Funding your future: Everything you need to know before you invest in a FASTSIGNS franchise

People join the FASTSIGNS franchise for all kinds of different reasons. Maybe they have a frustration with the status quo in their lives, a sense that their talents could be better used elsewhere, or a belief that they’re capable of so much more than what they’re currently experiencing. At some point, many of our franchisees decide to stop waiting and start doing. They reflect on what life could look like in 6 months, a year, or two and start believing that running a thriving business of their own is the future they want to experience.

We can offer you plenty of reasons why a FASTSIGNS franchise can help you fulfil your ambition, but changing your life for the better isn’t just about ambition. It’s about practical change, too. Which is why questions about finances, what’s required for the investment and what you’ll get in return are not just sensible enquiries, they’re the foundation of how to turn your vision into a reality.

The Cost of Starting a FASTSIGNS Franchise

Launching your own FASTSIGNS centre typically requires an investment of between £125,000 and £150,000. That figure will vary, depending on your location. A centre in or around a busy city will obviously carry higher costs than one located in a regional market town.

Here are the headline figures of our investment structure, which we’ll explore in more detail throughout this blog:

Total Typical Investment	£125,000 – £150,000
Initial Franchisee Fee	£21,000
Core Equipment Package	Approximately £40,000
Recommended Working Capital	£25,000
Break-event Point	Approximately 18 Months
Target Nett Profit Margins	18% – 22%

Breaking Down the Investment Structure

Our Franchise Fee:

The first part of our investment structure is the franchise fee of £21,000, your entry point investment into the FASTSIGNS model as a new partner. This gives you access to a globally recognised brand, proprietary systems, a network of fellow franchisees and all the ongoing support we offer. This investment represents one of the most important benefits of joining a franchise like FASTSIGNS. You won’t be starting from scratch but tapping into a proven business model, fuelled by 40 years of experience and expertise. 

Core Equipment and Production Facilities

Approximately £40,000 goes towards your core centre equipment: including a printer, a plotter, laminator and an application table. This is the production heart of your centre. We’ve developed a recommended starting package that gives you the capability to serve a variety of clients from day one, without overextending your initial outlay.

Beyond the initial investment, you will also need to factor in the ongoing running costs of your centre: leasing your premises, building your team and managing the day-to-day operational expenses of any growing business. The good news is that withover 800 FASTSIGNS centres open around the world, you have all the experience and insight needed to help you build a streamlined, cost-efficient business from the outset. Our support team will be there to offer real, hands-on guidance: from finding the right premises for your territory, to recruiting a lean but effective team, who’ll become the backbone of everything you build.

Working Capital Requirements

Finally, we also recommend you have around £25,000 of working capital available to you. This is an important financial buffer while you build your client base – which won’t take as long as you think, with all the help we can give you.

Comprehensive Support and Training Packages

The FASTSIGNS Support Package Includes:

• Foundations Training: Two weeks of intensive training at HQ in Dallas, Texas.
• Ongoing Mentorship: A dedicated UK mentor and business coach.
• Operational Support: Site selection, recruitment help, and project management.
• Marketing: A comprehensive, funded marketing plan for the first year.

Before you even launch, your journey starts at our HQ in Dallas, Texas. There, you will participate in our Foundations training programme, two intensive weeks, where you’ll learn the FASTSIGNS way of doing business from the inside out, alongside franchisees from across our global network. You’ll learn from the best in the signage industry, discovering exactly what you need to do to replicate the same success as our other centres.

Once you’re back in the UK, you won’t be left to figure things out alone, of course. You’ll be supported by our expert, UK-based team, given detailed launch plans and helped to project manage every stage of launching your business, including finding the most suitable location for your centre. You’ll also be assigned a dedicated mentor from among our most experienced UK franchisees and a business consultant, who will give you guidance and support any time you need it. Your first-year marketing is included, with a comprehensive marketing plan built specifically for your centre’s territory. Raising awareness in your local market is critical in the early months and having a structured, funded plan behind you from the start, makes a significant difference when it comes to ensuring a steady cash flow in your critical first few months

Expected Returns and Profitability

We’ll give you everything you need to launch a successful business, but exactly how well you do will ultimately come down to you, your drive, your commitment and your willingness to make full use of the systems, tools and support FASTSIGNS provides.

However, if you’re willing to make the most of everything we’ve developed and put in the hard work necessary to take full advantage of this opportunity, we’re confident you’ll enjoy great returns on your investment. After all, hundreds of others, just like you, have done so!

Based on our existing operations, we typically expect franchisees to reach break-even by around 18 months, after which you can reasonably expect nett profit margins of between 18% and 22%.

Your investment is a substantial one, but so are the returns; not just in terms of financial reward, but in terms of the life you’ll be in a position to create for yourself and your family. When you invest in a FASTSIGNS franchise, you are not simply buying a new career. You are buying a proven system, a global support structure, a recognised brand and a proven way of building something of your own with lasting value.

So, if you’ve been weighing up the numbers and wondering whether the sums add up, why don’t we discuss it some more?

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