(CARROLLTON, Texas) -Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc., will be serving on a panel at the United Professional Women Accelerating Relationships & Development (UPWARD) event, "Starting Your Own Franchise," held June 8, in Saratoga, Calif.

cmonson_newsMonson joins an all-female panel of CEO's and business leaders that will discuss how to get started in franchising, including investment basics, researching industries and brands, and finding the right opportunity. A 30-year veteran of the print and visual communications industry, Monson is an accomplished businesswoman and executive leader who will provide insight and practical tips for attendees interested in fulfilling their leadership and entrepreneurial goals through franchising.

"In some industries, it still seems that women need to be prepared and reconciled with the fact that they may have to fight a little harder than male counterparts," said Monson. "The beauty of being an entrepreneur and owning your own franchised business--or establishing your own franchise system--is the lack of a glass ceiling; you are your own boss. Being a franchisee of a proven franchise concept allows you to own your own business within an established brand with strong training and systems, and build upon it as you use your business and management acumen to implement and improve the systems."

UPWARD is a global collaborative organization of like-minded, senior level, female professionals who come together to discuss the challenges women face and to identify creative solutions to overcome them. It is an organization that fosters the building of trusted relationships, sharing ideas, learning new skills and growing careers in order to navigate today's challenging business world. Visit www.upwardwomen.org.

About Catherine Monson

Catherine Monson is the CEO and President of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. She joined FASTSIGNS in 2008 and has more than 30 years of franchising and management experience in sales and marketing, operations, development, training and advocacy. Monson is a past recipient of the International Franchise Association's prestigious Bonny LeVine Award. She has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the top 25 Women Industry Leaders and an Innovator and an Influencer by Sign and Digital Graphics magazine. In 2012, Catherine appeared on the two-time Emmy Award-nominated reality series, Undercover Boss, to learn new ways to further advance the FASTSIGNS brand. She serves on the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association (IFA), the Board of Directors of the Learning Experience and the Board of Trustees of Pi Sigma Epsilon National Education Foundation.