Finding the right people to bring your vision to life is a challenge every sign business owner faces. In the signage industry, where creativity and technical skills meet, your team can make or break your success. Hiring and retaining employees is no easy task, but with the right strategy, you can build a dedicated crew that ensures your shop’s success. Here’s what you need to know to build a winning team.
YOU are your first hire.
Starting a sign business from scratch can feel overwhelming, but it’s doable! I’ve done this twice myself: one sign shop was a full-scale manufacturing business with over 60 employees, and the other was a small sign brokerage with just a team of five. The biggest challenge? Hiring the right people. But first things first—it all starts with you selling.
Before investing in expensive equipment or leasing a space, start by simply selling. Selling first builds cash flow, keeps you out of debt and helps you understand your market. Many new owners worry they’re not “salesy” enough, but as the business owner, no one can tell your story better than you. Customers want to buy from people who are passionate and truly care about delivering quality signs and service.
So, where to start? Let everyone know that you’re in the sign business. Build a LinkedIn presence and eventually a website to showcase your work and customer testimonials. If branding isn’t your strong suit, hire a professional design company to help with logo design and quality business cards.
Next, research and connect with wholesale manufacturers for the signs you plan to sell. Joining a sign association, like the International Sign Association, which is a great way to meet wholesale partners at their tradeshows. Once you’ve finalized your branding and wholesale partners, start reaching out to potential customers in your market—knock on doors, make calls and send emails. Tell your story.
If you’re more technically inclined and want to start a wholesale fabrication or installation business, connect with local sign shops. Let them know you’ll soon have equipment and would love to handle their overflow work.
Systems are part of the team.
Alright, you’re making sales and now it’s time to hire—congrats! You might feel a bit stretched, but it’s an exciting time and exactly what you wanted. But there’s nothing worse than hiring your first employee and realizing there’s no system in place to help them succeed.
So, while it may seem like you’re putting the cart before the horse, it’s essential to set up systems from the start. Get a business email address with your company domain (not @gmail.com or, worse, @aol.com) and create a professional email signature with your logo and contact info. These are things that make your company look bigger than it is in the eyes of your customers – even if it is only you at first. Invest in software to track jobs, organize files and produce professional looking quotes, ideally something that syncs with your accounting system. Laying the groundwork now will make things much smoother when it’s time to hire.
Look into tools like SignTracker or other platforms that fit your needs, but make sure you pick something. Without these systems, you’re setting yourself and your future hires up for failure.
Good systems also increase productivity in all areas of your business as you grow. Online stores, like the ones you can set up in InkSoft, can expand your sales reach with less effort and project management software keeps your team know what needs to be done each day. These types of tools are essential to have in place before you ever put up your first “Now Hiring” sign.
Adding a team member
Sales are coming in steadily now, and you’re handling everything yourself: selling, designing, quoting and project management—maybe even outsourcing some design work. You’re closing in on $5-7K in monthly sales, you’re crazy busy and it’s time to take the leap. But who should you hire first?
Your goal should be to hire someone who can free you up to focus on increasing sales and building stronger customer relationships. More sales and happy customers are the heart of your business.
When I started my sign shop, I had a partner. We both sold, he handled some design and I managed systems. It wasn’t long before we were working 12-hour days, stretched too thin. We needed help. Our first hire was a designer who was also highly organized, which meant she could help with project management. This freed us up to focus on more sales and build better systems to manage our jobs.
Eventually, as we found ourselves working long days again and paying our designer overtime, we knew it was time for a second hire. We brought on an administrative assistant to help with project management and taking tasks off our plates. This process continued for years until we reached the point of bringing manufacturing and installation in-house, which didn’t happen until our sales topped a million dollars a year.
It took over a decade to build a team of 60 employees, and there were plenty of bumps along the way. But by focusing on what the business needed most, and then hiring to meet those needs, we made it work. Always ask yourself, “How will this next hire impact customer success?”—and you’ll stay on the right track.
Growth milestones and hiring guide
$100K in Revenue: Again, your first hire should support your sales efforts. Consider an administrative assistant who can handle project management, or a designer who can also manage projects.
$250K in Revenue: Add a full-time admin/project manager and a dedicated designer to handle the increased workload.
$500K in Revenue: At this point, you might consider bringing some production in-house. This could mean purchasing a printer or a small bucket truck (note that this may impact your insurance costs). Alternatively, you could hire another designer or project manager and keep focusing on sales and building stronger relationships with wholesalers.
$1M in Revenue: Now it’s time to expand your team with a project manager, bookkeeping or accounting support, a sales rep and an additional designer. If you opt for in-house production, you’ll likely need to expand your office and warehouse space and invest in production equipment. The type of equipment—such as routers, printers, plotters, or a paint station—will depend on the signs you plan to fabricate and the volume of work sent to wholesalers.
Beyond $1M: Continue to grow by either focusing on sales and project management or investing in in-house fabrication.
Where to find employees?
Finding quality employees in the sign industry is a significant challenge many shops are currently facing. As experienced signage professionals retire, fewer young people are entering the field, often opting for careers in tech instead. In a recent discussion with members of the Behind the Sign community, the consensus was clear: the biggest challenge in our industry is finding the right employees.
- White Imprints: Where do you find good employees?
- C Signs & Graphics: How do you find trusted employees?
- 580 Graphics: How do you find experienced employees?
- Southwest Signs and Graphics: How do you find quality employees?
You are not alone in your need for great employees who aren’t just skilled, but also dependable, experienced, and able to add real value to a team.
Develop a Hiring Strategy
- Always Be Hiring
Constantly keep an eye out for talented individuals, even when you don’t have an immediate position open. Be prepared to replace team members who aren’t meeting expectations, as keeping underperformers on board can hurt team morale. As the saying goes, “Be slow to hire and quick to fire.” It’s tough but essential as you build a strong, motivated team.
- Build a Reputation as a Great Place to Work
Treat employees well, even in an industry with tight margins. There are many low-cost ways to recognize and reward hard work, like small bonuses, awards, or team celebrations. Foster a work culture that values accomplishments and supports a healthy work-life balance. When word gets out about your positive work environment, your shop will become a magnet for good people.
- Leverage Multiple Channels for Job Posting
Use a variety of platforms to reach a wide pool of candidates, including industry job boards, social media groups like Behind the Signs, and sign association websites.
- Implement a Referral Program
Offer bonuses to team members who refer qualified candidates. Your current team can be a valuable resource for building a strong, cohesive staff.
- Promote Industry Awareness in the Community
Many job seekers aren’t aware of the sign industry as a career option. To address this, engage with local high schools and vocational schools by offering internships or hosting workshops on fabrication. Participate in community college job fairs and consider hiring veterans through organizations like the VA or Hiring Our Heroes (hiringourheroes.org).
How to Retain Employees
A member of the Behind the Signs community, the owner of Plumb Signs, asked, “How do you encourage employees to invest in the company’s success?” This responsibility lies with your leadership team, which should focus on creating a culture of trust and growth. Empower employees by giving them ownership of their tasks and responsibilities. Provide the necessary training and tools to help them succeed and treat mistakes as learning opportunities by offering constructive feedback. Additionally, involve your team in decision-making processes that affect the company’s growth; this will connect them to the company’s success.
Hiring is challenging, but it’s crucial for building a healthy and profitable company. Mistakes will happen along the way, and trust me I made a ton of them, but you’ll improve your hiring practices as your business grows. With patience and following your hiring plan, the right candidates will come along on your journey to growing a great sign company!
