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Meet FASTSIGNS®Owner Frank Kent
 Master of His Own Destiny
Frank Kent, Burlington, Ontario
For more than a decade, while he worked for and managed successful businesses owned by someone else, Frank Kent believed he was meant for greater things. A native of Toronto, Canada, Frank always had drive and a real knack for business. After graduating from high school, he studied to become a professional accountant, then worked in operations and finance for a grocery industry manufacturing business. For several years, Frank then managed a successful, waste-handling equipment company. Then, in his own words, Frank Kent finally “had enough of the corporate world.”
The Dream
It was time for a change, so Frank began an aggressive and focused search for a business of his own. He started by reading general business publications, and considered buying into another waste handling equipment business. Frank later expanded his search to include the world of franchise opportunities, reading up on the concept and attending franchising trade shows in his community. He considered a retail computer franchise opportunity, but is glad now he let that opportunity pass, because the company is no longer in business.
That’s when Frank Kent discovered the FASTSIGNS® community. “From my very first contact with FASTSIGNS, they struck me as a first class operation that really cared about the success of the franchisee,” Kent now says. Frank explored the opportunity in depth, then took the plunge.
Now a Reality
He opened his FASTSIGNS store in June of 1996 in what he describes as a typical strip mall on a main commercial street of Burlington, Ontario, a community of about 140,000. He currently employs a total of eight staff members, including his wife, who works part-time in the store, and his daughter and son-in-law. Frank and his wife have three children, and when he is not managing his store, Frank enjoys golf, travel and playing bridge. He is involved in his local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. After more than seven years in business, Frank Kent is as enthusiastic as he was the day he first opened his doors. He has achieved a lot in those years, getting the business off to a successful start and building a strong base of loyal customers. If anything, he says, sales and growth have been better than he originally expected. He credits this success to hard work, his own business and analytic skills, and to the support he gets from the FASTSIGNS system.
Solid Support
Specifically, Frank cites FASTSIGNS’ marketing and advertising efforts that continually drive business to his local store, the outstanding technical support he gets, and the ongoing training that keeps store owners competitive and successful. “The staff, from the corporate offices to the field support people, are always ready and willing to assist the franchisee,” Frank says. “That helps a lot.” The first FASTSIGNS store opened its doors in the United States in 1985. Today, with nearly 490 stores worldwide, FASTSIGNS has grown to become a leader in one of the world’s most dynamic franchise industries. FASTSIGNS supports its franchisees with a range of powerful business and marketing services, including site selection, “store in a box” startup kits, advertising and promotions, a National Accounts Program, financial and operational tools, and ongoing training. The company continues to invest in advanced graphics and customer solutions, including full-color graphics, E-commerce programs and personalized store websites. Frank Kent is a big believer in staying on the cutting-edge of sign and graphics technology. He says owners must recognize they are in a dynamic industry, and because of changes in technology, those who keep up will succeed and those who fall behind will fail.
Taking Control
For that reason, Kent typically follows FASTSIGNS’ suggestions when it comes to equipment and software. He recently renovated his store, with the help of FASTSIGNS, and is proud of his state-of-the-art graphics and signage showroom. “My advice to anyone opening a FASTSIGNS store is to be prepared to work hard and to follow the FASTSIGNS system,” Kent says. “It works.” And for anyone thinking about becoming a business owner, Frank Kent offers these words of encouragement. “It’s been great. I absolutely enjoy owning my own business,” he says. “It’s hard work and a challenge, but it’s worth it. The best thing from my perspective is that I now have the freedom to determine my own destiny.”
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