Better Sign Shop Podcast

Jim Dawson owns Synergy Sign & Graphics in Strasburg, OH. From humble beginnings in his basement 20 years ago, he has built a business that thrives on challenges and innovation. In this podcast, he shares his experiences with creative architectural signage.##-##This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics. Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.Jaco Wholesale Sign ProductsLooking to enhance your clients' impact and boost your profits with flat-cut acrylic letters and logos? Jaco Wholesale Sign Products delivers laser-cut acrylic letters and signage with quick turnaround times and excellent communication. They offer a wide range of mounting options, Pantone matching, several acrylic thicknesses, and nationwide shipping. Visit https://sign.supply/bss/ for a quote and $50 off your first order.##-##Links:Dan Sawatzky Episode: https://youtu.be/QHOBWzf-5QYSynergy Signs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synergy_signs/##-##Key Points Discussed:- Business and Personal life: Jim shares his business and personal life and how he and his wife manage it all together.- Jim's Journey: Jim shares his journey and how he ended up with signage from an animator and cabinet shop. -Architecture Projects: Jim shares with us his amazing architecture Projects and shows us the workflow of working with architecture Projects.-Client Expectation: We dive deep into this conversation, discussing the importance of knowing and fulfilling clients' expectations and how to let clients know what we expect from them.- Pricing Methods: Jim discusses his pricing method and how he decides or adjusts his pricing and profit margins.- Changes in the industry: We discuss the positive and negative aspects of the industry's changes and how they will affect the market and the future of signage. -Jim's Workshop: Jim talks about his workshop, which they conduct a few times per year. Y http://www.synergysign.com/sign-alchemy-workshops/-Sign Shop School: Jim and Peter discuss their future plan to open a sign shop school and give back to the industry.##-##In this episode...00:00            Intro00:38            Sponsor01:27             Catching Up04:40            Winning a Lottery09:12             About Jim10:25             Working with Wife13:55             From Animator to cabinet shop to signage19:12              The Progression.22:12             Storefront walk-in traffic28:07             Inflection Point 31:12              Jim’s architecture projects   33:12              Fulfilling Client Expectations36:25             90-day Terms38:18              Equipments43:20             Fire Prevention46:02             Workflow with architecture Projects.52:30             Pricing Method57:05             Changes in the Industry01:02:42        Jim’s Workshop01:12:12          Sign Shop School##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers. Connect and learn from peers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.Interested in being a guest on the show or have questions for our team? Reach out to us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

In this episode, we're joined by Dan Yoder - the owner of Sign Art Studio, a killer sign shop with 30 people near Madison, Wisconsin. Dan has been in the industry since 2005 and gives us valuable insights on various topics such as the business and art side of the industry, the importance of systems and processes, hiring and managing employees, and more.##-##This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging - Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for their exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics. Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.##-##Key Points Discussed:- Dan's Origin Story: Dan has always been interested in art and fell in love with this craft early in his life. Making mistakes, learning from them, and growing forward continuously. He started his own business in 2005 and now has a team of about 30.- Team Management: Dan discusses Sign Art Studio, how he started the business, and how he tackled all of its problems. He tells us the structure of his team and how it works. He also shares the importance of Teamwork and how he manages his team to gain efficiency.- Hiring Question: Dan answered one of the most asked questions about hiring. He shares his thoughts on hiring somebody with no experience or someone with some signage experience.- Business and Art: We dive deep into this discussion where we all share our thoughts on the "Business" and "Art" side of the industry, which one has more importance, and how both can be managed.- Processes and Systems: We discuss processes and systems, layers of processes, flexibility with systems, having processes to set or change processes, and much more. Dan shares the Sign Art Studios' way of working and how they have set up their workflow.- Right Type of Clients: Working with the right type of clients is a different experience, as it is much more collaborative and engaging and brings out the best in everyone. Dan gives solid advice to shop owners on finding the right type of clients and shares how they qualify and classify their clients. - Dan's Podcast: Dan does his own Podcast, which you must listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m41OxFQbSPo##-##In this episode...00:00       Intro00:38       Sponsor02:28       Welcoming Dan05:30       Dan’s Journey09:55       Sign Art Studio16:50       Team management and working21:30       Hiring People25:30       Last 10-20 years of the industry32:20       Process of onboarding a new employee    36:00       Business and art47:40       Focus on Entrepreneurial Operating Systems55:25         Motive         01:04:30    Processes and System       01:26:30    Future for Dan01:29:05    Working with the right type of client01:35:30    Dan’s Podcast01:41:50    Rapid fire takeaways01:46:20    Outro##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers. Connect and learn from peers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.

In this episode we sit down with Paul Gardner, the entrepreneurial force behind Sign Enterprise. With over two decades in the sign industry, Paul shares his journey from a young enthusiast in vinyl graphics to a successful owner of multiple sign companies. His insights into business growth, innovative strategies, and maintaining work-life balance are invaluable for anyone in the industry.##-##This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging - Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for their exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics. Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.##-##Key Points Discussed:- Paul's Origin Story: Starting as a teenager fascinated by vinyl graphics, Paul's early experiences in the sign business laid the foundation for his future entrepreneurial ventures. His purchase of a local sign shop marked the beginning of his journey in business ownership.- Growth and Acquisition: Paul discusses his strategy of acquiring struggling sign businesses, transforming them by implementing new systems, focusing on employee quality, and enhancing operational efficiency.- Pricing Strategies: A pivotal shift in Paul's business approach was understanding the value of his service and adjusting his pricing model. He emphasizes the importance of not basing prices solely on industry averages but on the value delivered to clients.- Diversification of Ventures: Paul shares insights into how his ventures in landscape lighting, Christmas light installations, and other industries complement his sign business. He highlights how ideas from different sectors can revolutionize traditional business models in the sign industry.- Challenges and Solutions: Paul candidly discusses various challenges, such as change orders and unforeseen job complexities. He stresses the significance of clear communication and contractual agreements to manage client expectations and maintain profitability.- Business Management and Work-Life Balance: Paul talks about the importance of building a business that can operate independently of the owner, allowing for a better work-life balance and opportunities for further growth.##-##In this episode...00:00 Intro00:38 Sponsor01:33 Catching up04:02 Welcoming Paul Gardner04:40 Paul's backstory in the sign business10:50 Growth and acquisitions in Sign Enterprise13:10 Innovations in pricing strategies15:30 Diversification into related ventures19:33 Overcoming challenges in sign installation25:40 Insights into effective business management28:40 Communication strategies for client satisfaction38:26 Balancing work and personal life40:32 Paul's approach to employee training and retention43:30 Leveraging cross-industry ideas47:10 Future plans for Sign Enterprise51:30 Paul's perspective on emerging technologies in the industry55:30 Advice for upcoming entrepreneurs in the sign industry57:45 Closing thoughts and future directions for the podcast##-##Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers. Connect and learn from peers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.Interested in being a guest on the show or have questions for our team? Reach out to us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

In the episode, James shares how RP Signs has reached 5 million without a sales representative and for the first time in three generations is hiring a sales rep. We also learn about how they have incredible retention for all their key employees in the business. James Neely is the Director of Project Management at RP Signs from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the third-generation owner of RP Signs. They provide full end-to-end service for their clients in a few different verticals like healthcare, architects / design firms, and facilities management. This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging - Your grand format trade printing partner. Big or small, GCI does them all. Check them out at printgci.comOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics...Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00       Intro00:38       Sponsor01:25        Catching up05:30           Welcoming James06:20           About James and RP Signs08:25           Types of clients11:50           James Journey15:10           Why bring in a salesperson? 20:00           RP Signs Market Area22:30           Business acquisition strategy23:50           Getting into healthcare26:20           Secret sauce of lasting this long     38:20           Pricing40:00           Working in a family business46:30           Keeping people around for years48:50           Culture                     54:50           Advice 55:30           Future for James, company and industry57:30           Peter breaks "Culture" 01:02:30     Rapid fire takeawaysReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Evan Zebley is the owner of EZ Signs. Evan started a sign business working alongside his sister. Within the first few months, the shop expanded into fleet graphics for distribution companies, custom-formed letters, custom-crafted and painted foam emblems and signs, monument signs, lighted cabinets, and more. Before launching EZ Sign Solutions, Evan worked in six different sign companies with different roles and responsibilities. He shares with us all of his experiences and learnings along the way. Another can't-miss episode!This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging - Your large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So, if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00        Intro00:38        Sponsor01:33        Welcoming Evan02:55        Evan’s journey in the industry04:55        Getting a start in the industry         18:20        Equipment21:50        Sales and marketing 25:50        Losing profit               32:45        Learnings of working with franchise37:35        Thoughts on owning a shop47:00        Imposter syndrome 54:15        Sales is the business58:10        Evan’s methods of getting new business01:06:15  Asking for the opportunity01:15:40  Future for EvanReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Having been in the industry for 23 years, Adam started as a production employee within a franchised sign company. From there, he moved into production management, then inside/outside sales, and now, for the last 6 years, he has been working as a Director of Project Development, managing the sign design team of Creative Sign Designs. This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital Imaging - Your large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So, if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00  Intro00:38  Sponsor01:33  Catching up04:02   Welcoming Adam04:40   Adam’s backstory10:50   Creative Sign Designs13:10   Role in creative sign designs15:30   Adam’s team         19:33  Hiring Designers for 5700 requests25:40   Hunting for good people28:40   Workflow and processes of the business38:26   Helping designers design 40:32   Day-to-day within the department43:30   Advice for the small design team47:10   Facilitating communication across department51:30   Thoughts on A.I55:30   Useful CorelDRAW plugin57:45   Future for Creative Sign DesignsReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/##-##Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So, if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00      Intro02:20      Welcome Dan   03:10       About Dan05:10       Ordinary stuff 06:20      Starting shop in high school   08:10       Imagination Corporation, today vs when it started12:15        Looking at things differently.     14:20       Test for customers (5 Questions)    18:10        Deviating from the questions19:54       Owning only half a percent of the business20:49       Difference of opinion 22:23       Different Process 24:10       Types of Projects 31:50       How much does location matter?33:20      Contacting customers36:40      Scope of Projects38:40      Building Experiences 40:40      Pieces of Advice48:15       Family Business56:30       Inner working of the Business  01:01:40  Future for dan01:06:30  OutroReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)##-##Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshopMichael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsig...Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/##-##Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00      Intro02:00      Mike’s nickname  03:00      Guest intro04:40      Corel draw Mac and PC 08:20      Brad’s Backstory09:00      Experience in the sign business and the failures15:30       Getting back after the failure.  20:10       Hitting a million dollars22:20       Steps to make a big change27:10        More about the business and change32:20       Cash flow quadrant 36:15        Why trade wraps38:00       Why Brad over Dan43:45       Developing TORQ48:00       Getting into different Industry54:50       Pricing for TORQ58:00       Business through text messaging and E-mail 59:55       Building your own system or buying01:03:20  Enjoying the business side now or miss the old days01:08:05  What does Brad wants to be remembered for 01:10:20   Outro ##-##Brad’s Wrap BusinessTradeWrapshttps://tradewraps.com/Brad’s CRMTorqCRMhttps://www.torqcrm.com/Ready to systemise and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)##-##Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshopMichael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsig...Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/##-##Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

You’ve seen his work even if you didn’t know his name. Legendary sign crafter Shane Durnford joins us for a mindblowing conversation about our chosen craft. 🤯 Shane opens up about his personal experience with burnout. And he also shares invaluable advice for those looking to venture into high end signage – revealing a little bit about his secret sauce. Another can’t miss episode!---This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00:00 Intro00:01:30 Catching up00:04:20 Bryant’s Appendix surgery 00:09:00 Guest intro00:13:00 Shane’s backstory00:16:10 First high-relief carving 00:17:25 Shane’s designs / Emotion and commerce00:24:00 Shane’s not a sign guy00:34:18 Stepping away from the industry00:41:10 Avoiding burnout00:50:15 Obsession to detail 00:56:25 Creative Process  01:07:45 Advice for sign shop 01:15:40 Future Plans01:19:29 What Shane wants to be remembered for01:24:07 Shane’s workshop01:27:02 Outro-##-##-Links from the ShowRecommended Books------The Old Way of Seeinghttps://www.amazon.com/Old-Way-Seeing-How-Back/dp/039574010X/Shane’s Work------It speaks for itself… Check out his websitehttps://jaycefoxstudios.com/environmental-sign-designShane’s Workshop------If you’re at all interested in furthering your design skills and becoming a better sign maker, check out the details and join Shane’s in-person workshop.https://jaycefoxstudios.com/sign-design-workshopOther Signmakers to Follow------Dirk Ramplinghttps://www.dirkssigns.com.au/Roger Coxhttps://houseofsignsco.com/carved-dimensional-signs-colorado/Dan Sawatzkyhttps://www.imaginationcorporation.com/attractions-##-##-Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)-##-##-Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshopMichael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsigndesignPeter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/-##-##-Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

Having owned two sign businesses and a software company that creates shop management software for the sign industry, Joe Arenella has seen the industry from a few different angles. He joins us to talk about his journey in the industry, what it's like making software for sign makers, and more. He also shares his advice for newer business owners and how to get unstuck.This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00  Intro02:20 Peter's ChatGPT experience 05:54 Guest intro07:30 Need of software like SignTracker and the journey17:30 Favorite feature about SignTracker19:55 Takeaways from SignTracker23:15 Support team in SignTracker24:50 Attracting the next 500 shops31:00 Growing technology34:40 Process for delivering 37:30 Why SignTracker software over others 41:00 Onboarding with the software44:50 Missing Piece 48:00 From Technician to Owner53:45 Mental health and alcoholReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign/###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

We're joined by Jeff Sherman for this special happy-hour episode. Be warned 🤣 – we're a little loose.An old friend with an epic beard – Jeff Sherman has 20+ years of sign industry experience and 10+ years of running operations at a fairly large shop.We discussed about shifting from vinyl to fab and electrical, safety protocols, managing growth and many other interesting topics.This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00 - Intro02:25 - Mike's new name05:25 - Jeff's intro08:00 - Peter's question on having a full time trainer14:00 - Shifting from vinyl29:10 - Mike on installation and its importance43:20 - Mailbox question on safety protocols46:40 - Peter's two incidents on safety protocols and learning58:05 - Training staff to not let customers run your business01:07:12 - How to manage growth01:33:20 - Peter's question to Bryant01:42:12 - Rapid fire takeaways and outroReady to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsig...###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

We're joined by Maggie Harlow – the successful owner of Signarama Downtown in Louisville KY. She's a leader in the industry and also a columnist for Signs of The Times. We talk about her journey in the sign industry – from jumping into ownership without any industry experience, through managing large national projects for clients, and then to completely "re-modeling" her business when the old model no longer fit. There are lots of great nuggets and advice in this episode.This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.---In this episode...00:00 - Intro01:21 - Welcome04:41 - Welcoming Maggie06:20 - Signarama vs FastSigns07:30 - Maggie's story10:20 - What is perfect about the sign industry?15:15 - Love/hate relationship with the industry17:43 - 1st full year as a franchise owner and doing a million23:30 -  90 buses in 90 days?26:20 - Other managed projects31:00 - The time frame for the transition37:10 - Picky about doing projects38:50 - Saying NO to customers42:40 - Favorite type of sign to make44:00 - Advice for shop owners  45:55 - Present trends and the future of the industry48:45 - Future of Maggie's business50:00 - Maggie's leadership team58:00 - Thanks to Maggie01:02:23 - Rapid takeaways Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsig...###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

We're joined by national brand and sign package award winner Karrie Brock – owner of two FASTSIGNS locations / Toledo and Maumee OH. We discuss her conversion from an independent sign shop to the FASTSIGNS franchise and how they handle large fabrication projects that the franchise is not typically known for. We also discuss women in the sign industry and Karrie sets us straight on what men in the sign industry sometimes get wrong.---This episode is sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large/grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.In this episode...00:00 - Intro01:21 - Welcome02:10 - Peter's Sign shop consulting/coaching Experience08:45 - Guest introduction14:15 - Karrie welcome15:55 - Karrie's journey19:00 - Advantages of being a franchise vs. independent company23:20 - Most Advantageous benefit26:40 - Awards/City Eggs project and Peter's shocker 34:30 - Key to turn the customer to the largest account36:03 - What do men do wrong? 40:20 - Working with husband42:56 - Experience as a woman in the industry44:15 - Advice for other women in the industry46:50 - Women asking better questions than most men48:40 - Fastsigns and fabricating 58:35 - Future plans01:01:00 - Closing---Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign ShopBetter Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.comBetter Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign DesignLetterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop ConsultingSign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

Join us as dive into automating your art department with automation guru Brian Saetre. Brian founded an artwork services company before creating his latest proejct TaskOS – which is focused on making your designers more effective and efficient. We also touch on artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney during this interesting discussion.You'll walk away with some helpful tips and tricks on automation.---This episode sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large / grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com---In this episode...------Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

Join us for an interview with sign industry legend - Tom McIlltrot – one of the founders of SignCraft magazine. Michael described this episode as his "Christmas" – given how much of learned so much from SignCraft over the years. Tom tells us the history of SignCraft and shares a few amazing stories. He gives us his take on the future of the industry and shares some advice on how to compete as a modern sign shop.---This episode sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large / grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com---In this episode...------Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Reach out to us.

This is definitely the song that never ends 🐑. Right up there with pricing questions – "What sign shop management software are you using?" is asked weekly in every sign industry forum, Facebook group, and any other place sign folks gather. Shop management software is a foundational piece of running a successful sign shop and can truly help you scale, grow, and manage your shop. Listen as two sign shop management software nerds talk through our advice and recommendations for every shop owner.We cover:- Using generic tools like Trello, Airtable, and others as your shop management software- Using off the shelf sign and print shop management software- Estimate (http://www.estimatesoftware.com/)- Sign Tracker (https://www.sign-tracker.com/)- Cyrious (https://www.cyrious.com/products/control/)- shopVOX (https://www.shopvox.com/)- Corebridge (https://corebridge.net/)- Square Coil (Formerly V-Sign Software) (https://squarecoil.com/)- Must have advice for implementing sign and print shop management software---This episode sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large / grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com---In this episode...------Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

One of the questions that we get all the time is "How do I grow my shop?". It's usually followed by "in a small city or town". Not every sign maker lives in a large metro area with tons of opportunity for growth. In this episode, we're joined by Chris Fleniken of Real Graphics in Lufkin, Texas. Chris has built a small business empire by playing the long game. We cover: - How to grow your shop - The importance of diversifying your income streams- What role community plays in your success---This episode sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large / grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphicsLearn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com---In this episode...------Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Industry legend – Dan Antonelli of KickCharge Creative joins us to talk about his new book Branded Not Blanded and to discuss why you're playing with fire if you're not educating your sign shop's customers on the importance of design and branding.Make sure you pick up a copy of Dan's latest book – Branded Not Blanded – at https://www.kickcharge.com/books/---This episode sponsored by:GCI Digital ImagingYour large / grand format trade printing partnerOwner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself.  So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com---In this episode...- -- ---Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign Shop- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop###Michael from Letterbox Sign Design- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign###Peter from Sign Shop Consulting- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Taylor Kraenzel of Vizion Signs (https://www.vizionsigns.com/) joins us to talk about what it's like to take over and modernize the family business while still trying to retain the craft and eye for artwork that they were known for. Taylor's grandfather started the shop way back in 1966. And they're still going strong. Just a heads up – this one runs a bit long but we had a blast. We cover a ton of great topics and we even get to flip the script a bit at the end.In this episode...Mike dies from laughter (01:45)Mike - the Sign Chimichanga - tries to give Bryant a nickname (02:40)Peter shares some big news about his future (09:56)Taylor shares his backstory (19:09)Taylor's takeaways from success in the real estate industry (26:16)Balancing the art focus and the commerical side (38:21)In a competitive market, how does Vizion stand out? (46:08)The profitability of the business (01:07:15)How to outsource installation (01:10:05)Is focusing on vehicle wraps a good avenue for growth? (01:28:20)Takeaways for Taylor (01:40:00)---Ready to systemize and scale your shop?Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/ Are you a sign or print shop owner?Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)---Want to follow the crusty sign guys?Bryant from Better Sign ShopBetter Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.comBetter Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshopMichael from Letterbox Sign DesignLetterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LetterboxsigndesignPeter from Sign Shop ConsultingSign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/---Interested in being a guest on the show?Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Are you struggling with finding and keeping good employees? Learn what it really takes to onboard a new employee and how to keep valuable team members motivated and engaged.An old friend with an epic beard – Jeff Sherman – joins us for a conversation on employees and building a solid team. Jeff has 20+ years of sign industry experience and 10+ years of running operations at a fairly large shop.We cover a lot of topics related to building a killer team. You won't be disappointed.In this episode...Jeff's new nicknames for Mike (01:25)Origin of the sign shop Yoda (06:14)Jeff's sign industry backstory (08:45)The biggest struggle for shops nationwide (15:20)Building up your people (16:32)Developing employees takes time (23:40)To grow as a business and an owner... (32:00)Onboarding time (33:33)The standard for industry training (40:35)Don't just learn from mistakes... (51:40)How to keep employees long term (53:23)Give employees enough space to fail (59:18)What caused Jeff to leave his position (1:05:09)Follow the crusty sign guysBryant from Better Sign ShopBetter Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.comBetter Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshopBetter Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/Michael from Letterbox Sign DesignLetterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LetterboxsigndesignPeter from Sign Shop ConsultingSign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/Interested in being a potential guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com