Propelled Brands

The Leading Sign, Graphics, and Visual Communications Franchise Makes the 2021 List at #5 out of 150.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, is ranked fifth on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2021 list of Top Franchises for Veterans.

This is the fifth year FASTSIGNS has been included on this list that highlights a wide variety of franchises that provide advantageous opportunities for veterans. FASTSIGNS, which is already associated with low start-up costs, provides veteran-friendly financing options including 50 percent off the initial franchisee fee for veterans and first responders as well as reduced royalties for the first 12 months of business.

“FASTSIGNS is proud to support and offer our veterans the opportunity to open their own business and become successful entrepreneurs,” said Mark Jameson, Chief Support and Development Officer at Propelled Brands. “Over the past several years, we have seen many veterans become highly successful franchisees due to their strong work ethic and motivation to succeed. Because of this, we look forward to each chance we get to add a veteran to our growing network of FASTSIGNS franchisees.”

To develop the list of the Top Franchises for Veterans, Entrepreneur invited hundreds of companies to take part in a survey that requested information regarding each company’s veteran programs. Such information included the company’s veteran incentives and how veteran franchisees are attracted to and supported by the company, as well as how each company scored in the 2020 Franchise 500 list.

“What makes FASTSIGNS stand out is the high-quality support offered by Catherine Monson and the team at FASTSIGNS International,” said Darrin Lawrence, Army veteran and FASTSIGNS franchisee in Richardson, Texas. “During the pandemic, I could see FASTSIGNS working constantly to ensure their franchise centers were deemed essential businesses. Their support allowed me to open my doors in 2020 when everything else was shutting down and helped me transition into my current role as an owner and operator.”

The total investment for a FASTSIGNS franchise is approximately $233,555 – $307,308 including a $49,750 franchise fee. Ideal candidates have a net worth of $300,000 of which $80K is liquid. Additionally, FASTSIGNS offers a special incentive for veterans and first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs and firefighters, which includes a 50% reduction on the franchise fee — a savings of $24,875.

To date, FASTSIGNS operates more than 750 locations in 46 states and eight countries. Of these FASTSIGNS franchisees, around 10% are owned by veterans.

To view FASTSIGNS in the full Entrepreneur magazine Top Franchises for Veterans listing, visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/topfranchiseveterans.

For more information about owning a FASTSIGNS franchise, visit https://www.fsfastsigns.com/own-a-fastsigns/.

Industry leaders team up to provide LED video boards for rent.

CARROLLTON, Texas —  FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, announced today a partnership with Ultravision LED Solutions, leading innovator, and supplier of LED Digital Displays, to bring rental LED Digital Displays to FASTSIGNS customers.

“With more in-person events starting to take place, there is an increasing demand for advertising display options,” said Wayne Rasor, Director of Digital and Exterior Technology at FASTSIGNS. “Our exclusive partnership with Ultravision LED Solutions offers our customers a turnkey option to rent customized LED displays from the leading provider in the industry.”

LED Digital Display Rentals will provide FASTSIGNS customers the use of large format LED Digital Displays as a medium to get a message across in bright, bold digital content. The rental program will include all of the hardware needed including the LED Digital Display, frame/stand, video controller and extra parts for any repairs; an on-site installation crew will receive and set up the board, and then tear it down and ship it back after the event/rental is concluded. FASTSIGNS will offer a choice of indoor or outdoor options, as well as a variety of sizes.

“We are thrilled to partner with FASTSIGNS and bring their customers the convenience of renting LED Digital Displays for their events,” said Colton McKey, VP of Operations. “Our partnership with FASTSIGNS reflects a shared goal of providing unmatched opportunities for event-centered marketing in a creative way that connects with consumers at a variety of touchpoints.”

The founder of Ultravision LED Solutions, William Hall, has led the way in Modular LED display panel technology with more than 30 patents for LED Display technology.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679).

About Ultravision LED Solutions

Ultravision LED Solutions has become a leader in the LED Digital Display industry. The founder has over 60 patents in LED Digital Displays and Outdoor LED Lighting technology to date. The founder designed and patented the modular LED Display Panel, an innovation that fundamentally changed the LED display industry by eliminating the need for bulky cabinets and making large LED Video Walls and LED Digital Display Rentals part of today’s landscape. Although Ultravision LED Solutions delivers quality LED Digital Displays solutions and products worldwide, Ultravision LED Solution’s LED Digital Displays and Outdoor LED Lighting are proudly built in North Texas, USA.  Ultravision LED Solutions’s LED Digital Displays solutions make it simple for customers to engage with audiences worldwide. Learn more about Ultravision LED Solutions and its products at ultravisionledsolutions.com.

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.

Leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise aims to enrich its business and promote broader inclusivity across the signage and franchising industries.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, announced today the formation of its Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Comprised of a diverse group of FASTSIGNS franchisees selected from the brand’s global network, the committee was created to foster an environment that promotes and prioritizes diversity and inclusion within not only the FASTSIGNS system but also the broader signage and franchising industries.

“Every company should value diversity and inclusion because of the richness and strength it brings to their business. Over the years, the signage and franchising industries have become more diverse and inclusive, but there’s more we can do — and as the leader in our sector, FASTSIGNS is proud to lead the way,” said Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc., CEO of Propelled Brands, and Chair of the International Franchise Association. “Diversity and inclusion needs to extend beyond personalities, professional backgrounds, and other life experiences, and encompass all of an individual’s unique characteristics and experiences, including race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, disability, national origin, and sexual orientation. Supporting and building diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do for our employees, our franchisees, our franchisees’ teams, our stakeholders, our customers, and our industry. We look forward to expanding this initiative across Propelled Brands.”

The eight committee members will tackle subjects such as increasing the number of minority franchisees within the FASTSIGNS system, promoting more open dialogue and collaboration, workplace environments, training protocols, education, and other topics with the goal of creating more inclusive initiatives. Additionally, the committee will work to ensure diverse individuals can lead a rewarding career at FASTSIGNS International and FASTSIGNS locations.

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee members include:

• Kevin Jones, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Santa Rosa and Petaluma, California
• Howard James, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Washington, D.C.
• Carmen Ruiz, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Daytona, Florida
• Jose Corujo, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Puerto Rico
• Sarosh Nayar, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Dallas, Texas
• Denise Acquaye, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Newark, New Jersey
• Shu Yang, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Burnaby, British Columbia
• Shimon Osibel, franchisee at FASTSIGNS of Brooklyn, New York

“Throughout my career, I’ve always sought opportunities to be a part of organizations that value diversity and inclusion — and that’s a big part of what attracted me to FASTSIGNS,” said Kevin Jones. “I’m extremely proud to leverage my experience working for an LGBTQ-focused non-profit and serving on several boards to assist FASTSIGNS in furthering its diversity and inclusion initiatives to build a stronger brand and promote change in our industry.”

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@propelledbrands.com or 214-346-5679).

FASTSIGNS Engages Over 400 Sales Professionals Across 5 Countries. 

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the world’s leading sign and visual graphics franchisor with more than 750 FASTSIGNS^® locations in eight countries worldwide, hosted its 11th annual Outside Sales Summit August 9-13 in a virtual setting. There were over 400 people from 5 countries in attendance.

With a Rebound theme, the 2021 Outside Sales Summit celebrated the FASTSIGNS network’s sales achievements between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. At the virtual awards event on Friday, 195 Outside Sales Professionals were recognized, including 24 who received the prestigious Platinum Award for achieving over $1 million in individual sales during the 12-month period. Additionally, 15 individuals became Certified FASTSIGNS Sales Executives after completing an extensive certification program during the same period.

2021 marked the third year for presenting the Catherine Monson Salesperson of the Year Award. With this award, FASTSIGNS recognizes one Outside Sales Professional who best represents the concept and the spirit of the brand, both in the business community and within the FASTSIGNS network. Patrick Pennell from FASTSIGNS® of Jacksonville-St. Johns Bluff was recognized as this year’s recipient of the Catherine Monson Salesperson of the Year Award.

“We were thrilled to host our 11th annual Outside Sales Summit, held this year, as last year, in a virtual setting. This energy-packed event allowed us to provide the over 400 attendees with education and tools to continue honing their selling skills, as well as to recognize and celebrate the impressive work and achievements of FASTSIGNS Outside Sales Professionals from locations around the world,” said Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. and Chair of the International Franchising Association.

One of the featured speakers included Ryan Serhant, star of Bravo’s hit series Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell it Like Serhant who delivered a highly energetic and advice-packed keynote session: How to Become the Ultimate Sales Machine.

Additional speakers from the FASTSIGNS International team covered a variety of topics including Industry Insights and Learning to Leverage Buying Trends, What Everyone Ought to Know about Selling Digital Content First, Achieving Success During a Pandemic Panel and more.

64 vendors participated at this year’s Virtual Outside Sales Summit Event, including six Diamond Sponsors. The Kickoff Session on Monday August 9th was sponsored by Orbus. Our Awards Event on Friday was sponsored by MUTOH America. FASTSIGNS also hosted 15 Vendor Training Workshops from Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), Art Sign Works, Avery Dennison, Baker Sign Group, BEst Exhibits, ChromeSignage, Grimco, MUTOH America, Navitor, Showdown Displays, SignComp, SinaLite, Stouse, and TrueVert. There were also 11 Vendor Sponsored Commercials throughout the week and 12 Vendor Sponsored Gamification Games from 4Over, Avery Dennison, Clarity Voice, Clevertouch, Epson, Fellers, Grimco, Kapco, LexJet, Snap Frames, Stouse, and Trotec.