Internet Entrepreneur: Cape Cost Less

Who are the owners of this website?  Talk a little about yourselves.

CapeCostLess.com is an organic, joint venture of Backfield Enterprises, LLC.  The partners are Ben Couto and Brandon Perry.  As the CEO, Brandon is responsible for the direction of Cape Cost Less, and as COO, Ben is responsible for implementing the technology behind the ideas. We both have Bachelor degrees in business with concentrations in Marketing.  Currently, we are both working full-time jobs, so Cape Cost Less is something that we invest all of our free time in.

How long has Cape Cost Less been around?

We’ve been up and running for 6 months now.

What is your site all about?

Cape Cost Less is all about connecting local consumers with local business. For businesses, we give them access to our social network of fans. We also offer them the chance to advertise to the masses for less than a dollar a day. They can host give-aways or offer “Word-of-Mouth” coupons and discounts when someone mentions “Cape Cost Less.”

For consumers, they stay connected to local businesses who want to impress them with discounts and give-aways. The consumer also benefits from the low cost of advertising that businesses pay, and they see that reflected in the deals that are offered. So it’s truly a win-win for the businesses and the consumers. Businesses promote their brand, and our fans get discounts and learn about local businesses.  So it would be good for you to visit our facebook page and ‘Like’ Cape Cost Less, because the more friends we have, the more we can offer consumers!

Who are some of the businesses you’ve partnered with.

Right now we are helping to promote Gary Lawrence Photography to our fans. Gary has an exclusive CapeCostLess “Word-of-Mouth” discount on the way, which we are very excited about. We also hope to partner with his studio for future print advertisements.  Right now we are working to establish more deals at local bars and restaurants, deals that will offer things like 10% discounts off their bill when our fans mention “CapeCostLess.com.”

What do you hope to accomplish with Cape Cost Less?

We want to help local businesses get their message out to the right audience.  We hope to provide consumers with a go-to, must-read source for deals in and around Massachusetts, and create a catalog of businesses that can be searched 24/7.  When people think of Cape Cost Less, we want them to think of us as a friend…a friend with amazing hook-ups at local businesses! We hope that the businesses that join up with us will experience never-before-seen loyalty and interest, all garnered through our fan base.  We believe that local consumers want to support local businesses…we just make it that much easier for them to do so.

Because we have been growing the business organically, we face many of the same problems as other organic start-ups. Without taking on investors, we have relied on ourselves to develop and create the business from the ground up.  We have had to dedicate our nights and weekends, as well as sacrificing time with loved-ones, to establishing a company that we know will be a significant player in the local economy.  Finding the patience to grow this company at a steady pace is something we overcome everyday. The quote, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” is something that drives our attitudes.  Sometimes progress is measured in inches and not feet when starting a business.

What can we expect from Cape Cost Less in the short-term?

Our site will be adding new businesses to each category, and also introducing our viral videos. We plan on hosting a lot more free give-aways to our consumers and fans. We also hope to establish our first “Word-of-Mouth” coupons for some of the great local bars/restaurants we have around the area, so that if a consumer goes into, say, Rose Alley Ale House in New Bedford, and mentions, “CapeCostLess,” they will get 10% or more off their tab. If I could eat at Rose Alley, and get 10% off just by mentioning the name of a great website, I’d eat there more often. Wouldn’t you?

Finally, where do you see Cape Cost Less in the next year or two?

We envision Cape Cost Less becoming a household name in this region. We anticipate that the “Word-of-Mouth” coupons will become viral, and that businesses who team-up with us will reap the benefits. We will continue to add new content to the site and develop new relationships. We believe that within the next 12-18 months, Cape Cost Less will become a daily routine for consumers.

*Unfortunately, soon after the publication of this article, Mr. Couto left Cape Cost Less and his business partner (and longtime friend) Mr. Perry blowing in the wind. Couto’s full-time employer offered him a raise and a new title, which he gladly accepted in exchange for his promise to cease working on Cape Cost Less.  Mr. Perry is now the sole owner and operator of the website.