FASTSIGNS® Continues Nationwide Growth As an Essential Business Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Leading Sign, Graphics, and Visual Communications Franchisor Opened 16 New Locations and Signed a Dozen Franchise Agreements Since March 1.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, today announced strong growth year-to-date in 2020 including the signing of 16 new franchise agreements, 12 of which the brand signed since March 1, to develop locations in new markets like Aurora, Illinois, Panama City, Florida and the Toronto area. FASTSIGNS also celebrated the opening of 20 new centers this year with 16 new centers opened since March 1.

Much of FASTSIGNS’ growth this year is due to its centers nationwide 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. When the pandemic began to impact our industry, we fought to ensure FASTSIGNS centers across the U.S. could continue to operate, and we’ve continued to be by their side to help them every step of the way,” said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “We’re incredibly proud of how our franchisees adapted to the changing climate by tapping into the diverse product range we offer so they could fulfill the unique 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 and to protect communities. Their role of being the go-to resource for visual communications in their communities continues to grow stronger every day. The growth and momentum we’ve experienced is a true testament to the strong FASTSIGNS network, our brand’s ability to adapt systemwide, and the rising demand for signage.”

Kevin Leamon signed a franchise agreement with FASTSIGNS in March 2020, and in July celebrated the grand opening of his center in Springfield, Illinois.

“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. “As a first-time franchisee, the support and guidance that FASTSIGNS offered as I navigated this new endeavor helped the entire process run smoothly. Along the way, I had the opportunity to tap into the impressive network of existing franchisees to discuss how they were adapting throughout the pandemic, and learned so many invaluable tools that I could incorporate into my center. It was motivating to hear how FASTSIGNS centers could quickly pivot to meet the needs of current events and further position themselves as the expert in the sign industry. I’m thrilled to be part of this dynamic brand.”

FASTSIGNS is known in the industry for equipping its franchisees with tools vital to securing the ongoing success of each individual location. In addition to the brand’s online FASTSIGNS University, FASTSIGNS partners with 1HUDDLE, a workforce-training platform that converts unique training content into science-backed, quick-burst training games that are proven to accelerate workforce 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 — and FASTSIGNS provided just that,” said Steve Brown, FASTSIGNS franchisee of Newport Beach, California, who opened his center in April 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. “I was just weeks away from opening my first location when the pandemic hit, and FASTSIGNS proved to be an invaluable partner during that time. I moved forward with opening my center amid the pandemic, having faith in one of the largest sign franchises. The support shown during these unprecedented times helped me get my FASTSIGNS center up and running.”

FASTSIGNS offers a special incentive for first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters, which includes a 50-percent reduction on the franchise fee — a savings of $24,875.

FASTSIGNS is consistently ranked as a top franchise opportunity. In 2020, Entrepreneur magazine named FASTSIGNS the #1 franchise opportunity in its category and #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. Additionally, Franchise Gator named FASTSIGNS to its Top 100 Franchises of 2020 list. In 2019, Entrepreneur named FASTSIGNS one of the Top Franchises for Veterans and the brand also was recognized in Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises for Veterans report, was named to the America’s Best Franchises to Buy list by Forbes magazine, and made Franchise Direct’s list of the Top 100 Franchises. Franchise Business Review also has recognized FASTSIGNS as one of the “Best of the Best” for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years and its Top 50 Franchises for Women and Top Service Franchises lists in 2019.