Calling it the “ultimate” franchise partnership match, FASTSIGNS International Inc., the worldwide franchisor of FASTSIGNS® sign and graphics centers, has announced a deal with a trio of prestigious business leaders in Puerto Rico to bring five locations to the island in the next five years.
Jose Corujo, Teresa Caballero and Juan Rivera — all business savvy entrepreneurs with impressive resumes offering extensive experience in marketing, accounting, and operations — plan to open Puerto Rico’s first FASTSIGNS center this spring in Guaynabo, just south of the capital city San Juan. Having a strong client base on the island already with a company that specializes in POP (point-of-purchase) marketing, the trio will convert their existing business into FASTSIGNS to benefit from brand recognition, operational support, and expanded services for existing and new customers.
“Partnering with FASTSIGNS will allow us to expand our digital offerings and solve all of our clients’ visual communication needs with a more consultative approach and comprehensive services,” said Corujo, a CPA who has worked with one of the ‘Big 4’ accounting firms. “With the FASTSIGNS model, we can expand our client base with a storefront presence and capitalize on the trend of businesses investing increasingly more money into POP and less on traditional media advertising.”
Before founding a marketing and communications firm with Caballero in 2001, Corujo spent eight years in public accounting, worked for the government of Puerto Rico and served as executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. In addition, Corujo serves on the Board of Directors of the Sales & Marketing Executives International and is a former president of the Sales and Marketing Executive Association in
Puerto Rico. Caballero has more than 25 years of experience in the industry as a renowned expert in developing and implementing marketing and PR strategies, working with such prestigious brands as Kellogg’s,
Pillsbury and Budweiser. Adding to the strength of the partnership is Rivera, who operated his own business that provided merchandising and sales services to clients for more than 12 years.
Mark Jameson, Senior Vice President of Franchise Support & Development at FASTSIGNS, said the experience and business acumen of the new franchise partners in Puerto Rico are an ideal match for FASTSIGNS’ conversion strategy. The company has successfully converted multiple existing independent sign shops and marketing businesses into FASTSIGNS centers over the past few years, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties.
“With their current relationships on the island, coupled with their extensive skill sets, Jose, Teresa, and Juan will be a tremendous asset to FASTSIGNS to help the brand successfully grow and develop in Puerto Rico,” Jameson said. “This franchise agreement provides momentum for FASTSIGNS as we continue to expand internationally.”
With more than 530 FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers around the world, FASTSIGNS provides marketing and visual communications solutions to businesses, organizations, and events of all types and sizes. FASTSIGNS offers a variety of sign and graphics solutions — including banners, building signs, digital signage, yard signs, vehicle graphics, decals, trade show exhibits and displays, point-of-purchase signs, and posters — as well as mobile websites, promotional products, printing and other marketing services.
