London, Ontario, Canada – Chris Harvey always wanted to own a business and become his own boss. With the support of Minuteman Press International, he was able to buy an established Minuteman Press design, marketing, and printing franchise in London South, Ontario despite not having any printing industry experience. Chris says, “All of the tools have been provided since day one. The training I’ve received from Minuteman Press International plus the ongoing field support have provided me with decades of knowledge that other print companies just can’t match.”

Chris continues, “I have spent my entire career in the Electrical & Industrial Automation Industry. I have always focused on putting my customers first. This has allowed me to be successful in growing several different types of products and services across a few different corporations. Today, I apply those skills to my Minuteman Press franchise. We are a full-service design, print, promotional, and marketing company focused on helping small and medium-sized businesses be more successful.”

In addition to wanting to partner with an experienced franchisor in Canada who are industry leaders, Chris mentions three reasons in particular why he chose Minuteman Press:

“Yes, we are a franchise but we are also enabled to run our centre the way we want to run the business. Most franchises create a box and don’t allow you the flexibility to truly be an entrepreneur.”

“The ongoing local franchise support is extremely helpful. Between our Regional Vice President Kevin Wittal and the support of our Field Representative Darwin Caswell, all of the tools and knowledge have been given to me as a Minuteman Press franchise owner to become successful in the printing industry.”

“Owning my own Minuteman Press centre allows me to have solid work-life balance. I rely on my team to run the day to day operations in the centre while I am able to focus on growing the business. This allows me to run the business instead of the business running me.”

Rewards of Owning a Business and Sparking Customer Growth

For Chris and his team, helping other businesses while growing themselves is their ultimate reward. He states, “The overall feeling of accomplishment while growing the centre is very rewarding. I love finding new customers and helping them grow their business while I am growing my own. How much better can it get than that?”

Chris adds, “I purchased an existing franchise. The first few months we have seen growth, mainly focused on driving customer service and product quality that Minuteman Press International is known for. Customers have seen a real difference in a very short period of time. Investing in the SEO/SEM program offered from MMPI HQ is also helping us rebuild and grow our business.”

One of the advantages of owning a printing business is that the products and services offered are essential to numerous businesses and remain in high demand. Chris explains, “Our customer base is very diverse and will continue to grow that way. We work with several small independent businesses that benefit from us becoming part of their teams. They can’t afford to hire the expertise themselves so they rely on us. One of our customers has several retail locations and their marketing group is a small team. Our team does our very best to provide the highest levels of service and product quality along with fast turnaround. This customer has seen the benefits of our efforts as well as our products and services and it’s nice to know that they really appreciate everything we do for them just as we appreciate their business.”

Getting involved in the community in meaningful ways is another way that Chris and Minuteman Press London South stand out. He says, “It’s very important to be part of the community. I volunteer as Director of Marketing for a local Little League organization (Lambeth Little League) helping grow the amount of kids that play t-ball and softball. I also belong to our local Chamber of Commerce which is proving to have great ROI and a small networking group that meets each week for breakfast. The group is about 13 small business owners and I have also seen it very useful to discuss with them the challenges we all need to tackle. I have also seen a very high return on the networking group as almost every owner needs some type of printed media.”

Advice to Others

When asked what advice he would have for other potential Minuteman Press franchisees and aspiring business owners, Chris answers, “Trust and follow the Minuteman Press process and you will be successful. Also, make sure you are doing your marketing, marketing, and more marketing! Do one or two things each day that moves your business forward.”

Chris thoughtfully concludes, “I have been dreaming for years of becoming my own boss and running a successful business. The decision to leave a very successful career in a completely different field was extremely difficult. Now that I have made the change, I wish I would have done it sooner. If you are looking at opening a new Minuteman Press franchise or purchasing an existing location, all I can say is do it. Follow the process and don’t look back!”

Chris Harvey’s Minuteman Press franchise is located at 100 Bessemer Road, Unit #7, London, ON N6E 1R2. For more information, visit their website: https://www.minutemanlondon.ca.