AlphaGraphics added three new franchisees to its global network in November, the sixth consecutive month of record growth for the brand recently highlighted in the Franchise Times Top 200.

Curtis Gropman in Marietta, Ga. recently acquired an independent print shop and is in the process of converting it to an AlphaGraphics Business Center. He brings 15 years of senior sales experience with the Coca Cola system, most recently as vice president of category management for North America. Gropman holds a degree in merchandise management from Michigan State University.Headquartered in Salt Lake City, AlphaGraphics, Inc. plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at nearly 300 owner-operated, locally based business centers worldwide.

Chris Iacuzzo recently acquired an independent print shop and is in the process of converting it to an AlphaGraphics Business Center in Orlando, Fla. He was previously a senior staff engineer at NDI Recognition Systems, having held senior positions with Northrop Grumman and other prominent corporations in the defense and space industry. He is currently completing a master’s in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology and holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of Florida.

Ken and Barbara Adams of Colleyville, Texas have signed a franchise agreement, and are exploring AlphaGraphics options in the Dallas area and in other states. Ken spent 18 years with Pepsico, serving most recently as national account sales manager. He has also owned two small start-up businesses. Barbara is retired from American Airlines, where she held a position in administration.

“My decision to leave the corporate world and become a small business owner is driven by my need to create a ‘win-win’ scenario, and to utilize skills that I have developed over the last 24 years,” Mr. Adams said. “With AlphaGraphics, I believe I can fully develop my passion and apply my knowledge and skills to a business that will provide me with the financial freedom I work so hard to achieve.”

The AlphaGraphics network, a 41 year-old brand, continues to be at the forefront of the printing franchise industry. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, the world’s highest quality standards and a global network, the company’s trained and experienced team members are committed to delivering creative solutions that enable customers to grow their businesses and increase their reach. For more, visit www.alphagraphics.com or www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

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Last year, 15 AlphaGraphics centers made Quick Printing magazine’s Top 100 list – more than any other brand in the industry. The 2012 rankings are out, and AG once again leads the pack - this time with 17 centers!

This prestigious list acknowledges the Top 100 quick and small commercial printers in North America from the previous year, and being a part of it presents a uniquely valuable marketing opportunity.

Chuck Stempler, owner of AlphaGraphics Seattle, received the highest AG ranking on the list at #6, up from #12 last year.

“Recognition of our achievements is for our 66 employees collectively,” Stempler said. “None of our success could have been achieved without all of their outstanding efforts.”

“In a competitive environment, we continue to find ways to grow the business and remain profitable while doing it,” say Mike Sparaco and Darin Osborne, owners of AlphaGraphics on University in Tempe, AZ. Like Chuck, Mike and Darin increased their ranking from last year’s list, jumping from #32 in 2011 to #23 in 2012.  

Other AG center owners who nabbed a spot on the list included Bill and Clare Meehan (US514, #42), Jim and Sally Hewell/ Mike and Martie Cowan (US376, #44), Ed Rothschild (US612, #51), Mike Burgard (US690, #57), Grant Richey (US088, #60), Rudy Baron (US242, #62), Karen Brinker (US162, #63), Larry Furlong (US011, #64), Rob Johnson (US034, #69), Steve Adams (US291, #73), Dick Moran (US525, #82), Carol and Ed LeClair (US398, #94), David Kovacs (US281, #95), Tom and Lisa Slade (US370, #97), and Paul VanVeldhuizen (US451, #99).

Congratulations, all!

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More Franchise Growth for Leader in Print and Marketing Communications Services

Three new franchisees joined the AlphaGraphics network in October, marking another strong month of unit growth for the brand. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, AlphaGraphics, Inc. plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at nearly 300 owner-operated, locally based business centers worldwide.

Jeff and Deborah Smith in Missouri have signed a franchise agreement with AlphaGraphics and are currently exploring business location opportunities. Jeff brings an entire career in sales, sales management and marketing to AlphaGraphics, most recently with Coast Brands as vice president of sales for the mid-west region. Deborah works as a recruiter and trainer for the American Greeting Card Company in St. Louis. He holds an associate of arts degree in law from the University of Missouri.

Scott Wethers in California has more than a decade of experience in sales for print, mail and promotional products, including stints in management for companies like Workflowone and SmartSource. He holds a degree in business administration in marketing from Oregon State University, as well as an MBA in marketing, finance and eBusiness from the University of Washington. Wethers plans to open a state-of-the-art AlphaGraphics Digital Business Center in Southern California in the coming months.

Mark Lee in Texas recently took early retirement from his role as director of customer management at Frito-Lay, Inc., having spent his career with that company and, previously, with General Electric. He plans to employ his sales, marketing and customer engagement talents to an AlphaGraphics franchise opportunity. Lee graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a master’s in advertising and marketing.

“While a number of brands in the print industry have struggled through the Recession, AlphaGraphics continues to grow because of our vision for the future and the way in which we’ve embraced the rapidly evolving marketing and communications business,” said Dave Buzza, vice president of global development for AlphaGraphics.

“With our focus on serving as an outsource marketing provider, we’ve been able to expand our offering and provide greater value to our customers. New owners like these three recognize the unlimited potential, and we’re proud to have them on the AlphaGraphics team.”

The AlphaGraphics network, a 41 year-old brand, continues to be at the forefront of the printing franchise industry and was recently ranked in the Top 200 Franchises by Franchise Times. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, the world’s highest quality standards and a global network, the company’s trained and experienced team members are committed to delivering creative solutions that enable customers to grow their businesses and increase their reach. For more, visit www.alphagraphics.com or www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

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The Ryder Cup Challenge golf tournament in September at the Medinah Country Club in northern Illinois brought in more than 45,000 visitors, and Wood Dale AlphaGraphics owner Jeff Bittner was tapped to help take advantage of the opportunity.

Bittner and his staff created a concierge map and mobile website, incorporating a QR code that allowed tourists to find nearby businesses with the goal of keeping them in the immediate area.

“We were approached by the business development director from Wood Dale about building a map to hand out at each of the hotels,” Bittner said. “A combined 2,700 hotel rooms were sold for the week in the six host communities, and I suggested adding a QR code to the map that would link to a mobile website showing directions to local businesses. We put together a proposal and a demo showing how it could work, and they jumped at the opportunity.”

With a print distribution of 5,000 maps, the site had 2,000 hits during the tournament, and generated local media coverage and more opportunities for Bittner’s AlphaGraphics center.

“I have three appointments with restaurants that want to discuss a site for their own businesses,” he said. “And three of the six communities are interested in keeping versions of the site live for local residents.”

Visit our website to learn more about the innovative ways that AlphaGraphics is helping our owners achieve their personal and professional goals. There’s never been a better time, and we’d love to help you write the next chapter of your career.

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Leader in Printing, Outsourced Marketing Services Posts 8.9% Year-over-year Growth

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – September was a big month for the AlphaGraphics network, with four new owners closing on franchise agreements to open new AlphaGraphics Business Centers. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, AlphaGraphics, Inc. plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at nearly 300 owner-operated, locally based business centers worldwide.

Girish Sethi in Houston, Texas, previously owned a box manufacturing company in India that allowed him to gain familiarity with the printing industry. He holds both a bachelors and a post-graduate degree in computer applications, and was also president of All Around Art & Foliograph Galleries, with responsibility for manufacturing operations and 11 retail locations.

Gene and Yolanda Lucero, along with their business partner Trish Perez, are opening a new AlphaGraphics center in the Dallas area. Gene spent 24 years working for Xerox in sales, including six as a General Manager, and 11 in sales management with accounts such as the U.S. Army, Air Force and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Gene holds a degree in digital technology and engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Trish also spent time in sales for Xerox and was most recently a federal account manager for managed print services with Cannon IV, Inc. She earned a degree in marketing from the University of Texas in Austin.

Arif Jacksi in Manhattan, N.Y. is converting his IMPRESSIONS print shop to an AlphaGraphics center. He brings 14 years of experience in design, web development, commercial printing and sign production, but was interested in the marketing services and network support that a strong franchise brand could offer to his business.

Dan Hayes owns Doops Copy in Olympia, Wash., a 21-year-old independent printing business that is now being converted to an AlphaGraphics Business Center. Dan’s B2B model has served the construction industry, working with designers and project managers to reproduce commercial building documents and host them online.

“These new owners represent the ideal AlphaGraphics franchisee, bringing industry experience, entrepreneurial success and a lot of talent to our network,” said Dave Buzza, vice president of global development for AlphaGraphics. “With our focus on being a marketing and communications provider, we’ve been able to serve as an out-source marketing partner for our clients, and that has allowed us to grow consistently through the economic downturn.”

The AlphaGraphics network, a 41 year-old brand, continues to be at the forefront of the printing franchise industry and ranked in the Top 200 Franchises. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, the world’s highest quality standards and a global network, the company’s trained and experienced team members are committed to delivering creative solutions that enable customers to grow their businesses and increase their reach. For more, visit www.alphagraphics.com or www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

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BIG NEWS: We recently introduced the innovative AG Ramp-In process that dramatically reduces the initial investment and cash burn, and pushes back any capital funding and/or long term leases until a new Franchisee is making money. Our objective is for you to achieve break-even on a full AlphaGraphics Business Center without having to secure a loan or service leases.

Simply put, you can enter the AlphaGraphics network for an initial investment of less than $60K. You can start in a shared office suite environment with an MIS system, complete training, a sales process, a full database of prospects, a professional marketing kit and materials, and a reliable set of sublet vendors (other local AlphaGraphics) and go to work developing a base of clients and sales. Instead of waiting on the lengthy funding and real estate processes, you can be in business immediately.

Simultaneously, our AGAlliance Acquisitions Team will engage with you to help build an organic base of clients and reach monthly sales in excess of $20,000 BEFORE you transition to a full AlphaGraphics Business Center. So, instead of burning through cash, you can actually be accumulating cash during this process.

Please call Chrys Richardson at (801) 595-7259 with questions, and to discuss this attractive option in more detail.

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Sam Reed Jr. was a corporate executive, working for PepsiCo in sales and operations before taking an early retirement. He’d always wanted to own his own business, so he contacted Bob Tierno with The Entrepreneur’s Source and started looking at franchise organizations. After completing the TES profile assessment, he identified AlphaGraphics as one that might be a good fit. Sam Reed “I decided I had a little left in my tank, so I started exploring franchise opportunities,” Sam says. “I developed 10 decision criteria, and AlphaGraphics met nine of them.” Sam had some very specific goals in mind: a business-to-business opportunity near to his home in Dallas; the flexibility to sell his business, or pass it down to his children; a comfortable six-figure income down the road; and the scalability that could offer additional locations. He purchased an existing AlphaGraphics business center in Dallas in January of this year, and his sales have increased month over month. “In March, we exceeded January and February’s numbers combined,” Sam says. “I bought this business with the aspiration of doing $2 million in annual sales, and I believe we’ll get there.” He says he noticed an “infectious culture” within AlphaGraphics almost immediately. “I was hesitant to go spend three days in Salt Lake City for AG Discovery Day,” Sam says. “But it was a highly valuable experience. We were evaluating each other to ensure that it would be a good fit, and I appreciated the chance to spend time with the CEO and company leadership, to understand the philosophy and where the organization was going.” He says he was impressed by the competitive advantage of AG’s expansion into marketing services – “anyone who picks up a periodical knows that the printing industry is changing” – and that he could tell he was buying into a very supportive network of other AlphaGraphics owners. “I talked to 25 or 30 other owners during the process, and we have a very active owners group here in Dallas,” Sam says. “This was a significant investment for me, and it wasn’t a decision that I could get wrong.” And while he’s only a few months in, Sam is confident that he is well positioned to meet his personal and professional goals as an AlphaGraphics owner. “I am really enjoying this business, and I’m learning something new every day,” he says. “Many of our customers don’t yet understand the full scope of our capabilities, and that represents an opportunity for huge growth potential.”

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The following is an insightful piece from FranNet.com, a great resource for professionals seeking fulfilling careers through franchising.

People everywhere are sick of their jobs.

We wrote recently about a Gallup poll showing that 71 percent of American workers are either not engaged in their work or actively disengaged — and that these dismal results dovetail with similar surveys over the last dozen years.

Clearly, something’s wrong with this picture, and we have an idea what it is.

Even if you really enjoy your work and have the world’s greatest boss, you’re still subject to someone else’s priorities, directions and opinions, not yours. If you’re an independent-minded, skilled, driven professional, that can start to rankle after a while.

Here are five signs it might be time for you to switch careers:

You try to visualize your future — and can’t. People who are at least satisfied with their jobs tend to think of their careers strategically: What do I want to accomplish in my career and with this company, what steps can I take to get there, and what skills do I need to achieve my goal? If you try to think about your future in your current career and draw a blank, it’s time for a change.

You find yourself hanging with malcontents — because you’re one of them. We all know what misery loves, and nothing feels more temporarily satisfying while accomplishing nothing than complaining about work. If you’re unhappy, start looking elsewhere or go into business for yourself. It’s that simple.

You’re not developing. One of the best ways to stay engaged in your career is to constantly learn new information and new skills. When you stop learning — or, worse, stop wanting to — your career is dead in the water.

You bristle at directives. When you work for someone else, that person or group of people will tell you what to do, and sometimes you will disagree. That’s natural. But if you find yourself objecting by reflex, or getting hacked off at the most insignificant instruction or suggestion — “Hey, Bill, use an extra scoop of coffee, will you?” “Make your own, you lazy, mud-drinking so-and-so” — you’re chafing at your constraints like an animal in a cage lashing out at the zookeeper.

You do the old pros v. cons exercise, and you have to use an extra sheet to make room for the cons.When you lay it out that clearly, the evidence is hard to ignore.

It’s been a hard ride for everyone lately. The past few years have shown us that nothing’s guaranteed, that the foundation under your job and company can turn from granite to pudding overnight. Wouldn’t it be better to sail or sink on your own terms?

You can do it more easily than you think, with FranNet’s help. For 25 years, FranNet has helped people realize their entrepreneurial dreams by matching them with the right franchise opportunities. FranNet is an international network of franchise consultants that plays “franchise matchmaker” by carefully evaluating our clients’ interests and goals and connecting them to top-rated franchises we’ve worked with for years.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can broaden your career options through franchise ownership, visit them at www.frannet.com. To learn more about the AlphaGraphics opportunity, click here to view our interactive online brochure.

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