestones to reach or if they do, it is only temporary or inconsistent. All of us can dream, but it only becomes a reality when you commit yourself to it and make sacrifices to bring it to fruition.
One of my long-term goals is to open an archery range and have a facility where students can learn from us on a regular schedule. The amount of work and expenses associated with running a brick and mortar store can be daunting and it is important to breakdown the staircase into small steps to reach the reward at the top. When I make it up, there will always be another flight to conquer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.onthemarkarchery.com
- Phone: 617.943.2532
- Email: info@onthemarkarchery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onthemarkarchery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthemarkarchery/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OTM_Archery
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