FastSigns International Inc., a sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, has announced strong growth year-to-date in 2020.
FastSigns International Inc., a sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, has announced strong growth year-to-date in 2020.
The company has signed 16 new franchise agreements, 12 of which the brand signed since March 1, to develop locations in Toronto; Aurora, Ont.; Illinois; Florida; and Panama City. The brand has also opened 20 new centres this year, 16 of which were opened in March.
Much of the company’s growth is due to its centres being deemed essential as COVID-19 forced thousands of businesses across the country to temporarily close earlier this year, allowing franchisees to pivot their services to best serve their customers and local communities.
“At FastSigns, our franchisees’ success comes first,” said Mark Jameson, executive vice-president of franchise support and development, FastSigns International Inc. “When the pandemic began to impact our industry, we fought to ensure our centres across the U.S., could continue to operate, and we’ve continued to be by the side of our franchisees to help them every step of the way. We’re incredibly proud of how they adapted to the changing climate by tapping into our diverse product range so they could fulfil the needs of their customers. Throughout the pandemic, our franchisees have continued to manufacture critical signage, plexiglass shields, and more to help hospitals, local governments, and businesses communicate important health and safety information.”
Kevin Leamon signed a franchise agreement with the company in March 2020 and, in July, he celebrated the grand opening of his centre in Springfield, Ill.
“Looking back, I feel incredibly lucky to have had my new business up and running in just four months during such a challenging period,” said Leamon. “The support and guidance the company offered as I navigated this new endeavour helped the entire process run smoothly. Along the way, I had the opportunity to tap into the network of existing franchisees to discuss how they were adapting, and learned so many tools that I could incorporate into my centre.”
The company equips its franchisees with tools vital to securing the ongoing success of each individual location. In addition to its online FastSigns University, the brand partners with 1Huddle, a workforce-training platform that helps accelerate employee productivity.
“As a first-time franchisee, it was important for me to invest in a brand that provided guidance to help me succeed while allowing me to be in business for myself,” said Steve Brown, a franchisee who opened his centre in Newport Beach, Calif, in April 2020. “I was just weeks away from opening my location when the pandemic hit, and FastSigns proved to be an invaluable partner during that time. I moved forward with the plan, having faith in the company. The support shown during these unprecedented times helped me get my centre up and running.”
The brand offers a special incentive for first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters, which includes a 50 per cent reduction on the franchise fee—a savings of $24,875.
The company is consistently ranked as a top franchise opportunity. In 2020, Entrepreneur magazine named FastSigns as the No.1 franchise opportunity in its category and No. 55 overall on its annual Franchise 500 list, making it the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100.
