Minuteman Press International, the world’s largest and #1 rated printing franchise, is proud to celebrate the growth and accomplishments of its franchise owners. Over the past few years, some of our new Minuteman Press International President’s Club members have been featured for their various accomplishments. We caught up with a few of these owners to congratulate them on joining the President’s Club for achieving over $1 million in gross sales for the year ending 2023. They shared what this milestone means to them, how they grew their business, and what advice they have for other business owners. 

Diana Renollet, East Indianapolis, IN

Minuteman Press Franchise Owner Diana Renollet, East Indianapolis, IN.

Diana Renollet has come a long way in four years. As the owner of Minuteman Press in East Indianapolis, IN since June of 2020, Diana has worked hard to achieve President’s Club status. Diana shares:

Joining the President’s Club: “This makes us very proud of our team. We find this incredibly encouraging.”

Keys to Growth: “1. The Internet Marketing Program has been the number one contributor to our success by bringing in new business; 2. The second key to our success is acquisitions; we had one in Oct. of 2022 and Oct. of 2023; and 3. Customer service is the third key for us. We are nice and we are quick to respond to requests for quotes.”

Why Customer Service Matters: “I have had new customers say often that they had several requests out for quotes for projects. They say things like: 

• ‘We chose your business because you responded so quickly and you were nicer than the other people we received quotes from…’ 

• ‘You make us feel like you have done this before and could better understand our needs…’ 

• ‘We felt like it would be easier on us to work with you.’”

Rewards of Owning the Business: 

Passion for Print: “Personally, printing has been my passion for decades. Being able to compete in the printing business with our own business gives me the feeling of being a kid in a playground. It is our playground and I know I am a strong player in this field. I love the competition with other printers.”

Positive Work Environment: “We are also very proud that we can provide good jobs for our employees; we have a positive workplace culture and it feels like a good place to spend the day working. After decades of production print team and project management, I can finally follow my own managerial handbook. I have a long history of building successful strong production print teams –  I know what works, how to motivate, inspire and engage. However, we are no longer constrained to follow someone else’s rules and guidelines.”

Employee Appreciation: “We are thankful that as owners we can manage our team in a way that uplifts them and makes them truly feel they are part of this business. As we hit new milestones, we are committed to sharing our success with our employees. Our employees are very motivated they feel appreciated and show it by consistently going above and beyond their responsibilities. This makes us really proud.” 

3 Tips for Success/Advice for Others: 

1. “Sign up and maximize your investment in the Internet Marketing Program, and follow the plans that the Home Office rolls out.
2. Look up other printers near you, drive by the shops, and see what you can learn about them. Are the owners near retirement? See about acquisitions that make sense.
3. Be faster and friendlier than the competition when you send quotes. Also, accept full responsibility for your success. Without exception and regardless of any circumstance, your success will always be your responsibility.”

Read original story here:  https://minutemanpressfranchise.com/news/2021/02/16/family-owned-minuteman-press-franchise-in-east-indianapolis-shows-print-is-essential/ 

Alana & Ramon Alvarez, Colorado Springs, CO

Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Ramon & Alana Alvarez, Colorado Springs, CO.

Alana & Ramon Alvarez were previously featured in April of 2023 for their significant sales growth in Colorado Springs, CO since buying their Minuteman Press franchise in July of 2019. Ramon shares:

Joining the President’s Club: “When we set out to own and operate our own business, we created a plan that included achieving this milestone and becoming members of the President’s Club.  We are thrilled to have reached this stage of our journey, and appreciate all the support Minuteman Press has provided.  We look forward to continuing our growth and serving our community.”

Keys to Growth: “We can attest that a silver bullet does not exist in business. Our strategy for growth is multi-pronged and includes fundamentals that proved successful in my roles in corporate America. The particular tactics within our fundamental strategy may evolve but the fundamental elements will remain through our journey.”

4 Tips for Success:

1. “Marketing: 

• Internet Marketing Program: About 50% of our new clients are acquired from the Internet Marketing Program. That continues to drive our client count.
• Networking:  Engaging with the community in meaningful ways.  I’ve served on several business advocacy boards in the community, creating brand awareness and influencing large clients to give us a chance to serve.
• Referrals:  Now that we have created a track record in our community, referrals have become a key source of new client acquisition. Having a multi-pronged approach has allowed us to operate without any single client having more than 6% of our total sales.

2. Products: Diversifying our offerings to our clients has allowed us to create a one-stop shop for them, making it easier for them to obtain their marketing needs. 

3. Talent: Creating a mutually beneficial environment for our team has allowed us to attract and retain great talent, although there is no finish line on talent acquisition and retention.  Our aspirational mission when we acquired the shop was to create outstanding client experiences through a high-performing team that delivers quality, speed, and reliability. We are proud that our client reviews and feedback exemplify the mission 4.5 years later.

4. Execution: When we acquired the shop, we focused on learning and running the proven MMP playbook. We’ve since focused on ensuring that our mission is executed with every work order and client interaction. It’s important that our clients have outstanding experiences.”

Rewards of Owning the Business: “Alana and I met at work 32 years ago and now we are enjoying it again!  For years, after Alana stopped working, I would head out to ‘slay the dragon’ weekly, and return to provide my family with my ‘leftover’ energy. Now we are working together towards a common goal, and it’s priceless! Our two sons have worked for us off and on at Minuteman Press, and we are grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to provide them with a place to make some extra money, while spending time with them. Professionally, I’m grateful that every minute that I may spend on our business, is directly impacting our personal and professional brand.  It’s not always easy owning your own business, but the rewards are immense.”

Advice for Others: “My advice is to have a plan and stay agile. Include MMP in that plan, as we are not reinventing the wheel. Also, surround yourself with people on your team who are better than you in their assigned roles. Interestingly, these elements are similar to what I’ve applied in my previous jobs.”

Read original story here:  https://minutemanpressfranchise.com/news/2023/04/10/alana-and-ramon-alvarez-grow-minuteman-press-franchise-in-colorado-springs/ 

Elle & Richie Moore, Macon, GA

Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Elle & Richie Moore, Macon, GA.

Elle and Richie Moore were previously featured in the March of 2023 for their relocation and grand reopening of Minuteman Press in Macon, GA. The family has owned the business since June of 2017. Richie shares:

Joining the President’s Club: “This was one of our big goals we wanted to hit over the last couple years and it feels amazing to hit a big goal!  Now we get to look forward to the next big goal!”

Keys to Growth: “We moved into a much larger facility and I think being able to give tours to our customers and show them what it is we are capable of doing has been a big driver for us this last year. And of course, networking! I am the President of the BNI Macon Money Chapter and that too has been growing exponentially this last year. If you build relationships with your customers, the money will come.”

Rewards of Owning the Business: “Right now it is the pride in the work we are doing that has been a big motivator for Elle and I. We like to put our name on what we print figuratively and literally! We like to say with pride that ‘We printed that!’ Loving what we do is a big reward for us and being able to do it together is a bonus!”

Advice for Others: “Be open to change and take care of your work family!”