When Kirtan Bhandary, owner of Rockville Sign Company, opened his doors two years ago in Rockville, Maryland, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Bhandary’s path to business ownership was a curvy one. By Nancy E. Williams
When Kirtan Bhandary, owner of Rockville Sign Company, opened his doors two years ago in Rockville, Maryland, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Bhandary’s path to business ownership was a curvy one.
At first, he wanted to purchase an existing business, but after searching, he realized the financials were complicated and confusing in determining the state of the business. Reluctantly, Bhandary considered purchasing a new franchise, but he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of franchising.
Luckily, FranServe Affiliate Franchise Consultant Jeannie Jensen introduced him to Signworld Business Partners. “I have an engineering background, and I was attracted to the manufacturing sector, but I wasn’t excited about the idea of a franchise. I shared all of this with Jeannie, and she recommended Signworld because it has the support of a franchise, but owners are independent, and there are no royalties involved,” Bhandary said.
After two years of being in business, Bhandary is very happy with his choice. “I really love working with customers from all different types of industries and that they’re local business owners. I also like seeing my work everywhere. It’s a powerful and fun incentive,” he said.
Bhandary also enjoys his customers’ reactions when he delivers the finished product. “When you’re working with CEOs, marketing executives and owners, it’s great to see the excitement and satisfaction on their faces when we deliver the brand-new sign; every sign is different,” he shared.
Here’s a glimpse of a day in the life of a Signworld owner.
6 a.m. Bhandary is woken up by his 3- and 5-year-old children. He gets them ready for school and drops them off on the way to the office.
8:30 a.m. Bhandary reviews the schedule for the day and the remainder of the week to ensure projects are on track.
10 a.m. As the day continues, the owner responds to customers regarding pricing quotes, project statuses or anything else that comes up. New sales calls are made through Zoom or by phone. Bhandary also works with his two full-time employees and one subcontractor on design and manufacturing.
5:30 p.m. After a productive day, Bhandary leaves the office and enjoys dinner with his family. He looks forward to spending the weekend with his wife and children.
Nancy E. Williams