What a Deal

Robert Desiano and his business partners have built their online-coupon business on a simple fact: Everyone wants a deal.

That explains why Groupon, the daily deal website, recently raised $700 million in its initial public offering of stock to the public.

Desiano and business partner Dan Sexton launched a local version of Groupon called BlocDeals a year ago and it quickly garnered success in Naples because of its local ownership. Now, the entrepreneurs plan to franchise the idea so others can replicate the concept in other cities around the country.