Father and son business owners Les and Michael Forrai have owned the Minuteman Press franchise in Manhasset, NY since 1996. They have relocated to a brand new space at 125 Plandome Road to better serve their customers.

MANHASSET, N.Y. - The Minuteman Press franchise in Manhasset, Long Island, NY has moved to a brand new facility located at 125 Plandome Road. Family owned and operated by father and son franchise team Les and Michael Forrai since 1996, Minuteman Press in Manhasset offers essential design, printing, marketing, and branding services to today's business professionals.

"Moving to our new space was a tremendous opportunity for our company that will benefit our customers," says Michael Forrai. Les and Michael purchased the building and have remodeled the facility to optimize the customer experience and maximize functional space. Michael continues, "The upper level is remodeled to have a front-end customer service space, with showroom for invitations and promotional products. Behind the counter, there are several desks available for staff to work with clients. Digital printing equipment has been moved to the back, so as not to disturb customer service."

Another benefit of the new location is the lower level of the facility, which features an office, conference room, and a finished production and storage workroom. "Those offices afford us the opportunity to work with clients in a more private arena, or have a conference," adds Michael.

The Minuteman Press Difference

Minuteman Press in Manhasset is a design, print and marketing firm specialized in working with small to medium sized businesses and non-profit organizations. For over twenty years, Les and Michael Forrai along with their dedicated team have worked to provide support services which empower these organizations to operate as efficiently as their larger counterparts.

What is the Minuteman Press difference? Michael Forrai says, "By utilizing our services, in place of what may be 'in-house' at larger companies, we are able to assist our business clients with design, marketing and advertising guidance, high-speed print and copying, mail preparation and fulfillment, promotional product consultation and much more. The tools, resources, and staff at Minuteman Press allow an organization of any size to operate and represent themselves on an equal footing with any of their competitors."

Making a Difference in Manhasset

Les and Michael also pride themselves in being active members of the Manhasset community and making a difference. Les says, "It has always been our policy to be involved in the community. I have been involved with and served as the president of the Chamber of Commerce in Manhasset. Michael and I have been on the Board of the Manhasset Community Fund and Cancer Volunteers of America. I have also spent many years involved in networking groups." 

"Les and Michael are exemplary business owners who care about their customers in Manhasset as well as the community as a whole," adds Brian Sisti, Minuteman Press International Area Manager for Long Island. 

Meet Les Forrai

Before purchasing a Minuteman franchise in 1996, Les Forrai spent sixteen years as a part-owner in a cooperative limousine business. He also owned a card and gift shop, and originally was a manager in a retail chain store. "I previously had a business where I did not succeed, and so had certain criteria that had to be met before I was willing to risk another large investment in a new business," says Les. He adds, "I wanted to purchase a franchise so that I would have help available when things were not going well. I also knew that the success rate for franchises was much higher than for personal startups. The formula I used to evaluate the new opportunity was whether I could pay myself back for the down payment, pay back the loan for the new business and still make enough to live on during the time of repayment."

With Minuteman Press, Les always felt like he was in good hands, which remains true today. He says, "Minuteman Press International has always been there for us in many ways. Things have changed dramatically in the twenty years that we have been in business, and the help to transition the business into the future has been invaluable. The web presence, marketing programs business management software and advice has been something that would have been very difficult to accomplish on our own.  The local Long Island field reps have always been available to help us with training our staff, finding information on new products, vendors and services and general business advice. Most of all, the conventions and regional meeting has always worked to bring in new business ideas and to revitalize our interest in growing our business."

Michael Joins the Business

Michael Forrai studied business in college, and began working in the business while still at school. He credits his father Les for being a great mentor and business partner: "Working with my father has been a tremendous experience. We are extremely close, and have been able to separate the trials and stress of work from our personal relationship. I started working with him shortly after he purchased the franchise, and while I 'grew up' in this business, in many ways we worked closely and grew together with it."

Today, Les and Michael Forrai own and operate three Minuteman Press franchises in Long Island: Manhasset, Valley Stream (since 2008), and Island Park (since 2014). One reason Michael and Les work well together is because they share the same desire to provide the best customer service for their clients. Their differences also complement each other well, as Michael notes, "We see eye to eye in our customer focused approach, but our innate differences have also benefited our business. My father is the visionary, always looking for the next opportunity, product or service that will help us grow. I've been the pragmatist, and together we've balanced each other extremely well."

Full Circle for Les

Owning a Minuteman Press business in Manhasset and running it with his son means that life has come around full circle for Les Forrai. Les says, "I worked with my father for years in the limousine business and I am very happy that my son and I could have a similar experience. Early on I gave Michael a lot of authority and leeway to make decisions. I listened to his ideas and treated him as an equal partner. We usually got along but if we did have a disagreement, we left it in the store when we closed at night." Les continues, "The best thing about running a family business is being able to share decision making and other responsibilities, as well as spending more time with family members. Working with my son has been a very rewarding experience."

Business Goals and Advice for Others

When asked about what's next for Minuteman Press in Manhasset, Les and Michael Forrai are on the same page. Michael says, "While we're always looking to expand all phases of our service, at the outset of 2017 we're focusing to expand our promotional product and web design/development sales. We see tremendous possibilities in these areas if we take a proactive approach. We are also pursuing financing to buy a building for our Valley Stream store and production facility."

As for any advice they would have for others who were thinking about owning their own business or Minuteman Press franchise, Les says, "This might sound corny or cliché, but it really does not feel like work if you are doing something you love. We love being in business for ourselves, making our own decisions, working with our staff and family members, helping our customers to build their business and coming up with new ideas and executing them. The ability to shape a successful business, for both our families and our staff, is a tremendous reward – one that far outweighs any of the inherent stress of ownership."