FASTSIGNS Unveils New Corporate Umbrella Name

You know FASTSIGNS® as the leading sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise. But what you probably don’t know is that we have been working the past several months in secret to create a corporate umbrella dubbed Propelled Brands (formerly FASTSIGNS Holdings, Inc.) under which all of our current and future brands will operate!

A New Corporate Entity Developed Due to Growth Amid COVID-19

This new and exciting venture we’re about to embark upon with our new corporate umbrella was a decision spurred by the success we experienced in both 2020 and 2021. While not immune to some of the effects of the pandemic’s economic hardships, we did experience significant wins during some tough times for the franchise industry.

Some achievements and growth opportunities include:

• Being ranked the No. 1 franchise opportunity in the sign, graphics, and visual communications category on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list for the fifth consecutive year
• Adding NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services brand, to our acquisitions portfolio
• Signing 31 franchise agreements to develop new, co-branded, and conversion centers worldwide
• Opening 30 new locations, including our first location in the Dominican Republic

These accomplishments have helped create Propelled Brands and expanded our vision for the company in 2021 and beyond.

“We are thrilled to officially unveil Propelled Brands as the umbrella under which we will operate and grow a portfolio of service-oriented franchise brands,” said Catherine Monson, CEO of Propelled Brands and Chair of the International Franchise Association. “We look forward to amazing opportunities ahead, in addition to the continued growth for our existing franchisees and our team members.”

Catherine also said that Propelled Brands marks a key milestone for FASTSIGNS as we continue laying the foundation to expand our portfolio of brands even more in the coming years.

What Does This Mean for Franchisees?

We continuously think of our franchisees in everything we do, especially when making a significant move for our brand. Propelled Brands will focus on service-oriented franchises and help each brand in our portfolio navigate forward confidently.

The fundamental purposes of Propelled Brands will be to:

• Advance the strategic path for each brand
• Offer support and guidance to every franchisee to help them maximize success
• Help franchise owners position themselves for continued success

Jennifer Herskind, Chief Marketing Officer at Propelled Brands, said, “We believe Propelled is a brand that knows where it’s going and exactly how to get there.”

One of our primary objectives in creating Propelled Brands is to ensure our franchise owners understand that they are not doing this by themselves—while they are in business for themselves.

Jeffrey Chudoff, a FASTSIGNS franchisee in New Jersey, said, “I could not imagine what it would have been like to operate during the pandemic without the support of FASTSIGNS and our network of franchisees. While so many small businesses struggled or closed their doors permanently, we exceeded $1 million in revenue for the first time.”

Autonomy is a trait we promote as a brand and encourage in our franchisees, but not a philosophy we subscribe to during an economic crisis. We aim to continuously support our franchise operators and include them in all significant brand decisions.

A Clear Vision for 2021

Much of our 2020 successes can be attributed to our centers being deemed essential businesses, allowing our franchise owners to pivot their services to focus on what matters most to our brand as a whole — serving customers. With the development of Propelled Brands, we have a more organized infrastructure that puts us in a great position to continue offering the services our customers expect while innovating for the future.

“Propelled Brands offers a clear vision and supportive business model for each franchise brand to equip franchisees on a path to success, ” said Jennifer.

In 2021, we look forward to several new ventures and developments, including focusing on our existing co-brand and conversion programs. These programs are designed to help existing business owners add a FASTSIGNS to their store or fully convert their business to a FASTSIGNS franchise. We have supported countless small business owners in diversifying their product lines and services to meet growing visual communications demands.