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Business Services / Signs & Visual Communications
FASTSIGNS is a well-established business-to-business franchise specializing in custom signs, graphics, visual communications, digital displays, vehicle graphics, banners, promotional solutions, and related marketing products and services.
Rather than relying primarily on walk-in consumer traffic, FASTSIGNS works with businesses and organizations that continually need visual communication products. Customers can include retailers, contractors, healthcare organizations, schools, property managers, manufacturers, restaurants, professional offices, municipalities, and other local businesses.
One of the appealing aspects of the FASTSIGNS model is that franchise owners do not need previous experience in the sign industry. The owner’s primary role is generally focused on business development, sales, customer relationships, team leadership, and growing commercial accounts.
FASTSIGNS has been operating for more than 40 years and has grown to more than 790 locations worldwide.
FASTSIGNS was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1985 with the idea of creating a professional business dedicated to providing businesses with fast, reliable sign and graphics solutions.
Over the following four decades, the company expanded beyond traditional signage into a much broader visual communications business.
Today's FASTSIGNS centers may provide exterior and interior signage, dimensional signs, banners, window graphics, vehicle wraps, trade-show displays, digital signage, wayfinding systems, wall graphics, promotional products, branded environments, and other visual marketing solutions.
This expansion is important because FASTSIGNS is no longer simply a "sign shop." Franchise owners can become visual communications partners for their commercial customers, creating opportunities to provide multiple products and services to the same account.
The company has grown to more than 790 locations worldwide and is part of Propelled Brands, a multi-brand franchising organization.
FASTSIGNS may be particularly well suited for an experienced professional who wants to transition from corporate employment into business ownership without entering an industry that requires them to personally perform highly specialized technical work.
It can be especially attractive for someone with a strong sales or management background.
The owner can concentrate on developing relationships with businesses, hiring and managing employees, building an outside-sales operation, creating repeat commercial accounts, and growing the company.
This can also appeal to candidates who want a business with traditional weekday operating hours rather than the nights, weekends, and holidays commonly associated with restaurants, retail, fitness, and hospitality businesses.
FASTSIGNS may be particularly worth considering for candidates who:
Enjoy B2B sales and relationship building
Have management or leadership experience
Want to build a team
Prefer weekday business hours
Like working with local businesses and organizations
Want multiple revenue streams
Are comfortable networking and developing commercial accounts
Want the potential to build a substantial local business
Prefer an established franchise system rather than an emerging concept
Candidates who dislike sales, networking, customer development, or managing employees may find the model less attractive.
FASTSIGNS provides franchise owners with an established operating system designed to help individuals enter the visual communications industry without previous sign-industry experience.
Support may include:
Initial franchise training
Business operations training
Sales and marketing systems
Production training
Technology and center-management systems
Site selection and development assistance
Equipment guidance
Vendor relationships
National account opportunities
Marketing resources
Ongoing business support
Franchise conferences and networking
Purchasing resources
Continued education and training
A particularly important component of the FASTSIGNS model is its emphasis on sales development. Franchise owners are encouraged to actively develop relationships with businesses and organizations within their markets rather than depending solely on customers walking into the center.
FASTSIGNS does not typically function as a direct lender, but qualified candidates may be able to use several outside financing options.
Potential financing sources may include:
SBA loans
Conventional business loans
Equipment financing
Retirement-plan business funding (ROBS)
Home-equity financing
Investment portfolios or securities-backed financing
Personal capital
Partnerships
Third-party franchise financing companies
The appropriate funding structure will depend on the candidate's available capital, credit profile, net worth, retirement assets, income, and overall financial situation.
Candidates should maintain adequate working capital beyond the initial opening expenses because developing a strong commercial customer base takes time.
All investment figures are estimates based on publicly available information.
The financial information presented here is for general educational purposes and should not be considered a guarantee of revenue, profitability, or investment performance. Investment amounts, fees, financial qualifications, unit counts, and financial performance information may change. Prospective franchise owners should carefully review the current FASTSIGNS Franchise Disclosure Document, including Items 5, 6, 7, 19, and 20, and consult with qualified legal, accounting, and financial professionals before making an investment decision. Where financial performance information is discussed, candidates should review the franchisor's current Item 19 Financial Performance Representation for the exact definitions, reporting periods, participating locations, and limitations
An independent assessment from your franchise consultant
Steve Warres, Franchise ConsultantFASTSIGNS is an established franchise that I believe deserves consideration from candidates who have strong sales, management, marketing, or business-development skills.
One of the biggest advantages of this model is that the owner does not need previous experience in signs, printing, or graphic design. The technical side of the business can be handled by trained employees, while the franchise owner focuses on developing commercial accounts, managing the team, building relationships, and growing the business.
I particularly like FASTSIGNS for experienced corporate executives and sales professionals who want to transition into business ownership. Many of the skills they have developed throughout their careers—sales management, networking, account development, leadership, budgeting, and managing people, can transfer directly into this business.
Another important consideration is that FASTSIGNS is primarily a B2B business. A successful owner can develop relationships with companies and organizations that have continuing needs for signage, graphics, vehicle wraps, displays, promotional products, and other visual communication services. This creates opportunities for repeat business rather than constantly depending on one-time consumer transactions.
However, prospective owners should understand that this is not a passive investment. Particularly during the early years, owners should expect to be involved in sales, networking, hiring, management, and developing the local customer base.
Before investing, I would strongly recommend speaking with a range of existing FASTSIGNS franchisees, including high-performing, average-performing, and lower-performing locations, to understand what separates the most successful centers from the rest.
Fill out the form and we will reach out to answer your questions, walk through the investment details and help you decide whether this is the right fit.
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