Propelled Brands

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.

Independent Research Identified FASTSIGNS as One of the Top 100 Franchise Brands with the Best Culture Based on Surveys of Over 25,000 Franchise Owners.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise, was recently named to Franchise Business Review’s second annual Culture100 list. The list recognizes the top 100 franchise brands in a 2021 report on the Best Franchise Cultures.

“To have FASTSIGNS named to the 2021 Franchise Culture100 list is an honor, especially since this is direct feedback from our franchise owners,” said Mark Jameson, Chief Support and Development Officer at Propelled Brands. “The past year has been challenging, but through the perseverance and dedication of our network of franchisees and the support teams, we have emerged stronger than ever. This recognition is a reflection of the world-class products, services, and training and support we provide our franchisees to better serve their customers.”

Franchise Business Review, a franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of top franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises, as well as in special interest reports throughout the year that identify the top franchises in specific sectors.

FASTSIGNS was among 224 franchise brands, representing nearly 25,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research on the best franchise cultures. Franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems. The brands that were selected received the highest overall ratings based on 12 questions specifically focused on leadership, core values, whether they enjoy being part of the organization, and would they recommend their franchise to others.

“The impact of the pandemic this past year on small businesses has put the spotlight on franchise culture more than ever,” said Michelle Rowan, President and COO of Franchise Business Review. “Our research into hundreds of brands really shows which ones held up the best when rated by their franchise owners. The franchise companies that have the honor of being named to our Culture100 list are clearly among the best of the best franchise opportunities.”

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of the 2021 Best Franchise Cultures.

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

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/. To learn more about FBR’s research, please visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.

Leading Sign, Graphics and Visual Communications Franchise Also Wins Silver in Annual CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today it has been recognized as the Canadian Franchise Association’s (CFA) Franchisees’ Choice Designation for the ninth consecutive year. Additionally, FASTSIGNS was honored as a silver recipient in the CFA’s Awards of Excellence in Franchising in the traditional franchises category.

“The CFA Awards of Excellence and the Franchisees’ Choice Designation are the pinnacle of franchise achievement in Canada, and we are honored to once again be recognized as a proven business model and strong investment,” said Mark Jameson, CFE, Chief Support and Development Officer at Propelled Brands. “We value our presence in Canada and continue to focus on growing our brand throughout the country by staying true to our mission of providing franchisees with the tools and resources necessary for them to produce high-quality visual communications for their communities. We are beyond thankful for the ongoing support for our FASTSIGNS team over the years and look forward to helping them reach their business goals for years to come.”

The Franchisees’ Choice Designation is awarded by franchisees who were asked to rate their franchisors in key areas of the franchise business model, including leadership, business planning and marketing, training and support, ongoing operations and the relationship between the franchisee and franchisor. FASTSIGNS currently has 40 centers throughout Canada in markets such as Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver.

“After running an independent business for 22 years, I felt that we needed a better way to promote our services through marketing and bringing more credibility to the business. Knowing FASTSIGNS’ authority and prominence in the industry, it was a natural fit,” says Ian Nichols, FASTSIGNS owner of an Alberta location. “After the first 3 months of business, I’ve already been impressed by the support FASTSIGNS provides its franchisees. Everyone is incredibly helpful.”

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.

FASTSIGNS reported exceptional results in 2020, including the signing of over 31 franchise agreements in the U.S and Canada to develop new, co-branded, and conversion centers and the opening of more than 30 locations, including its first center in the Dominican Republic. FASTSIGNS is continuing to target Canada for further franchise development. FASTSIGNS is particularly focused on its co-brand and conversion programs, which help existing business owners add a FASTSIGNS to their store or fully convert their business to a FASTSIGNS franchise. FASTSIGNS has helped countless owners of print shops, photography studios, camera stores, embroidery shops, and more, diversify their product lines and services to meet the growing demand for signs, graphics, and visual communication solutions. Both the co-brand franchise opportunity and conversion can be started with only $15,000 down on the initial franchise fee. FASTSIGNS also offers a special incentive for 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.

For more information about Propelled Brands, visit propelledbrands.com. To learn about franchise opportunities with FASTSIGNS, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@propelledbrands.com or call 214.346.5679).

CARROLLTON, Texas — Catherine Monson, CEO at FASTSIGNS International, Inc., and Chair of the International Franchising Association (IFA), was recently named to SeoSamba and 1851’s list of Top 100 Franchise Influencers.

The Top 100 Global Influencers in Franchising list includes the most influential characters in the franchise world. In most cases, these people are franchise superstars who have turned local operations into world-leading business powerhouses, using their enduring success as springboards to global fame.

SeoSamba took great care in compiling thousands of data sources to pick among over 1,000 eligible franchise industry personalities based on their business résumé, lifetime achievements, organization reputation, and their position within them.

Michel Leconte, SeoSamba’s CEO and renowned franchise marketing expert, says, “It’s never easy to establish such a list, but amongst the personalities listed, Catherine Monson was actually one of the conspicuous choices as long-standing CEO and President of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. and now Chair of the International Franchise Association. I’m thrilled to have her on the 2021 list.”

The winners are selected by well-known industry personalities and dealmakers who are rarely in the spotlight but have achieved unparalleled recognition among franchise specialists, and insiders, and the list includes franchise industry personalities from Canada, France, United Kingdom, and other countries.

“I am truly honored to be named as a Top Franchising Influencer by SeoSamba and 1851,” said Catherine Monson. “Through franchising, I have had the opportunity to make a positive difference in many people’s lives. I love franchising, and I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to do what I do.”