Carrollton, Tex. –  FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that it will be attending and sponsoring the International Franchise Expo from May 30 – June 1 at The Javits Center in New York City. FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson will speak at the event and share insights gained during her more than 30 years in franchising.

FASTSIGNS is recruiting franchisees globally, with a focus on urban markets throughout the Northeastern United States— including New York City, Long Island, Boston, Providence, and Portland — as well as finding master franchisees for Québec, Europe, Latin America, and other international markets. In 2018, the company celebrated the opening of its first location in Chile, and in April celebrated the opening of four additional centers in Santiago, Chile.

"As the demand for comprehensive signage and visual communications solutions soars, FASTSIGNS is growing at an unprecedented pace," said Mark Jameson, Executive Vice President of Franchise Support and Development. "We're looking forward to attending the International Franchise Expo and connecting with entrepreneurs excited about the opportunity to grow with the top-ranked franchisor in the segment."

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to meet Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc., and the brand's franchise development team at booth #214 to learn more about the benefits of being a franchisee. At the booth, FASTSIGNS will be showcasing digital technology, including a kiosk featuring the 1HUDDLE workforce-training platform. Additionally, during the three-day event, Monson will speak on a panel alongside other franchise experts on Thursday, May 30 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. to discuss some of the most common business and legal problems affecting international franchising. On Saturday, June 1 from 12:30 -1:30 p.m., Monson will join FASTSIGNS franchisee Denise Acquaye, of Newark, New Jersey, to share how they work together to achieve a balance between the franchisor and franchisee in order to create a successful brand and position FASTSIGNS as one of the top-ranked franchisors for franchisee satisfaction for over 10 years. (For more details on these panels, click here.)

"After 40 combined years in corporate America, my husband and I wanted to follow our hearts and become entrepreneurs. We knew franchising was the right path because it would provide us with a proven business model to be successful," said Acquaye, who owns and operates a FASTSIGNS location in downtown Newark. "We looked at a lot of different concepts, from fast food to retail, but we picked FASTSIGNS because of its strong commitment to supporting franchisees. Without any company-owned centers, FASTSIGNS' success is entirely driven by its franchisees — so the corporate team allocates an enormous amount of resources to support."

FASTSIGNS is known in the industry for equipping its franchisees with tools vital to securing the ongoing success of each individual location. In 2018, FASTSIGNS announced the launch of a special incentive for first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters, which includes a 50-percent reduction on the franchise fee — a savings of $24,875.

For any existing business looking to expand into this fast-paced market, FASTSIGNS also offers co-brand and conversion programs to help owners diversify their product lines and services to meet the growing demand for comprehensive signage and visual communications solutions. FASTSIGNS has helped countless owners of print shops, photography studios, camera stores, embroidery shops, and more, add a FASTSIGNS to their existing business or fully convert their store to a FASTSIGNS franchise. FASTSIGNS franchisees receive ongoing training and support to stay ahead of the competition and exceed the needs of their local business community. Both the co-brand franchise opportunity and conversion can be started with only $15,000 down on the initial franchise fee.

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was ranked the #1 franchise opportunity in its category and 95 overall on Entrepreneur magazine's 2019 Franchise 500®, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500® recognizes FASTSIGNS, the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100, for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate, and brand power. FASTSIGNS also made Franchise Direct's list of the Top 100 Franchises 2019 and ranked #2 on this year's Franchise Gator Top 100 list, both ranking the best franchises for 2019. FASTSIGNS has also been ranked by Franchise Business Review as one of the "Best of the Best" for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years. Additionally, FASTSIGNS was also named to Franchise Business Review's "Innovative Franchises" list in 2017 and a "Best-in-Category" franchise by Franchise Business Review in 2018. In 2019, the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) awarded FASTSIGNS International, Inc. the Franchisees' Choice Designation for the seventh consecutive year for its strong relationship with Canadian franchisees, as well as extensive franchisee training and support.