Sign Company Investments of $10K, $50K and $100K

WHAT WOULD YOU INVEST in your sign company if you suddenly came into tens of thousands of dollars or even $100,000? And yes, this dream depends on putting the cash into the shop and/or its employees. No luxury vacations, no new sports cars, swimming pools or fabulously updated kitchens and baths.

We asked our Brain Squad exactly that question. As expected, the answers varied widely but generally fell into a few categories. Approximately 2 out of 3 listed equipment purchases of all sorts (see below). System or technology upgrades, staff additions or training, and a few novel concepts were also mentioned.

Many in the Brain Squad also expressed a desire to increase their workspace, such as the “larger shop for fabrication” on the wishlist for Christy Young, Fine Signs & Graphics Inc. (Williamsburg, VA). Lauren Cassel, too, from Fastsigns of Harrisburg, PA would put $100K into a new building or expansion “because we are running out of space!”

Following are the squad’s other winning-ticket investment strategies.

$10K Investments

• Maintenance on equipment. — Gary Gower Jr., G&L’s Sign Factory, Bethlehem, PA
• If materials dip, it could be $10K in stock materials. — John Konopka, US Sign and Mill, Fort Myers, FL
• An employee give-back. — Jonathon Yasko, North American Signs, South Bend, IN
• More cameras for the property to monitor activity. — Ben Phillips, Phillips Signs Inc., Seaford, DE
• Professional development and education. — Russell Toynes, Studio Dzo, Austin, TX
• New POS and management software. — Sarah Dixon, Unified Sign and Design, Louisville, KY
• DTF printers. — David Hall, Hall Designs, Staten Island, NY
• Invest more in social media/marketing. — Kelly Bookheimer, The Mad Signtist, Myrtle Beach, SC
• New hot laminator. — Perry Yaremchuk, City of Kelowna, Kelowna, BC, Canada
• Training or raises for our team. — Joe Allen, So Easy Signs, Middletown, OH

• If we had $10,000 to invest, we would focus on efficiency-enhancing equipment such as a DTF printer for apparel applications or a small-format laser engraver to expand our capabilities in promotional and specialty signage. At the $50,000 level, we would invest in advancing our digital printing capabilities — upgrading to a higher-speed, higher-resolution wide-format printer to improve turnaround times, print quality and material versatility. With $100,000 or more, we would prioritize adding an in-house flatbed printer and integrated-cutter system to increase production capacity, reduce outsourcing, expand rigid-substrate capabilities, and significantly improve margins and scheduling control. — Nick Prentice, Blue River Digital, Columbia City, IN

$50K Investments

• Completely reorganize our shop (buildouts, etc). We are outgrowing our space. — Deb Jerolymack, Houston Sign Co., Houston
• Laser. — Bernard Giarraputo, L.S. Sign Co., Ridgewood, NY
• UV printer. — Sara Geiger, Fox Cities Sign, Appleton, Wi
• Another racking system to increase floor space. — Melanie Harden, Creative Sign Designs, Tampa, FL
• Start a company employee internal bank. — Steven Carpenter, Archetype, Bloomington, MN
• Equipment investments, probably CNC router and/or small flatbed printer for rigid substrates; possibly a new company vehicle. — Lauren Cassel, Fastsigns of Harrisburg, PA
• More space for a spray booth and prep table. — Art Roti, Belmeade Signs, Granby, CT
• Additional roll-to-roll printer. — Ted DeWitt, Signarama Covina, Covina, CA
• All new Epson printers. — Matthew Taylor, Galaxy Sign Co., Seattle
• Upgrade an installation van. — James Neely, RP Signs, Charlotte, NC

• $10K: I’d invest in efficiency and sales support — upgrading design and estimating workflows, improving shop lighting and tools, and creating stronger sales assets like professional mockups and photography that help close jobs faster. $50K: I’d put the money into production capacity and quality — adding or upgrading core equipment, improving climate-controlled install space, and expanding vehicle graphics and wrap capabilities to reduce outsourcing and speed turnaround. $100K: I’d invest in long-term scalability — major production equipment, building or shop improvements that allow year-round installs, and systems that reduce bottlenecks so the business can grow without adding constant stress or labor. — Dennis Schaub, FastTrack Signs, Bellefontaine, OH

$100K Investments

• Acquire another sign company. — Jeff Thomas, Crossroad Sign, Lynnwood, WA
• A new staff person. — Earl Walker, Image360 Tucker, Tucker, GA
• Flatbed printer. — Brett Jeltema, Fresh Coast Signs & Graphics, Spring Lake, MI
• SDS Automation channel letter bender. — Michael Snow, Innovative Sign Systems, Vista, CA
• A building that would better suit our business. — Gary Feldmann, Express Sign & Logo, Monticello, IA
• A newer (used) secondary bucket truck, possibly add a laser cutter and investigate 3D printing. — Rocco Gaskins, Abco Signs, Pennsauken, NJ
• Flatbed fiber laser cutter. — Todd Sallas, Coastal Signs & Graphics, Slocomb, AL

• To keep it quick and simple, yet effective, let’s go with the smaller $10,000. Workflow optimization and training would be the goal. I’d put this into staff development and workflow-efficiency tools like color-management training, calibration gear, and updates to our design and proofing software. It’s not as glamorous as a new printer, but sharpening the team’s skills and streamlining production usually pay back faster than new hardware. — Derek Atchley, Derek Atchley Creative, Columbus, OH

Bucket (Truck) List

• Michael Flanagan, Signs Par Excellence, Santa Rosa, CA
• Rocco Gaskins, Abco Signs, Pennsauken, NJ
• Bernard Giarraputo, L.S. Sign Co., Ridgewood, NY
• Chris Lerback, CL Sign & Lighting/Big C Signs, Rapid City, SD
• Ben Phillips, Phillips Signs Inc., Seaford, DE
• Matthew Taylor, Galaxy Sign Co., Seattle

Would Go the CNC Route

• Paul Botting, ProSource Signs, Derry, NH
• Lauren Cassel, Fastsigns of Harrisburg, PA
• Sarah Dixon, Unified Sign and Design, Louisville, KY
• Sara Geiger, Fox Cities Sign, Appleton, WI
• Melanie Harden, Creative Sign Designs, Tampa, FL
• Paul Havenaar, Sign Impressions, Kalamazoo, MI
• Alan Hubbard, Pro Image Design, Traverse City, MI
• Brett Jeltema, Fresh Coast Signs & Graphics, Spring Lake, MI
• Derrick Weinbrecht, Creative Signs, Topeka, KS

Already Under Consideration

• Our shop CRM software for more modern capabilities. In this fast-paced world, we are going to try to be as paperless as possible. Techs will have iPads for onsite installs and we will manage and log everything electronically instead of physically having work orders in the shop. — Kurt Stoner, Stoner Graphix, Hummelstown, PA
• Our fleet of trucks and service vehicles. Accounting for upcoming project demands, safety concerns and reviewing maintenance records all play a factor in the decision process. — Matt Robinson, Eastern Sign Tech, Burlington, NJ

Also on the Wish List

• New cutters. — Christopher Potts, DCS Corp., Fort Lauderdale, FL
• New paint booth. — James Cota, JC Signs & Graphics, Clear Lake, MN
• 10-ft. power brake. — Bruce Fish, Signal Sign Co., Livingston, NJ
• Foundation equipment, mini excavator. — Mike Crosley, Northeastern Sign Corp., South Colton, NY
• Integrating our systems. — Gayle Goodman Lynch, It’s A Good Sign, Dallas
• Staff. — Myke Baugh, Roughrider Signs & Designs, Jamestown, ND
• A new mechanical shear or a truck storage barn. — Shaun Ensign, Legacy Sign Group, Westville, IN
• Wrap training to increase our productivity. — Kelley Campbell, Specialty Graphic Solutions, Vancouver, WA
• 3D printers and training. — Myrna Orensten, Imaginality Designs, Golden Valley, MN

Actually Investing $15-50K

• Between $15-20K in March on setting up the new shop we are planning to be in by April. — Ian McLellan, Hill House Graphics, Bristol, RI
• $25-50K in staff training, including customer and vendor communication, estimating best practices, PM training for profitable and successful outcomes, design team on vision and sign types/finishes, sales team on prospecting, closing and saying no to bright shiny objects. — Rick Ferraro, Spectrum Sign Systems, Blaine, MN

Where’d That $$$ Go?

• A $10K company party. — Steven Carpenter, Archetype, Bloomington, MN
• That bada$$ install truck we’ve been wanting! — Joe Allen, So Easy Signs, Middletown, OH
• Stash it away. — James Neely, RP Signs, Charlotte, NC
• In my pocket. — Robert Burke, Burke Enterprise, Oakdale, CT