Fastsigns of Greater Austin Owner Launches Women’s Networking Group

Jolie Cypert, owner and CEO of Fastsigns of Greater Austin, TX, has recently launched a networking group for female Fastsigns franchisees.

The idea came to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Cypert emailed a group of Fastsigns franchisees to develop a virtual group that could offer each other support and activities online. “It was a lifeline if you didn’t know you needed to shut down. It was really powerful to be able to walk alongside with other women who are doing similar things in their community,” Cypert says. “We got creative with it: We did a wine tasting, we all ordered the same wine and met virtually. We had a couple of trips.”

Missing that sense of community, in 2025 Cypert emailed the franchisees who were planning to attend the August Fastsigns sales summit to meet up and reconnect. Using Google Chat, they exchange advice alike on signmaking and personal struggles. In person, the group was provided with a meeting space at the 2026 Fastsigns Convention, allowing them to deepen their connections and share popularity gifts.

With 60 franchisees in the group and growing, Cypert is now planning weekly virtual meetups where they can discuss leadership skill, technical information, electrical signage and any other topic that appeals to each member. For her part, Cypert is seeking to formalize a mentor-mentee network that connects new franchisees with more experienced members.

“What’s important to me about the group is that it’s a good way to create community,” she says. “With all the tech in our phones, sometimes we get lonely and forget to connect. It’s a key part to the life journey and the franchisee journey just to have that sense of community, and hopefully the group can help fill that need because you’re lonely if you’re not building a community and you can’t talk to your staff. Having people who understand it can really help.”