EmbroidMe & Speedy Signs - Business is Good As Long As You're In The Right One

Wayne Strong firmly believes that good luck follows hard work, and with his business showing over 20% growth this year it’s clear he and his wife Michelle have been working hard. The couple, both former accountants, have been franchisees with apparel branding business EmbroidMe for three years and have never been happier. ‘We always felt that with our skills we should be able to earn more money in our own business and that’s what we’ve achieved. We’ve passed the million dollar sales mark, we’re running a business we are passionate about and we’re having fun as well!’

When they started looking for their ideal business, the couple didn’t actually set out in search of a franchise – ‘In fact, we had a rather negative view of franchising,’ Wayne admits – but when the EmbroidMe store in Auckland’s East Tamaki area became available they decided to take a look. EmbroidMe is a business-to-business franchise that specialises in embroidered and screen-printed apparel and promotional products. The brand is a sister company to the hugely successful Speedy Signs franchise, with over 1300 stores in the group worldwide. Both operations have flourished since being brought to New Zealand by master franchisees Grant and Sarah Archibald and there are now 23 Speedy Signs outlets and 7 EmbroidMe stores here.

Despite their concerns about franchising, the Strongs were tempted. ‘The East Tamaki store was EmbroidMe’s pilot store in New Zealand. It was a business which had been open just over a year so was young enough to offer good growth. The fact that it trades Monday to Friday business hours meant we could enjoy the free time we wanted and, above all, we got on very well with Grant and Sarah. We knew that having a good relationship with your franchisor is one of the keys to franchising success so we decided to go ahead.’

It turned out to be a wise decision despite the recession. ‘Businesses have woken up to the fact that to compete, they must be visible,’ says Wayne. ‘More and more companies are realising the advantage of smartness and visibility. It’s like the difference between the plumber who turns up at your home in a clean branded shirt and the one in a battered old van wearing boots past retirement age – which would you prefer? We achieved a 22% increase in revenue last year and this March was our biggest month ever! We also reached a milestone of $1 million in sales, and I did a big thank-you to the company who spent the millionth dollar with us. They were absolutely stoked when I rolled up with some complementary caps we had put their logo on. That’s another advantage of EmbroidMe; we can brand absolutely anything, from clothing to pens.’ 

Business Customers, Business Hours

According to Grant Archibald, EmbroidMe and Speedy Signs have plenty to offer those who want a white-collar franchise. ‘They’re both good strong brands that operate normal business-to-business trading hours Monday to Friday,’ he says. ‘They require only around $100,000 in equity and, given their great track record, good finance packages are normally available to potential franchisees. No experience is needed as we provide full training, systems and set-up. What we look for in franchisees is the ability to relate to business people, to manage a business and drive it forward, and an exemplary approach to customer service.’

 But perhaps the greatest strength of EmbroidMe and Speedy Signs, according to Grant, is that they allow business owners to go on expanding. ‘Too many small businesses remain exactly that because they have little ability to grow,’ he says, ‘but many of our franchisees have already reached the $1 million turnover mark and are still climbing. Providing a quality service in a professional manner means we have a high volume of repeat business and, as we have proved, the ability to defy the recession.’

Four Times The Size

Dunedin-based Kathryn and Adam Cullen have been benefitting from exactly these advantages. The couple converted their sign-writing business to a Speedy Signs outlet eight years ago and have since seen it grow to four times its original size. They were so impressed by the system that they decided to buy the EmbroidMe franchise as well, and have found the two operations are highly complementary.

‘Many clients are looking to brand both clothes and signs,’ says Kathryn, ‘and although some of the larger corporates kept their wallets pretty tight last year, we have still seen good growth at both our Speedy Signs and EmbroidMe stores. Businesses need to spend to be visible as optimism grows; we’re also doing uniforms for local sports teams and we are seeing more work come in all the time. In fact, we’re budgetting for 20% growth this year and that’s very realistic.’

There are currently both existing and new opportunities available throughout the country and Grant Archibald is keen to hear from both individuals and husband-and-wife teams. ‘There aren’t many franchises that offer the chance to build a sizeable business while working reasonable hours,’ he says. ‘Call me now and find out more.’

This advertorial is taken from Franchise New Zealand magazine Volume 19 Issue 2 

Contact details for EmbroidMe & Speedy Signs

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