Meet Our Franchisees
Mark Phelps, FASTSIGNS Kingston upon Thames
Now one of the network’s most acclaimed franchisees, and a franchise mentor in his own right, Mark Phelp’s story is a great example of how clever investment and the drive towards continual improvement is the key to success – with a little help from FASTSIGNS, of course!
Following a long and hugely successful corporate career, an opportunity presented itself to make a life-changing decision. Seizing the chance for voluntary redundancy from his project manager role with BG Group at age 42, Mark found himself looking for a fresh, new challenge. After considering many options, Mark decided to purchase an already established FASTSIGNS centre, located in Kingston upon Thames in November 2005.
Mark explains, “I’d considered several franchises, before deciding on FASTSIGNS – what drew me to the brand was the franchise model. I liked the fact I could run my own business, put my practical skills to work, and oversee every aspect of production, from start to finish. Another attraction was in the fact the business did not need a high personal investment in terms of my time; I still had evenings and weekends to myself, to spend time with my family.”
Onwards and upwards
In January 2016, after successfully owning and operating the FASTSIGNS Kingston upon Thames centre for 10 years, Mark renewed his franchise agreement for a further 10 years and decided to accelerate the growth of his business. “The business had been ticking along nicely over the past 10 years,” says Mark. “After signing up for a further 10 years, the opportunity to lease the building next door to the one my centre operated out of became available. We were running out of space, which was preventing us from reaching our maximum potential. So, I made the decision to expand into the next building, transforming our space from 1,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet.”
Mark then invested in high-performance equipment to enhance his range of products and services. “Since we have invested in new equipment, our profits have soared. We can now manufacture more products in-house, rather than out-sourcing, effectively increasing production by approximately 30%, which has had a huge, positive impact on our turnover. Not only this, but the new equipment has enabled us to increase our range of products, because we can print on even more materials.”
Overcoming challenges
Even for an experienced franchisee like Mark, the road to success has not been without its share of bumps and obstacles. We’re sure we don’t need to tell you how challenging 2016 – 2021 have been for many UK businesses, thanks to the unpredictability of Brexit followed by a global pandemic.
Mark, like many other business owners, was concerned about the negative impact these events could potentially have on his business. However, the combination of his own determination and ingenuity, and the increased support FASTSIGNS offered meant he not only survived but thrived! In fact, he’s seen a big increase in his business year-on-year as his unique offerings have empowered him to take advantage of a big boom currently being seen in the signage industry.
What’s next?
Mark is the kind of ambitious franchise owner who never rests on his laurels. He’s always looking for ways to strengthen his team and is among the first to adopt new technology and processes, whenever the brand introduces them. So much so, Mark has played a pivotal role in helping others in FASTSIGNS’ network as a valued mentor to new franchisees, such as Simon and Friederike Slee from FASTSIGNS Hammersmith.
Mark has truly embraced the ethos of growing and supporting others; something central to the FASTSIGNS franchise ethos – after all, we’re stronger together! Is it time you were a part of it? To find out more, contact us on: 01785 253140, or visit the next steps page of our website and complete the online form to request a call.