Better Sign Shop Podcast

Why 90% of Sign Shop Ads Fail (Ex-Googler Explains)

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:02:00 -0700

Peter Guba spent 8 years working inside Google with over 1,000 different accounts before starting his own paid ads agency, Profit Mill. In this episode, he reveals why most sign shops are burning money on Google Ads and shares the simple strategy that actually works.

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Key Points Discussed:

Why Google Ads fail: The real reasons 90% of sign shop advertising campaigns don't work (and it's not what you think)
The $500 test: How to start Google Ads the right way without betting the farm
Unit economics breakdown: The math every sign shop owner needs to know before spending a dollar on ads
Local vs. product ads: Which Google ad types actually work for sign shops
The attribution problem: How to track if your ads are actually generating sales
Website optimization: Why your Google Ads success depends more on what happens AFTER the click
Closing the loop: The simple question every sign shop should ask every customer

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Links:

Profit Mill: https://profitmill.io

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
01:27 - Why Peter left Google after 8 years
04:40 - The agency problem: Why 90% don't deliver
09:12 - When sign shops should (and shouldn't) use Google Ads
13:55 - The only ad strategy sign shops actually need
22:12 - Local campaigns vs. search ads
28:07 - Biggest mistakes sign shops make
31:12 - Budget recommendations and unit economics
38:18 - Tracking results and attribution
43:20 - Website optimization for ad traffic
52:30 - How to avoid getting burned by agencies
57:05 - The future of Google Ads for sign shops

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Are you a sign or print shop owner? Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers. Connect and learn from peers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.

The Rapid Evolution of AI Tools: AI Part 2

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 03:21:00 -0700

In this episode, Bryant and Mike continue their deep dive into the ever-evolving world of AI, building on the discussion from the previous episode. They explore the rapid growth of AI models, highlighting both their incredible benefits and the challenges they pose within the sign industry.

Beyond discussing the impact of AI, Bryant and Mike showcase some of their favorite AI-powered tools that they use daily, offering insights into how these innovations are reshaping workflows and creativity.

Tune in for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation as we navigate the fast-paced changes AI is bringing to our world—and what the future might hold!

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro
00:32 "AI" Models Rapid Growth
07:48 Tools We Use
12:23 TypingMind
18:53 AI for SEO
25:43 Tools for Text Generation
36:27 Current AI Situation
47:20 "AI" in Everyday life
53:35 Deepseek
58:00 "AI" Thinks
01:00:25 Directus
01:02:25 Replicate
01:08:00 NotebookLM
01:12:00 Clay
01:14:15 Perplexity
01:17:50 Loveable
01:21:45 Replit
01:28:50 Takeaways
01:34:04 Outro

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Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers. Connect and learn from peers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.

The "Ominous" AI Episode: AI Part 1

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:40:07 -0700

In this episode, Bryant and Michael take a deep dive into how AI is reshaping the sign and design industry. They explore its growing impact on the creative process, discussing whether AI is a helpful tool for designers or a force that could potentially harm the industry as a whole.

From automating routine tasks to enabling innovative design solutions, AI offers exciting possibilities, but it also raises critical questions about originality, ethics, and the future role of human designers. To bring theory into practice, Bryant and Michael put one of Michael’s banner designs to the test, leveraging AI tools to see how they measure up against traditional methods.

Join the conversation as they weigh the pros and cons of AI, debate its long-term implications, and consider how designers can adapt to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro
00:32 Catching Up
08:05 Last year's learnings
12:25 Creative but uninterested in the business side
15:11 The Ominous AI
16:25 Takes on AI
21:00 AI on a daily basis
25:40 AI Impact on Creativity
36:18 Dangers of AI
39:29 Dangers for Designers
42:20 Shift of designers
46:00 Using Claud to replicate Mike's design
51:40 Tool For Creativity
01:00:39 AI for younger generation
01:05:03 Takeaways
01:07:00 Outro

The 10 Sign Shop Commandments - Part 2

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 02:45:00 -0800

In this engaging podcast Series, Peter shares his 10 Sign Shop Commandments—a comprehensive set of principles designed to drive your sign shop's financial success.

These commandments aren’t just generic advice; they are presented in a unique percentage-based format, offering clear and actionable insights to help you stabilize, optimize, and elevate your business operations.

Bryant and Peter delve deep into each commandment, unpacking the strategies and steps necessary for implementation. They discuss how these rules can fix sign shop owners' challenges and difficulties.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, these ten commandments serve as your roadmap to success.

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro.
00:50 Sign Shop Yoda.
04:40 Recap of first five commandments.
06:44 Advertising Budget Query
11:17 6th Commandment: Total Payroll
21:36 7th Commandment: Average Payroll
26:08 8th Commandment: Lead Conversion
33:37 9th Commandment: Hourly Rate
44:39 10th Commandment: Quote to Sales Order
53:58 Outro

The 10 Sign Shop Commandments - Part 1

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 06:40:47 -0800

In this engaging podcast Series, Peter shares his 10 Sign Shop Commandments—a comprehensive set of principles designed to drive your sign shop's financial success.

Bryant and Peter dive deep into each commandment, unpacking the strategies and steps necessary for implementation. They discuss how these rules can fix sign shop owners' challenges and difficulties.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, these ten commandments serve as your roadmap to success.

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro
00:32 Catching Up
06:20 Year-end and sign-shop
09:05 10 Sign Shop commandments
11:40 1st Commandment: Gross Profit Margins
15:09 2nd Commandment: Direct labor percentage
18:13 3rd Commandment: Material cost
26:10 4th Commandment: Operating expenses
32:35 5th Commandment: Advertising budget
42:20 Jason’s Question on Marketing Vendor
46:23 Ride the wave (ridethewave.info)
48:18 For Introverts
53:33 Social Sponge (socialsponge.biz)
57:03 Recap
58:32 Outro

Shop Software Spotlight

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 03:00:00 -0800

Sign Up For Shop Software Spotlight
https://lu.ma/shop-software-spotlight

In this quick announcement episode, Bryant catches up with listeners after a brief hiatus and shares three exciting updates from the Better Sign Shop team.

Key Announcements:

- Podcast Update: The team is back after taking time to focus on work and family, with new episodes and guests lined up
- Shop Software Spotlight Series: A comprehensive demo program featuring seven major sign shop management software vendors including Ordant, SignTracker, Onyx Align, SquareCoil, InkSoft, InkWorks, and CoreBridge
- New Website Product: Preview of an upcoming website and marketing platform specifically built for sign shops

The Shop Software Spotlight series runs from November 14th through December 10th, featuring guided demonstrations and Q&A sessions with each vendor. Free registration available at lu.ma/shop-software-spotlight.

In this episode...
00:00 Intro & Welcome Back
01:15 Team Update
03:15 Shop Software Spotlight Announcement
13:30 Demo Series Schedule
18:15 New Website Product Preview
20:45 Closing

Are you a sign shop owner interested in being featured on the podcast or joining the website platform beta? Email hey@bettersignshop.com.

For software vendors interested in participating in the spotlight series, reach out to hey@bettersignshop.com.

Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our exclusive Facebook group for shop owners and managers at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind.

Carving a Niche // Jim Dawson of Synergy Sign & Graphics

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:05:00 -0700

Jim Dawson owns Synergy Sign & Graphics in Strasburg, OH. From humble beginnings in his basement 20 years ago, he has built a business that thrives on challenges and innovation. In this podcast, he shares his experiences with creative architectural signage.

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This episode is sponsored by:

GCI Digital Imaging
Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics.
Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.

Jaco Wholesale Sign Products
Looking to enhance your clients' impact and boost your profits with flat-cut acrylic letters and logos? Jaco Wholesale Sign Products delivers laser-cut acrylic letters and signage with quick turnaround times and excellent communication. They offer a wide range of mounting options, Pantone matching, several acrylic thicknesses, and nationwide shipping.
Visit https://sign.supply/bss/ for a quote and $50 off your first order.

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Links:
Dan Sawatzky Episode: https://youtu.be/QHOBWzf-5QY

Synergy Signs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synergy_signs/

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Key Points Discussed:

- Business and Personal life: Jim shares his business and personal life and how he and his wife manage it all together.

- Jim's Journey: Jim shares his journey and how he ended up with signage from an animator and cabinet shop.

-Architecture Projects: Jim shares with us his amazing architecture Projects and shows us the workflow of working with architecture Projects.

-Client Expectation: We dive deep into this conversation, discussing the importance of knowing and fulfilling clients' expectations and how to let clients know what we expect from them.

- Pricing Methods: Jim discusses his pricing method and how he decides or adjusts his pricing and profit margins.

- Changes in the industry: We discuss the positive and negative aspects of the industry's changes and how they will affect the market and the future of signage.

-Jim's Workshop: Jim talks about his workshop, which they conduct a few times per year. Y http://www.synergysign.com/sign-alchemy-workshops/

-Sign Shop School: Jim and Peter discuss their future plan to open a sign shop school and give back to the industry.

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro

00:38 Sponsor

01:27 Catching Up

04:40 Winning a Lottery

09:12 About Jim

10:25 Working with Wife

13:55 From Animator to cabinet shop to signage

19:12 The Progression.

22:12 Storefront walk-in traffic

28:07 Inflection Point

31:12 Jim’s architecture projects

33:12 Fulfilling Client Expectations

36:25 90-day Terms

38:18 Equipments

43:20 Fire Prevention

46:02 Workflow with architecture Projects.

52:30 Pricing Method

57:05 Changes in the Industry

01:02:42 Jim’s Workshop

01:12:12 Sign Shop School

Interested in being a guest on the show or have questions for our team? Reach out to us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Chill The F$&k Out // Dan Yoder of Sign Art Studio

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:12:48 -0700

In this episode, we're joined by Dan Yoder - the owner of Sign Art Studio, a killer sign shop with 30 people near Madison, Wisconsin. Dan has been in the industry since 2005 and gives us valuable insights on various topics such as the business and art side of the industry, the importance of systems and processes, hiring and managing employees, and more.

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This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging - Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for their exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics. Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.

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Key Points Discussed:

- Dan's Origin Story: Dan has always been interested in art and fell in love with this craft early in his life. Making mistakes, learning from them, and growing forward continuously. He started his own business in 2005 and now has a team of about 30.

- Team Management: Dan discusses Sign Art Studio, how he started the business, and how he tackled all of its problems. He tells us the structure of his team and how it works. He also shares the importance of Teamwork and how he manages his team to gain efficiency.

- Hiring Question: Dan answered one of the most asked questions about hiring. He shares his thoughts on hiring somebody with no experience or someone with some signage experience.

- Business and Art: We dive deep into this discussion where we all share our thoughts on the "Business" and "Art" side of the industry, which one has more importance, and how both can be managed.

- Processes and Systems: We discuss processes and systems, layers of processes, flexibility with systems, having processes to set or change processes, and much more. Dan shares the Sign Art Studios' way of working and how they have set up their workflow.

- Right Type of Clients: Working with the right type of clients is a different experience, as it is much more collaborative and engaging and brings out the best in everyone. Dan gives solid advice to shop owners on finding the right type of clients and shares how they qualify and classify their clients.

- Dan's Podcast: Dan does his own Podcast, which you must listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m41OxFQbSPo

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In this episode...

00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor
02:28 Welcoming Dan
05:30 Dan’s Journey
09:55 Sign Art Studio
16:50 Team management and working
21:30 Hiring People
25:30 Last 10-20 years of the industry
32:20 Process of onboarding a new employee
36:00 Business and art
47:40 Focus on Entrepreneurial Operating Systems
55:25 Motive
01:04:30 Processes and System
01:26:30 Future for Dan
01:29:05 Working with the right type of client
01:35:30 Dan’s Podcast
01:41:50 Rapid fire takeaways
01:46:20 Outro

Double Your Pricing // Paul Gardner of Sign Enterprise

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 04:57:49 -0800

In this episode we sit down with Paul Gardner, the entrepreneurial force behind Sign Enterprise. With over two decades in the sign industry, Paul shares his journey from a young enthusiast in vinyl graphics to a successful owner of multiple sign companies. His insights into business growth, innovative strategies, and maintaining work-life balance are invaluable for anyone in the industry.

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This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging - Your partner for large/grand format trade printing. Known for their exceptional customer service, GCI Digital Imaging is the go-to for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics. Discover more in Episode #9 or visit https://gci-digital.com.

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Key Points Discussed:

- Paul's Origin Story: Starting as a teenager fascinated by vinyl graphics, Paul's early experiences in the sign business laid the foundation for his future entrepreneurial ventures. His purchase of a local sign shop marked the beginning of his journey in business ownership.

- Growth and Acquisition: Paul discusses his strategy of acquiring struggling sign businesses, transforming them by implementing new systems, focusing on employee quality, and enhancing operational efficiency.

- Pricing Strategies: A pivotal shift in Paul's business approach was understanding the value of his service and adjusting his pricing model. He emphasizes the importance of not basing prices solely on industry averages but on the value delivered to clients.

- Diversification of Ventures: Paul shares insights into how his ventures in landscape lighting, Christmas light installations, and other industries complement his sign business. He highlights how ideas from different sectors can revolutionize traditional business models in the sign industry.

- Challenges and Solutions: Paul candidly discusses various challenges, such as change orders and unforeseen job complexities. He stresses the significance of clear communication and contractual agreements to manage client expectations and maintain profitability.

- Business Management and Work-Life Balance: Paul talks about the importance of building a business that can operate independently of the owner, allowing for a better work-life balance and opportunities for further growth.

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In this episode...
00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor
01:33 Catching up
04:02 Welcoming Paul Gardner
04:40 Paul's backstory in the sign business
10:50 Growth and acquisitions in Sign Enterprise
13:10 Innovations in pricing strategies
15:30 Diversification into related ventures
19:33 Overcoming challenges in sign installation
25:40 Insights into effective business management
28:40 Communication strategies for client satisfaction
38:26 Balancing work and personal life
40:32 Paul's approach to employee training and retention
43:30 Leveraging cross-industry ideas
47:10 Future plans for Sign Enterprise
51:30 Paul's perspective on emerging technologies in the industry
55:30 Advice for upcoming entrepreneurs in the sign industry
57:45 Closing thoughts and future directions for the podcast

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Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Interested in being a guest on the show or have questions for our team? Reach out to us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Show Up For Your Customers // James Neely of RP Signs

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 05:59:31 -0800

In the episode, James shares how RP Signs has reached 5 million without a sales representative and for the first time in three generations is hiring a sales rep. We also learn about how they have incredible retention for all their key employees in the business.

James Neely is the Director of Project Management at RP Signs from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the third-generation owner of RP Signs. They provide full end-to-end service for their clients in a few different verticals like healthcare, architects / design firms, and facilities management.

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging - Your grand format trade printing partner. Big or small, GCI does them all. Check them out at printgci.com

Owner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself. So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics...

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
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In this episode...

00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor
01:25 Catching up
05:30 Welcoming James
06:20 About James and RP Signs
08:25 Types of clients
11:50 James Journey
15:10 Why bring in a salesperson?
20:00 RP Signs Market Area
22:30 Business acquisition strategy
23:50 Getting into healthcare
26:20 Secret sauce of lasting this long
38:20 Pricing
40:00 Working in a family business
46:30 Keeping people around for years
48:50 Culture
54:50 Advice
55:30 Future for James, company and industry
57:30 Peter breaks "Culture"
01:02:30 Rapid fire takeaways

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

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Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)

Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Can I Quote That For You? // Evan Zebley of EZ Signs

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 05:44:25 -0800

Evan Zebley is the owner of EZ Signs. Evan started a sign business working alongside his sister. Within the first few months, the shop expanded into fleet graphics for distribution companies, custom-formed letters, custom-crafted and painted foam emblems and signs, monument signs, lighted cabinets, and more. Before launching EZ Sign Solutions, Evan worked in six different sign companies with different roles and responsibilities. He shares with us all of his experiences and learnings along the way. Another can't-miss episode!

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging - Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Owner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can go ahead and check out Episode #9 to see for yourself. So, if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
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In this episode...
00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor
01:33 Welcoming Evan
02:55 Evan’s journey in the industry
04:55 Getting a start in the industry
18:20 Equipment
21:50 Sales and marketing
25:50 Losing profit
32:45 Learnings of working with franchise
37:35 Thoughts on owning a shop
47:00 Imposter syndrome
54:15 Sales is the business
58:10 Evan’s methods of getting new business
01:06:15 Asking for the opportunity
01:15:40 Future for Evan

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

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Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)

Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Art Department Efficiency // Adam Wold of Creative Sign Designs

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:05:00 -0800

Having been in the industry for 23 years, Adam started as a production employee within a franchised sign company. From there, he moved into production management, then inside/outside sales, and now, for the last 6 years, he has been working as a Director of Project Development, managing the sign design team of Creative Sign Designs.

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging - Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
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In this episode...
00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor
01:33 Catching up
04:02 Welcoming Adam
04:40 Adam’s backstory
10:50 Creative Sign Designs
13:10 Role in creative sign designs
15:30 Adam’s team
19:33 Hiring Designers for 5700 requests
25:40 Hunting for good people
28:40 Workflow and processes of the business
38:26 Helping designers design
40:32 Day-to-day within the department
43:30 Advice for the small design team
47:10 Facilitating communication across department
51:30 Thoughts on A.I
55:30 Useful CorelDRAW plugin
57:45 Future for Creative Sign Designs

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com.

Will it be fun? // Dan Sawatzky of Imagination Corporation //

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 02:07:00 -0700

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
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In this episode...
00:00 Intro
02:20 Welcome Dan
03:10 About Dan
05:10 Ordinary stuff
06:20 Starting shop in high school
08:10 Imagination Corporation, today vs when it started
12:15 Looking at things differently.
14:20 Test for customers (5 Questions)
18:10 Deviating from the questions
19:54 Owning only half a percent of the business
20:49 Difference of opinion
22:23 Different Process
24:10 Types of Projects
31:50 How much does location matter?
33:20 Contacting customers
36:40 Scope of Projects
38:40 Building Experiences
40:40 Pieces of Advice
48:15 Family Business
56:30 Inner working of the Business
01:01:40 Future for dan
01:06:30 Outro

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)

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Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsig...

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

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Would you be interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

Your Success is on You // Brad Rapone of Trade Wraps and TORQ

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 02:07:00 -0700

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Owner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing old-school customer service. You can check out Episode #9 to see for yourself. So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
---
In this episode...
00:00 Intro
02:00 Mike’s nickname
03:00 Guest intro
04:40 Corel draw Mac and PC
08:20 Brad’s Backstory
09:00 Experience in the sign business and the failures
15:30 Getting back after the failure.
20:10 Hitting a million dollars
22:20 Steps to make a big change
27:10 More about the business and change
32:20 Cash flow quadrant
36:15 Why trade wraps
38:00 Why Brad over Dan
43:45 Developing TORQ
48:00 Getting into different Industry
54:50 Pricing for TORQ
58:00 Business through text messaging and E-mail
59:55 Building your own system or buying
01:03:20 Enjoying the business side now or miss the old days
01:08:05 What does Brad wants to be remembered for
01:10:20 Outro
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Brad’s Wrap Business

TradeWraps
https://tradewraps.com/

Brad’s CRM
TorqCRM
https://www.torqcrm.com/

Ready to systemise and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)

##-##
Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsig...

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

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Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

Signs of Balance // Shane Durnford of Jayce Fox Studio

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 02:07:00 -0700

You’ve seen his work even if you didn’t know his name. Legendary sign crafter Shane Durnford joins us for a mindblowing conversation about our chosen craft. 🤯 Shane opens up about his personal experience with burnout. And he also shares invaluable advice for those looking to venture into high end signage – revealing a little bit about his secret sauce. Another can’t miss episode!
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This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
---
In this episode...
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:30 Catching up
00:04:20 Bryant’s Appendix surgery
00:09:00 Guest intro
00:13:00 Shane’s backstory
00:16:10 First high-relief carving
00:17:25 Shane’s designs / Emotion and commerce
00:24:00 Shane’s not a sign guy
00:34:18 Stepping away from the industry
00:41:10 Avoiding burnout
00:50:15 Obsession to detail
00:56:25 Creative Process
01:07:45 Advice for sign shop
01:15:40 Future Plans
01:19:29 What Shane wants to be remembered for
01:24:07 Shane’s workshop
01:27:02 Outro

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Links from the Show

Recommended Books
------
The Old Way of Seeing
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Way-Seeing-How-Back/dp/039574010X/

Shane’s Work
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It speaks for itself… Check out his website
https://jaycefoxstudios.com/environmental-sign-design

Shane’s Workshop
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If you’re at all interested in furthering your design skills and becoming a better sign maker, check out the details and join Shane’s in-person workshop.
https://jaycefoxstudios.com/sign-design-workshop

Other Signmakers to Follow
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Dirk Rampling
https://www.dirkssigns.com.au/

Roger Cox
https://houseofsignsco.com/carved-dimensional-signs-colorado/

Dan Sawatzky
https://www.imaginationcorporation.com/attractions

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Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)

-##-##-
Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

-##-##-
Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Reach out to us.

Getting on the Right Track // Joe Arenella - Signtracker

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 01:26:08 -0700

Having owned two sign businesses and a software company that creates shop management software for the sign industry, Joe Arenella has seen the industry from a few different angles. He joins us to talk about his journey in the industry, what it's like making software for sign makers, and more. He also shares his advice for newer business owners and how to get unstuck.

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
---
In this episode...
00:00 Intro
02:20 Peter's ChatGPT experience
05:54 Guest intro
07:30 Need of software like SignTracker and the journey
17:30 Favorite feature about SignTracker
19:55 Takeaways from SignTracker
23:15 Support team in SignTracker
24:50 Attracting the next 500 shops
31:00 Growing technology
34:40 Process for delivering
37:30 Why SignTracker software over others
41:00 Onboarding with the software
44:50 Missing Piece
48:00 From Technician to Owner
53:45 Mental health and alcohol

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign/

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

Happy Hour with Jeff Sherman

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 23 May 2023 02:07:00 -0700

We're joined by Jeff Sherman for this special happy-hour episode. Be warned 🤣 – we're a little loose.
An old friend with an epic beard – Jeff Sherman has 20+ years of sign industry experience and 10+ years of running operations at a fairly large shop.
We discussed about shifting from vinyl to fab and electrical, safety protocols, managing growth and many other interesting topics.

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
---
In this episode...
00:00 - Intro
02:25 - Mike's new name
05:25 - Jeff's intro
08:00 - Peter's question on having a full time trainer
14:00 - Shifting from vinyl
29:10 - Mike on installation and its importance
43:20 - Mailbox question on safety protocols
46:40 - Peter's two incidents on safety protocols and learning
58:05 - Training staff to not let customers run your business
01:07:12 - How to manage growth
01:33:20 - Peter's question to Bryant
01:42:12 - Rapid fire takeaways and outro

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsig...

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

Remodeling Your Business // Maggie Harlow - Owner of Signarama Downtown - Louisville KY

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 09 May 2023 03:24:10 -0700

We're joined by Maggie Harlow – the successful owner of Signarama Downtown in Louisville KY. She's a leader in the industry and also a columnist for Signs of The Times. We talk about her journey in the sign industry – from jumping into ownership without any industry experience, through managing large national projects for clients, and then to completely "re-modeling" her business when the old model no longer fit. There are lots of great nuggets and advice in this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.
---
In this episode...
00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Welcome
04:41 - Welcoming Maggie
06:20 - Signarama vs FastSigns
07:30 - Maggie's story
10:20 - What is perfect about the sign industry?
15:15 - Love/hate relationship with the industry
17:43 - 1st full year as a franchise owner and doing a million
23:30 - 90 buses in 90 days?
26:20 - Other managed projects
31:00 - The time frame for the transition
37:10 - Picky about doing projects
38:50 - Saying NO to customers
42:40 - Favorite type of sign to make
44:00 - Advice for shop owners
45:55 - Present trends and the future of the industry
48:45 - Future of Maggie's business
50:00 - Maggie's leadership team
58:00 - Thanks to Maggie
01:02:23 - Rapid takeaways

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bette...)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsig...

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

Rising To The Challenge // Karrie Brock - Owner of FASTSIGNS Toledo

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 02:07:00 -0700

We're joined by national brand and sign package award winner Karrie Brock – owner of two FASTSIGNS locations / Toledo and Maumee OH. We discuss her conversion from an independent sign shop to the FASTSIGNS franchise and how they handle large fabrication projects that the franchise is not typically known for. We also discuss women in the sign industry and Karrie sets us straight on what men in the sign industry sometimes get wrong.

---
This episode is sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large/grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com.

In this episode...

00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Welcome
02:10 - Peter's Sign shop consulting/coaching Experience
08:45 - Guest introduction
14:15 - Karrie welcome
15:55 - Karrie's journey
19:00 - Advantages of being a franchise vs. independent company
23:20 - Most Advantageous benefit
26:40 - Awards/City Eggs project and Peter's shocker
34:30 - Key to turn the customer to the largest account
36:03 - What do men do wrong?
40:20 - Working with husband
42:56 - Experience as a woman in the industry
44:15 - Advice for other women in the industry
46:50 - Women asking better questions than most men
48:40 - Fastsigns and fabricating
58:35 - Future plans
01:01:00 - Closing

---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

Art Department Automation // Brian Saetre - Founder of TaskOS and ArtworkIQ

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 02:07:00 -0700

Join us as dive into automating your art department with automation guru Brian Saetre. Brian founded an artwork services company before creating his latest proejct TaskOS – which is focused on making your designers more effective and efficient. We also touch on artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney during this interesting discussion.

You'll walk away with some helpful tips and tricks on automation.
---
This episode sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large / grand format trade printing partner

Owner T.J. Bedacht and his team focus on providing customer service the old-school way. Check out Episode #9 to see for yourself. So if you're looking for a wholesale print provider for banners, coroplast signs, vehicle wraps, and other digitally printed graphics

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com
---
In this episode...
-
-
-
---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

Elevating Our Craft // Interview with Tom McIltrot - Founder of SignCraft Magazine

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 06:18:00 -0700

Join us for an interview with sign industry legend - Tom McIlltrot – one of the founders of SignCraft magazine. Michael described this episode as his "Christmas" – given how much of learned so much from SignCraft over the years.

Tom tells us the history of SignCraft and shares a few amazing stories. He gives us his take on the future of the industry and shares some advice on how to compete as a modern sign shop.

---
This episode sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large / grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com

---
In this episode...
-
-
-
---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Reach out to us.

How To Choose Your Sign Shop Management Software

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 02:06:00 -0700

This is definitely the song that never ends 🐑. Right up there with pricing questions – "What sign shop management software are you using?" is asked weekly in every sign industry forum, Facebook group, and any other place sign folks gather.

Shop management software is a foundational piece of running a successful sign shop and can truly help you scale, grow, and manage your shop. Listen as two sign shop management software nerds talk through our advice and recommendations for every shop owner.

We cover:
- Using generic tools like Trello, Airtable, and others as your shop management software
- Using off the shelf sign and print shop management software
- Estimate (http://www.estimatesoftware.com/)
- Sign Tracker (https://www.sign-tracker.com/)
- Cyrious (https://www.cyrious.com/products/control/)
- shopVOX (https://www.shopvox.com/)
- Corebridge (https://corebridge.net/)
- Square Coil (Formerly V-Sign Software) (https://squarecoil.com/)
- Must have advice for implementing sign and print shop management software
---
This episode sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large / grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com

---
In this episode...
-
-
-
---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?

Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

How to Grow Your Shop in a Small Town // Chris Fleniken of Real Graphics

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 02:56:26 -0800

One of the questions that we get all the time is "How do I grow my shop?". It's usually followed by "in a small city or town". Not every sign maker lives in a large metro area with tons of opportunity for growth.

In this episode, we're joined by Chris Fleniken of Real Graphics in Lufkin, Texas. Chris has built a small business empire by playing the long game. We cover:

- How to grow your shop
- The importance of diversifying your income streams
- What role community plays in your success

---
This episode sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large / grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com

---
In this episode...
-
-
-
---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?

Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Design Like Lives are at Stake // Dan Antonelli of KickCharge Creative

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 03:00:44 -0800

Industry legend – Dan Antonelli of KickCharge Creative joins us to talk about his new book Branded Not Blanded and to discuss why you're playing with fire if you're not educating your sign shop's customers on the importance of design and branding.

Make sure you pick up a copy of Dan's latest book – Branded Not Blanded – at
https://www.kickcharge.com/books/
---
This episode sponsored by:
GCI Digital Imaging
Your large / grand format trade printing partner

Learn more and place your first order at https://gci-digital.com

---
In this episode...
-
-
-
---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

###

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

###

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/
---

Interested in being a guest on the show? Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?

Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Navigating Your Shop's Legacy // Taylor Kraenzel of Vizion Signs

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 02:02:00 -0800

Taylor Kraenzel of Vizion Signs (https://www.vizionsigns.com/) joins us to talk about what it's like to take over and modernize the family business while still trying to retain the craft and eye for artwork that they were known for.

Taylor's grandfather started the shop way back in 1966. And they're still going strong. Just a heads up – this one runs a bit long but we had a blast. We cover a ton of great topics and we even get to flip the script a bit at the end.

In this episode...

Mike dies from laughter (01:45)
Mike - the Sign Chimichanga - tries to give Bryant a nickname (02:40)
Peter shares some big news about his future (09:56)
Taylor shares his backstory (19:09)
Taylor's takeaways from success in the real estate industry (26:16)
Balancing the art focus and the commerical side (38:21)
In a competitive market, how does Vizion stand out? (46:08)
The profitability of the business (01:07:15)
How to outsource installation (01:10:05)
Is focusing on vehicle wraps a good avenue for growth? (01:28:20)
Takeaways for Taylor (01:40:00)

---

Ready to systemize and scale your shop?
Start by creating your free account on the Better Sign Shop platform at https://my.bettersignshop.com/

Are you a sign or print shop owner?
Join the Better Sign Shop Community - our free Facebook group exclusively for shop owners and managers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/)

---

Want to follow the crusty sign guys?

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

---

Interested in being a guest on the show?
Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

How to Lose an Employee in 10 Days: Lessons on Building A Killer Team // Jeff Sherman

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 03:15:00 -0800

Are you struggling with finding and keeping good employees? Learn what it really takes to onboard a new employee and how to keep valuable team members motivated and engaged.

An old friend with an epic beard – Jeff Sherman – joins us for a conversation on employees and building a solid team. Jeff has 20+ years of sign industry experience and 10+ years of running operations at a fairly large shop.

We cover a lot of topics related to building a killer team. You won't be disappointed.

In this episode...

Jeff's new nicknames for Mike (01:25)
Origin of the sign shop Yoda (06:14)
Jeff's sign industry backstory (08:45)
The biggest struggle for shops nationwide (15:20)
Building up your people (16:32)
Developing employees takes time (23:40)
To grow as a business and an owner... (32:00)
Onboarding time (33:33)
The standard for industry training (40:35)
Don't just learn from mistakes... (51:40)
How to keep employees long term (53:23)
Give employees enough space to fail (59:18)
What caused Jeff to leave his position (1:05:09)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

The Importance of Customer Experience // TJ Bedacht - GCI Digital

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:44:00 -0700

We hate buzzwords. And “customer experience” is one that everyone one the internet seems to SHOUT about as a key driver for growth.

But once you wade through all the gimmicks and hype, it is a very important concept to apply in your shop.

Tj Bedacht from grand format trade printer GCI Digital Imaging – talk about customer experience and coming through for customers day in and day out.

//////////////////////////////////////

In this episode...
-

//////////////////////////////////////
Links from the Episode

GCI Digital Website
http://www.gci-digital.com?ref=bettersignshop

That Rusty Bus Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/thatrustybus/

//////////////////////////////////////
Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop
- Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
- Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
- Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design
- Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting
- Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com
Interested in being a potential guest on the show?

Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Surviving the Next Shopacolypse // Mike Davis and Scott Dean - Hilltop Signs and Graphics

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:30:29 -0700

How did your shop survive COVID? If you're like a lot of shop owners, the answer might be "just barely". But would your business survive yet another disaster after making it through COVID?

Listen in as shop owner - Mike Davis - and ops manager - Scott Dean - from Hilltop Signs & Graphics in Maryland tell their story of business survival. This was a killer interview with lots of great takeaways on how to survive (and even thrive) in hard times – which we may be facing yet again if you listen to the news.

In this episode...

All the emotions (02:37)
Was COVID a recession? (07:13)
Are we entering (or already in) a recession (10:01)
Peter's COVID strategy (14:41)
Introducing Mike and Scott (20:31)
Mike's story Hilltop Signs and Graphics (24:14)
Who is Scott? (33:42)
How did Hilltop survive COVID? (39:20)
Disaster strikes again (47:03)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air? Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show? Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

When To Invest In Your Shop

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 03:30:00 -0700

Michael, Peter, and Bryant are back with more answers to listener questions. They cover...

When should you invest in your shop?
How do I handle a client that's NOT happy with their vehicle wrap even though they approved the proof ?
What should my markups on materials be?

In this episode, we discuss...

Mike's panic about his upcoming wedding (01:59)
Diving into when to invest in your shop (06:57)
Peter's reason why he bought his first printer (09:21)
Should you buy a new piece of equipment if you don't have time to learn how to use it (15:50)
Why training is as important as any equipment you buy (20:10)
Other types of investment into your team (27:51)
The importance of simply paying your team well (31:15)
How to handle un-happy customers (35:27)
The situation is never black and white (39:15)
Handling the situation (43:37)
What to set your material markups at (51:40)

Links from the episode

Topaz Labs (for enhancing pixelated images) https://www.topazlabs.com/
Wrap Institute (for video courses on wrapping vehicles) https://wrapinstitute.com/

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Outsourcing Your Way To Freedom // Jeremy Siegers - Sharp Mill Graphics

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 03:36:05 -0700

Michael and Bryant discuss the benefits of outsourcing and the lessons they learned. The guys are joined by guest Jeremy Siegers from Sharp Mill Graphics. Jeremy recently completely transformed his entire business by ditching his shop and letting his production staff go to work 100% remotely. He's changed his business to fit his ideal lifestyle.

In this episode, we discuss...

Mike's nutty catalytic converter story (01:10)
Post Malone and Country Singers (04:54)
Mike's take on outsourcing (6:00)
How much outsourcing the guys did in their shops (9:14)
Why not to buy that new equipment (11:56)
Don't underestimate the maintenance and service (16:45)
What you should outsource (21:52)
Outsourcing overflow is OK (23:50)
Intro to Jeremy and Sharp Mill (26:30)
The tipping point for Jeremy (38:00)
How Jeremy is vetting vendors (48:15)
Rapid fire takeaways (57:00)

Links from the episode

Sharp Mill Graphics (https://sharpmill.com)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Shop Owner Q&A - August

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 02:42:49 -0700

Instead of riffing on a single topic, we answer three important questions from podcast listeners. If you're a shop owner, you've got answers to these at some point – so listen in and see if you agree with our recommendations.

1. How do you address minimum orders and how to handle the walk-ins requesting $50 lettering/signs? Also how minimums might apply to large accounts that frequently request small orders in between larger orders?

2. How much should you be paying yourself as the owner of a sign shop

3. How can I get new leads for my sign company? What’s worked well for you all?

In this episode, we discuss...

How to address minimum orders (09:13)
The importance of qualifying customers (13:05)
Locking the doors and going appointment only (14:46)
Walk-in customers get shown the door for $50 (16:37)
'Shop minimums' creating poor experiences for customers (19:21)
How to use a minimum order amount to upsell (22:28)
What to do when large accounts need small orders (29:07)
The difference between a large account vs a good account (33:53)
How much should you be paying yourself? (35:08)
Are you a key employee as well as an owner? (38:17)
Importance of having financial experts on your team (42:07)
How can I get new leads for my shop? (43:37)
Who's your customer (46:34)
Using pay-per-click ads (49:04)
Don't ignore face-to-face marketing (51:13)
Rapid-fire takeaways (57:01)

Links from the episode

Sign Shop Talk Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/signshoptalk)
Better Sign Shop Mastermind (https://www.bettersignshop.com/sign-shop-mastermind)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Stop Fumbling The Handoff

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Most mistakes in a sign or print shop are made during the handoffs. When a job is handed from sales to design, from design to production, from production to install. It's important that you manage the handoff well in order to ensure things are completed on time and customers stay happy.

In this episode, we discuss...

Peter has a crisis over Disney's power bill (02:30)
Mike's fixer upper (04:28)
Mike's football knowledge (09:35)
Where do most breakdowns happen (11:54)
It's all about communication (14:20)
Fast Signs sing-along (15:44)
Importance of meetings once per week (17:15)
Using tools like Slack to communicate internally (21:16)
Bryant gives his favorite email / team communication tool (26:57)
What are some symptoms of poor handoffs (34:11)
Blame the sales team (38:58)
Don't blame the sales team (43:20)
Job shadowing as a way to improve teamwork (52:00)
The meat and potatoes (54:50)
Rapid fire takeaways (59:59)

Links from the episode

Slack - team group chat tool the guys discussed (https://slack.com/)
Missive - Bryant's recommendation for a shared inbox tool (https://missiveapp.com/?ref_id=E9E18DBF7CBA)
Many Requests - Mike's recommendation for managing client submitted design jobs (http://manyrequests.com/)
Jim Justice Memes (https://giphy.com/search/jim-justice)
Money Pit - 80s movie with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/)
Mike's home remodeling blog (https://oursomedayhouse.squarespace.com/)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Growing Pains // Luc Michaud of Signtek Industries

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:11:38 -0700

Are you experiencing growing pains in your shop? Things starting to fall through the cracks? Listen in as the guys discuss the challenges of managing a growing shop.

Luc Michaud, co-owner of Signtek Industries (http://signtek.ca/) in Prince George, British Columbia – joins us to talk about some of their own experiences with 25% growth year over year since 2012.

In this episode, we discuss...

Turning away money (08:05)
Abandoning your vision you first had for your shop (09:59)
The growth of Luc's company (19:44)
Signtek's major roadblocks (21:09)
The breakout of Signtek's current staff (24:56)
Luc's growth strategy for the company (27:49)
The bottlenecks of smaller jobs vs larger jobs (36:10)
The benefits of systems-based shops and franchises like Fast Signs (43:37)
All the different funny business names in Canada (54:23)
The technician vs business owner personalities (55:37)
Why Peter ACTUALLY got into the sign business (01:07:59)
Why Luc is excited about the future of his shop (01:11:27)

Links from the episode

Pablo Torres's book - Visual Identity (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2HK724X/)
FastSigns (https://www.fsfastsigns.com/own-a-fastsigns/)
Better Sign Shop Mastermind (https://www.bettersignshop.com/sign-shop-mastermind)

Follow the crusty sign guys

Bryant from Better Sign Shop

Better Sign Shop Website: https://www.bettersignshop.com
Better Sign Shop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bettersignshop
Better Sign Shop Community for sign shop owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettersignshopmastermind/

Michael from Letterbox Sign Design

Letterbox Sign Design Website: https://www.letterboxsigndesign.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Letterboxsigndesign

Peter from Sign Shop Consulting

Sign Shop Consulting Website: https://www.signshopconsulting.com/

Have questions you'd like to hear us answer on the air?
Email us at hey@bettersignshop.com

Interested in being a potential guest on the show?
Fill out our guest form at https://airtable.com/shrXZebg0Ou7u5ovU

Leave The Faucet Running

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 16:56:24 -0700

Michael, Peter, and Bryant debate where to spend your time and money when working on your marketing. Learn some of their favorite ideas for marketing your sign shop.

Pricing Problems

Peter Kourounis, Michael Riley, and Bryant Gillespie — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 05:42:17 -0700

The inaugural episode of the podcast – Peter, Michael, and Bryant discuss the biggest problem they've seen in the industry – pricing yourself too cheap. Learn how to know if you're pricing yourself short, how to respond to customers who question your pricing, and more.