Minuteman Press Franchise News Feed Minuteman Press Franchise Supports Oxford Town and Gown Charity Run for Muscular Dystrophy UK - 13-May-2022 Amad Hassan is the owner of Minuteman Press in Oxford located at 16-17 Hollybush Row. On Sunday, May 8th, 2022, Amad participated in the Oxford Town and Gown Charity Run to benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK. According to their website, Oxford Town and Gown was “started in 1982 by local runners as a fun run to raise funds for muscular dystrophy and still to this day all profits from the race go to Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK).” This year marked the 40th anniversary of the event, which features “the only closed-road City Centre 10k in Oxford with a glorious stretch along the River Cherwell and finish in the University Parks.” Amad says, “This was my first time joining the Oxford Town and Gown race. I love running for a good cause and supporting local charities. Over 4,500 people entered the race this year and it was so great to see everyone out there racing for Muscular Dystrophy UK.” He adds, “At my printing business Minuteman Press in Oxford, we work very close with other local businesses and we set up special discounts for nonprofits in order to help the community. I love participating in events like these that bring everyone together.” Photo - Minuteman Press franchise owner Amad Hassan finds his stride at the Oxford Town and Gown 10K 40th Anniversary Charity Run to benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK (Photos provided by Amad Hassan, courtesy of Muscular Dystrophy UK). Minuteman Press Franchise Bath moves to new location and lands Bath City FC sponsorship - 25-March-2022 After 23 years in business and now entering their 24th year, the long-time Minuteman Press franchise in Bath England has moved to a beautiful new location located on Pines Way Industrial Estate in central Bath. Since the move, Minuteman Press in Bath has nearly doubled production capacity and produced quicker turnaround times for their clients. In what has been a busy year for Minuteman Press in Bath, they have also landed a back of shirt sponsorship for Bath City FC. Throughout the 2021/2022 season, Minuteman Press in Bath has had their logo on player uniforms to increase their brand awareness and visibility. Managing Director David Ghent and Marketing Director Dave Dixon talk about the history of the business as well as what the future holds for Minuteman Press in Bath. What is the history of the business? Dave Dixon: “It all started in 1998 when our MD David Ghent had a vision to provide the best printing services in Bath. He saw a gap in the market for a city-centre location to offer on-site print and copying services. We’ve since outgrown our Walcot Street site and have developed into a commercial, print and signage service in our new facility at Pines Way.” How has the business grown and what are the keys to your success? David Ghent: “For us it’s always been about putting our customers first. We like to help them stretch their marketing budgets as far as possible. Sometimes it’s not about finding the cheapest option, it’s about the maximum return on investment. The success of our customer base is our success. We still have customers today that placed their first orders back in 1998!” What would you say have been the major changes to the printing industry over the past decade? Dave Dixon: “Speed and print enhancements! Sure, if you want a simple brochure to go through the door or get picked up with a load of other flyers that’s great, we can produce thousands of those and you’ll get a small percentage return rate. However, we find that once we add a spot of gloss, gold ink or foil it stands out from the crowd. We’ve also invested heavily over the years in the most up to date technology and most reliable kit to ensure that we can produce great results on time and quickly. After all you’ve seen it on your screen and you are keen to have it in your hand.” How do you set yourself apart from the competition especially online suppliers? David Ghent: “Online print is great if you want cheap bulk printing and you’re 100 percent sure that your artwork is designed well, you’re not too concerned about the final colours and you don’t need any advice or are not expecting a long term relationship with a local supplier. Most of our clients value business relationships and like to discuss their print job and how they might make it look as good as possible. Alongside that excellent level of customer service, we are also able to meet almost any deadline; most of our work is produced the same day on site here at Pines Way, with real people checking your artwork, colours and print quality. We are also a one stop shop. We will deal with your business forms, flyers and brochures, and we can also produce shop signage, vehicle graphics and exhibition displays. You really don’t need to go to many sources for your marketing materials. That’s how we differentiate ourselves.” How did you adapt over the past two years and diversify your offerings? Dave Dixon: “We very soon discovered the joy of floor and wall graphics! We did a little but of that pre-pandemic, but then we had to take it to another level. Our Large Format Studio Manager was in fact working hard during the first lockdown producing a catalogue with a full range of social distancing signage. We also had to test the materials to ensure that they were safe enough for installation on the ground – we really didn’t want people slipping on our floor graphics! We produced thousands of linear metres of floor and wall graphics. We continue to do so now, but for marketing purposes rather than safety.” Why did you decide to move to your new location and what does it mean for your clients and your future? David Ghent: “In reality, we outgrew Walcot Street and we really could not reach our full potential there. The new location represents a €1 million investment in the business. We have two of Xerox’s top end presses and we have added the full range of specialty colours to those, this includes white, fluorescent, gold, silver and clear toners, the range of colours we can really achieve is impressive. We’ve added short run foiling in house and of course our huge vehicle bay means that we can now do signwriting on cars and vans. Our signage team is expanding our offerings further. Interiors will be a big growth area for us including printed graphics on walls, floors, and windows. Window blinds are very popular at the moment and a really cost-effective way to keep your branding visible.” What makes you most proud as you reflect on the past 24 years? Dave Dixon: “We are proud of our level of customer retention. We work closely with our client base to ensure that they are always happy. We are also always happy to give back to our local community through supporting charities and clubs with free or heavy discounted pricing, as well as being proud to be a local business taking part in the civic life of our city.” What’s next for Minuteman Press in Bath? David Ghent: “We are in the right premises at last, so we now need to consolidate and plan for expansion. We need to continue strengthening our print and signage offerings and ensure that we are seen locally as Bath’s number one printer, as well as growing our online sales.” New Minuteman Press Printing Franchise Opens in Hove, England - 31-August-2021 HOVE, England, United Kingdom – Romi and Russell Pinsent are the new owners of Minuteman Press in Hove located at 186-188 Portland Rd. They bought the long-running independent print shop TJ’s Branding Solutions, which operated for 30 years, through Minuteman Press International’s conversion programme. Romi says, “We are so excited to carry the legacy of TJ’s Branding Solutions and expand our products and services through Minuteman Press to benefit our local business clients and community.” TJ’s Branding Solutions laid a solid foundation for Romi and Russell as they look forward to continuing to build the business that was started by original owner Tony Jenner. Romi says, “The store that we have bought has predominantly been a sign writing store that already supports existing businesses and has a good customer base. The work done within the store already supports local businesses by assisting them to promote their own business by way of designing logos, shop fronts and vehicle livery.” Romi explains how Minuteman Press in Hove will be expanding the centre’s capabilities, saying, “We are looking forward to providing more in-house offerings to our customers. Our Xerox digital machine will allow us to complete larger print jobs in-house. We intend to build long-lasting relationships with our existing customers so they come back and feel valued as we work hard to help them grow their business! Alongside direct marketing to grow the business, we believe positive experiences and word of mouth referrals will help us spread the word about Minuteman Press in Hove. We will do all we can to best serve our clients and support local businesses.” On selling the business through Minuteman Press, Tony Jenner says, “Minuteman Press Regional Vice President Mark Jones approached me at a good time and asked me if I was interested in selling my business. I have been running TJ’s Branding Solutions for over 30 years and was looking at a chance of direction. I was looking to retire and enjoy what I have achieved and spend more time with family. This was a great opportunity to sell at a good price with no broker fees. What was there not to like? It was a smooth exchange and transfer that was done – I would recommend it.” Journey to Minuteman Press Romi and Russell are no strangers to owning their own business. Romi shares, “Before franchising, our background was and still is running care homes. It is an enjoyable business to run, supporting the more vulnerable people within society but it is riddled with legislation and we wanted to explore a new venture that was more creative and had an opportunity for growth. We wanted a change for us and a new business venture seemed the way forward.” Why Minuteman Press? Romi answers, “We have over 40 years of business experience between us however we were cautious about moving into a new industry as our experience is only in our other business. We visited a franchise show with the intention of looking at a hospitality franchise but quickly realized that this wasn’t something we wanted to explore due to having to work evenings and weekends.” She continues, “We met the Minuteman Press representatives at the franchise show in London who explained to us the way that Minuteman Press worked. We were immediately excited knowing there wasn’t a store in our area and we felt that with the support of the Minuteman team and buying into a global franchise, we would be as equipped as possible to move into a new industry and grow a print business.” Researching & Buying the Business Romi and Russell were also impressed by the consistency they saw in visiting several Minuteman Press locations both in the UK and during a visit to the USA. Romi says, “It was an easy decision to move forward with Minuteman Press. The information provided at the franchise show was the very start of things for us, we were then invited by Mark Jones to visit a number of stores within the UK which helped us to understand what we were buying into and how the shop might look. When speaking to the store owners, we could see that the businesses were working well. We were impressed by the consistency across the stores, we were also lucky enough to visit some stores in Florida and felt the same way. Even in another country, the Minuteman Press brand was consistent and store owners reported the same things, that you can be successful if you follow the system and dedicate time to the business.” Throughout the process, Romi and Russell liked the approach that Minuteman Press took in speaking with them. Romi says, “There was no pressure from anyone at Minuteman Press to buy the franchise and there was so much time afforded to us to see stores, ask questions, and talk through any concerns that we felt that the decision we were making was well-thought-out and a good business decision.” Romi adds, “The intention at the start was to purchase a new store and grow it from the ground up however once we had decided on the franchise, Mark Jones undertook some market research and found an existing independent print shop in TJ’s Branding Solutions where the owner wanted to retire. As a result, we began the process of purchasing the store.” “The purchase of the store was delayed in part by the pandemic however, throughout the whole process, Mark Jones supported us in liaising with the seller, solicitors, and accountants to make the process as easy as possible. There was never a question that couldn’t be answered! We secured the store on the 3rd June 2021. Russell and I are both excited to work with the Minuteman Press franchise support team and to grow the business in the local area. Russ has lived in the city since he was 5-years-old and I have lived here all my life. We are proud to call Brighton and Hove our home, we love where we live and want to offer the best service to all local businesses here!” -Romi Pinsent, co-owner, Minuteman Press, Hove (formerly TJ’s Branding Solutions) Franchise Training and Support As Romi and Russell work to build their own legacy with Minuteman Press in Hove, Romi is excited to have the continued support and backing of Minuteman Press International. She says, “As previously mentioned, the ongoing local support from Mark Jones has been unwavering and this continued with the training we received from Mike Jutt, Pete Taglino, and Tom Carnesi through the Minuteman Press training school that we attended via Zoom. We really appreciated the expertise and knowledge that they shared with us. It was at training school that we really began to understand the Minuteman Press system and how to run our printing business, which is why we signed up with a franchise in the first place.” She continues, “We then moved into the store for onsite setup and met our staff. We were supported for a number of weeks by the local Minuteman Press team of Mark Jones, Dave Watson and Sam Fernandes. The first few weeks were hectic when we were operating and implementing the Minuteman Press way of working. Throughout the setup, the support from the UK team was second to none. They were there for us at every stage to support us with the re-branding.” Romi concludes, “Overall, As a local business ourselves, Minuteman Press in Hove is excited to work with other local businesses. We look forward to seeing where this incredible journey takes us as we build and grow together.” Bob Titus to Remain CEO of Minuteman Press International - 22-January-2020 Minuteman Press International, the world’s leading design, marketing, and printing franchise, is proud to announce the promotion of Nick Titus to President. Nick is the third-generation President of Minuteman Press, which remains a family-owned and operated franchisor with World Headquarters in Long Island, NY and nearly 1,000 independently owned and operated franchises worldwide. Previously, Nick was Vice President of Marketing. Bob Titus will remain the Company’s CEO. Nick Titus says, “We have a tremendous company with incredible people who care about its success. Most importantly, the foundation and strength of our organization relies on having dedicated franchise owners. I believe that our company is strong and we are in a very good position for continued growth.” Nick continues, “Our three main goals are: 1. to get our stores’ average to $750,000 per year in sales; 2. to get our systemwide gross sales to over half a billion dollars; and 3. to reach over 1,000 locations. We are pushing our support staff to conduct more individual meetings and evaluations to help ensure strong profitability and help make recommendations for continued growth.” Growing up in the family business, Nick Titus started working at Minuteman Press International World Headquarters during summer and winter breaks throughout high school and college. After graduating from Quinnipiac University in 2007 with a degree in Business Management, Nick joined the Minuteman Press team full-time. “I started out as a Marketing Rep working directly with franchise owners and learning the inside of the business, then moved into our marketing department working on different ways to promote the business. Each year, I took on more and more responsibilities and became involved in different areas. One of the things I love about our business is that every day is a new challenge. Our owners come from so many different walks of life and it’s so enjoyable to work with them and to be able to help them succeed in owning their own business.” CEO Bob Titus, who founded Minuteman Press International with his father Roy in 1973, issued the following statement: “In 1995, my father Roy Titus moved aside and named me President of the Company. It was the coming of the second generation taking us through the next 25 years concentrating on our Minuteman Press franchise support system. Growing with all of our franchisees along the way. Seeing over 100 centers being passed down to the second generation. Seeing hundreds of successful owners sell their business and retire. Seeing our $1,000,000 stores grow from 13 in 1996 to nearly 100 in 2019. In the last 25 years, we have added so many products and services that even Roy could not have imagined back in 1975. After serving as President of Minuteman Press for 25 years, I feel it is time for another change. It is time for the third generation to take the helm. I am so proud and honored to promote my son, Nicholas Roy Titus, as the third generation President of Minuteman Press International. Nick has grown up at Minuteman Press like a lot of us and our kids. He also grew up with his grandfather Roy who taught him so much; the work ethic that Roy taught all of us and most important, knowing that our company is only as good as the people we have in business.” Nick Titus concludes, “I am very honored and humbled for this opportunity. I have some huge shoes to fill and I don’t take that lightly. I am very excited to continue with the core values we have instilled in our organization and to have the opportunity to take our already great franchise to the next level.” Minuteman Press Printing Franchise in Epsom Nominated for Best New Business and Customer Service Awards - 08-November-2019 EPSOM, England – The Minuteman Press marketing and printing franchise in Epsom has been nominated for Best New Business and Best Business for Customer Service for the Epsom & Ewell Business Awards. These awards recognise excellence for local businesses across all different industries. For Best New Business, the criteria for this award is being a new business that demonstrates potential for future significant growth. Other factors are innovation, filling a gap in the market, or offering an established product with a twist. Minuteman Press Epsom is one of three businesses nominated. For Best Business in Customer Service, the criteria here is the ability to go above and beyond to attract and retain customers as well as demonstrating how customer service has benefited the business. Minuteman Press Epsom is also one of three nominees shortlisted for this award. Minuteman Press Epsom is an independently owned and operated local design, marketing, and printing franchise. Products and services offered include customised printing essentials, promotional products, apparel, graphic design, wide format printing, and more. Owners Jonnie Conibeer and Margaux Evans are seasoned business professionals who pride themselves on helping other businesses grow. Together, along with their Designer and Production Manager Lili Hernandez, they bring stellar customer service to their B2B clients. Margaux says, “We are friendly, respectful, honest and always offering a fair deal. We treat every customer (no matter how big or small) and every order they place as if they are our most important customer. We want to see them back in our centre.” Because they care about their community, non-for-profit organisations feel at home trusting Minuteman Press in Epsom. They design and print quarterly booklets, newsletters, workbooks and flyers for one in particular. “Our current top clients are non-for-profit organisations - we work with our local Residents Association, the local branch of The Samaritans, and a neighbouring Parish Council.” There is depth to the statements Jonnie and Margaux make about customer care and leading with the truth is their first rule. Margaux says, “We'll always be upfront and honest about managing expectations, but once we've committed to a job we do whatever it takes to get it over the line, to meet deadlines and quoted cost, no matter what.” Jonnie adds, “It can't always be about profit, if it's just about the bottom line our customers go shop online. What they're looking for is a local business, the personal support, advice and quality they get at a price suited to their budget.” Prior to partnering up together with Minuteman Press in Epsom, Jonnie earned his degree in Graphic Design and Video at Farnham University for the Creative Arts and worked for the BBC in post-production for six years. Margaux came to the UK from South Africa fifteen years ago and worked for a FTSE 60 property developer in Central London as an HR Business Partner for ten years. “The beauty of running a Minuteman Press franchise is that you have all the support and structure you need whilst being able to make the business suit you and your style of working,” according to Jonnie. Margaux adds, “There is a lot of flexibility to work within the structure of a franchise and still feel like my store is unique from every other Minuteman Press even though it has the same integral building blocks and commitment to quality.” “I’d like to congratulate Margaux and Jonnie as well as Lili for being nominated for Best New Business and Best Business for Customer Service,” says Mark Jones, Minuteman Press International Area Manager, UK North. He adds, “They form a great partnership with skill sets that really complement each other.” Minuteman Press International United Kingdom Franchises Review Life Without Print in New Marketing Video - 01-October-2019 What does life without print look like in the United Kingdom? That is the question answered in a new video released by Minuteman Press International, the world’s leading design, marketing, and printing franchise. The video takes viewers on a journey of a typical day – waking up in the morning, driving to work, spending time at the office, ordering lunch, and coming home – and demonstrates just how different life would be without print. “No matter where we go, print is everywhere,” says Nick Titus, VP Marketing, Minuteman Press International. “The focus of this video is to raise awareness and remind people that print and marketing is literally all around us. Life without print simply just wouldn’t be the same and in fact, it would be extremely difficult.” Check out the United Kingdom Life Without Print Video on the Minuteman Press Franchise Review YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/0gyKU7famzY Minuteman Press Franchise News Feed Last updated: 13-May-2022
