Alana and Ramon Alvarez (center) along with the team of Minuteman Press, Colorado Springs, CO.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Alana and Ramon Alvarez have owned their Minuteman Press franchise in Colorado Springs since August of 2019. Minuteman Press in Colorado Springs has been operating for 15 years since 2008 and is located at 6870 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO, 80918. After taking over the business nearly 4 years ago, Alana and Ramon have consistently grown their business and increased sales “by nearly 400% since we started,” according to Ramon.

Journey to Minuteman Press

Alana and Ramon “met at work 31 years ago” and the rest is history, according to Ramon. He shares, “Alana is my forever partner. After leaving the company, we lived throughout the West Coast and South America throughout our time together. I continued to work in the corporate world and Alana managed our household and led the raising of our children.”

In 2019, it was time for a change. Ramon says, “Fast forward to August 5, 2019. That is when we began our small business journey, owning our Minuteman Press center in Colorado Springs. Minuteman Press International RVP Jack Panzer was instrumental in helping us acquire this existing location, which has been doing business in Colorado Springs since 2008. Jack helped us throughout the purchasing and on-boarding process, just as he does now in supporting us to grow along with excellent field support talent like Todd Golberg at the time (who is now RVP in New England), and now Sky Hittle.”

Operating the Business & Ongoing Support

Nearly 4 years after purchasing the business, Ramon remains excited about working with Alana, sharing: “Today, Alana and I continue commuting to our business together, excited to spend quality time with each other while creating outstanding experiences for our clients, just as we did 31 years ago when we first met. We are fortunate to be serving many clients in the Pikes Peak Region, having grown our sales by nearly 400% since we started.”

Specifically, Ramon says, “Our small business has evolved into a one-stop shop for our clients, providing design, print, promotional items, direct mail, and more! We are now providing vehicle and window graphics, along with building sign replacements. We won’t stop there, ensuring we continue to listen to our clients, and treating each of them like a VIP. In spite of the digital transformation that marketing has experienced, print is everywhere, and continues to be leveraged by businesses launching or striving for growth. Print simply looks different today, with a critical role in creating an omnichannel experience for clients, like adding QR codes to drive the client’s audience to a website, scheduling form, or otherwise.”

As he reflects on what it’s been like to transition from the corporate world to small business owner, Ramon says, “Having led large teams with large budgets in the Americas, I felt that being a small business owner would be relatively easy. It’s actually the hardest role I’ve ever had, yet it’s the most rewarding by far.”

Ramon explains how the support he’s received as a Minuteman Press franchise owner has helped him along the way: “Minuteman Press has been supporting us in many ways, setting us up for success. In my career, I was previously an operations executive and so I wanted a proven brand, a proven system, and a proven structure to allow us to succeed as small business owners. Minuteman Press International has given us all of that.”

He continues, “The Minuteman Press FLEX software, which allows us to connect with our clients for quoting, invoicing, work orders, marketing, and more, has been invaluable. The support team is also outstanding in urgently reacting to our needs, as they have extensive experience and an aptitude to serve.”

Marketing & Being Active in the Community

When it comes to marketing the business, Ramon shares, “No silver bullet exists in marketing our small business, and Minuteman Press has supported owners successfully who may not be experts in the industry. We focus on providing outstanding experiences for our clients through our high-performing team, delivering quality, speed, and reliability. Every customer is a VIP. We leverage direct mail, use digital marketing, networking, and other marketing opportunities, just like businesses in all industries do, focusing heavily on our target audiences and key clients.”

Being active in the community is also key to Alana and Ramon’s local outreach efforts. Ramon says, “We also engage with our community, advocating for local business growth through various volunteer efforts. I serve as the current Chair of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, on the Board of Directors for the Southern Colorado Better Business Bureau, on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Consult for the Pikes Peak Region Small Business Development Center, and help drive economic development in our region for our local businesses any way I can.”

Ramon concludes, “By helping our community of businesses prosper, opportunities for prosperity are available for all.”

Minuteman Press in Colorado Springs is located at 6870 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO, 80918. For more information, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/colorado-springs20/ 

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