When Dick Cassidy opened his Image 212° business in Northlake, Texas, in February 2020, he probably didn’t anticipate being named 2021 Rookie of the Year by Signworld Business Partners. By Nancy E. Williams

When Dick Cassidy opened his Image 212° business in Northlake, Texas, in February 2020, he probably didn’t anticipate being named 2021 Rookie of the Year by Signworld Business Partners. Prior to becoming a Signworld owner-operator, Cassidy was in sales and marketing as a general manager for medical-device companies. Like many, he decided to retire but found himself bored.

“I was too young to be sitting around doing nothing. I met with a franchise consultant, and they recommended I listen to a Signworld webinar hosted by Ken Kindt, vice president and chief sales officer. After watching, I was intrigued,” said Cassidy. “The business seemed simple, interesting, and fun. I was always into building things – homes and companies. What I really liked about it was that I didn’t have to travel to do it. In my previous life, I stayed in 2,700 hotel rooms and flew five million miles. I wasn’t interested in doing that again.”

Cassidy had created a lot of startup ventures, mostly using venture capital money, but he had never funded his own business. Signworld would be his first, and that was exciting. “I liked the idea because it doesn’t require a lot of employees, and there are really no restrictions or requirements. You get a chance to employ your own creativity. You can pretty much run the business how you want. Of course, there are some ordinances you must follow from time to time, but overall, it’s simple,” he said.

Cassidy also enjoys the fact that every day is different. “Everything we do is custom. Rarely do we do the same thing, which makes it new and exciting,” he added.

Making sure to do his homework before investing in Signworld, Cassidy couldn’t be happier with his decision. “I visited five different sign-franchise brands and attended various trade shows. I learned a lot in the process but, ultimately, I chose Signworld. I love the ‘no rule, no royalties’ aspect of the business and thought the team was made up of good people. Not to mention, Signworld has more training and education than anyone could possibly take advantage of,” he said.

Nancy E. Williams

Contact: signworld.org