The Createur Podcast

Leadership and Faith in Family Business: Insights from Madison Atkinson

• McGraw School of Business • Season 2 • Episode 3

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Madison Atkinson, a recent MBA graduate from Olivet Nazarene University, shares her inspiring journey of leadership within her family's business, FastSigns of Kankakee. Listen as she reveals the powerful principles instilled by her parents that have guided both her personal growth and the business's success. From the significance of rest and family time to team development through business coaching, Maddie offers a fresh perspective on balancing family dynamics in a business setting and how personal values can fuel effective leadership.

Faith and community play a pivotal role in shaping both personal and professional lives, as discussed with insights from Jeff Williams and his work with Strength Finders. Discover how faith-based practices and scripture, especially the encouraging verses from Isaiah, provide strength during challenging moments, like hitting sales targets. This conversation explores the importance of leadership and discipleship programs, daily devotionals, and small group activities that nurture personal growth and community among church members and colleagues, underscoring the vital role of family support and perseverance through faith.

FastSigns' journey from its humble beginnings to becoming a thriving business is nothing short of remarkable. Maddie details the evolution from manual processes to advanced technology, sharing their ambitious plans for future engagement with local chambers and an expanded sales team. Learn about the effective marketing strategies that have bolstered brand recognition and customer relationships, such as networking and personalized outreach. With highlights on the collaborative franchise model of FastSigns, this episode encapsulates the supportive network that drives the business's ongoing success.

To learn more about other entrepreneurship opportunities and the McGraw School of Business’s very own Createur Conference and Pitch Competition, go to Createur.Olivet.edu.


Speaker 1:

This week we're excited to welcome Madison Atkinson, who will share insights on principles and practices for personal development, tailored specifically for entrepreneurs.

Speaker 2:

Where faith and business meet. This is Creator.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Creator Podcast. Join us as we dive deep into conversations with visionaries, innovators and doers.

Speaker 2:

Whether you're building your brand, launching your next big project or simply seeking inspiration, this is the space where ideas come to life.

Speaker 1:

I'm Spencer James.

Speaker 2:

And I'm Carly Bird when faith and business meet this is the Creator Podcast.

Speaker 1:

Hello everyone, this week, Carly and I had the pleasure of being joined by a young alum from ONU undergraduate class of 2022, Madison Atkinson.

Speaker 2:

Maddie graduated with her undergraduate degree in business administration in 2022 from Olivet. She then proceeded to get her MBA from Olivet, celebrating her recent graduation in May of 2024. She has worked at Fast Signs of Kankakee as center manager since finishing her undergraduate degree. Their team has continued to grow in team members and completed sales since Maddie's parents, dave and Sonia, purchased Fast Signs of Kankakee back in 2014. They've seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years and look forward to what God has in store for them throughout the next 10 years. Maddie, it is so great to have you here with us today. It's always a pleasure. Oops, you guys. I'm so excited. This is going to be fun, I know, and first off, congratulations on your recent graduation.

Speaker 3:

That is so exciting, it felt a little like almost anticlimactic, because I finished the master's program like last August but then graduation was in May, so it felt almost like gotcha. When you finished, you know, it was kind of like it just kind of ended. You know I was like, oh well, I guess I got an agreement. But then the graduation, yeah, oh well, that is so exciting.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and you recently purchased a house as well, yes. So, oh my goodness, wow, that is so exciting, big moves, those mortgage payments are no joke Let me tell you no.

Speaker 2:

So you work for a family business, of course, fast Signs of Kankakee with your parents, in which they actually bought Fast Signs back in 2014, which is incredibly inspiring. With that being said, what personal development practices or values do you feel that your parents have been able to instill in you now that you're able to contribute you know that success kind of to Fast Signs as well. So what are some of those?

Speaker 3:

principles you feel like you were brought up with. Yeah, one of the most important things that comes to my head is just like taking vacation and taking rest and taking time off, because it's like work is going to be work, you know, no matter what it's here at the end of the day and there's always going to be more things to do, but being able to just like take some time to be with the people that you love, that you care about, doing the things that you care about, I feel like that is something that they have always valued and from the start of the business, it was like things were a little rougher financially. Like starting any business you know money is not always just an abundance, right? So just being able to like take vacation, whether it's we're going up to the Dells for a weekend or like we're, whatever it is that we're doing, you know, as long as we're doing it together. Another little note that I had was always just like investing in things that are going to help grow the business and grow our team. So they have done business coaching with some different business coaches in the area, which I know has been really helpful for the continued growth of the podcast and the personal growth of our team. So that's something I continue to take leadership classes and I've gotten to sit in on some of these coaching sessions. I feel like this just kind of it helps you become a more well-rounded person and see how what you know and what has shaped you can translate from personal life into business. You know, and things that maybe we're insecure about, or things that maybe ways that we could be a better leader that we might not have realized without doing some of this business coaching. I think that is something that they do a really good job of, that I've been able to learn of.

Speaker 3:

Another thing is like our team is the most important thing. So we have the opportunity and the ability to like financially support these people, to give them a work environment that is fun and that we enjoy. Like our co-workers, we get to have a good time with each other. So I think that that's something that has been really important, you know, like since they bought this business in 2014,. Some of my co workers I've known since I was in high school, you know. So that's kind of weird, but also like fun, I guess you know they've gotten to see me grow through all of the stages of life, but just being able to continue to invest in our team, I think is really important. We'll do like today there's a food truck, the sugar plum. I don't know if you've heard of them, but they're coming by. We're going to have like flavored lemonades and shakeups and stuff. So just things like that, where it's like it's good for us personally and it's good for the team. Yeah, that's just what comes to mind first, I guess that's good, I like that.

Speaker 1:

What is? It's a family business, right. And so how do you balance like bringing work to home and home to work? If it's a family gang, right, like that? That's kind of there's a lot going on there.

Speaker 3:

I would say, when I lived at home, like before I got married, it was way easier for us to kind of just talk about work, 24 seven, you know, um. But now that I live at home, it's like if we're going over to my parents for dinner, it's kind of way more intentional to like okay, not that we don't talk about work, you know, like if something crazy happened, we'll be like, oh, my word, did you hear that, like one of our customers is going through a rebrand right now? Like that's crazy, we didn't know, whatever you know, and so it's not like work conversation never happens, but that's also nice too. Um, I feel like we've, we have really good relationships to the point where, like, we can have these heart-to-heart conversations in a personal manner or in like a work set, like a work context, you know, and it doesn't affect our relationship.

Speaker 3:

You know, I feel like that's one of the benefits to working with family is like if you are working with a random boss and you are having a rough day or something, you might not be as like compassionate or as willing to show you grace, whereas if it's your dad, like he's pretty understanding, you know. So I'm not trying to say we're perfect by any means, but it definitely helps to have just like a team, that it feels like a family too. So yeah, but there have been plenty of nights where we're still talking about work and it's like nine o'clock at night. But it's also fun, you know. It's like I enjoy what we do and he enjoys it. It's kind of like his third child. You know, there's me and my sister and then there's Fast Signs, so it's kind of cool that we get to like collaborate on it together, if that makes sense.

Speaker 1:

That's cool. I really like that. I think boundaries is a really big thing, but if you can kind of just acknowledge that there's a lot of things already set in place and if you have good relationships, that really does pave the way to have really good boundaries with those that you work with or live with. Even right, if they're family. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

Speaker 3:

And my mom has said too, because she worked when they first started the business. She was like part-time at Olivet and she came on full-time at Fast Signs for a while. But she's like an educator, she loves teaching music. That's what she does at Olivet now. Educator, she loves teaching music, that's what she does, all of that now. Um, and she kind of just told my dad like with all the love and respect in the world, like I cannot work with you anymore, like we, we need to have some sort of separate, because it turned into like yeah, this

Speaker 3:

is all that you talk about. You know, especially at the beginning, when things might not have been going as great. You know it was like, yeah, they're talking about the hardship, and then that's like when that's you work together all day and then you come home and that's all that you talk about. You know it can kind of be hard. So she was able to, like, create a really healthy boundary there and he totally understood. You know, they're great, they, their relationship is great.

Speaker 3:

I'm not trying to say that she was like I can't work with you anymore, but yeah, I think that has even helped our family too. So, like, we can say those things. We can say look, I can't work with you anymore, but yeah, I think that has even helped our family too. So, like, we can say those things. We can say, look, I don't like the way that you said that you don't need to talk to me that way. Or, hey, respectfully, like you know, we can have those conversations and it's always like okay, we're good, we just need to like how can we address this and move forward? You know, like how?

Speaker 2:

can we address?

Speaker 3:

this and move forward, you know so.

Speaker 2:

Definitely. Yeah, it sounds like no. No, that's great communication among your family members, obviously, and just knowing, like you said, that's a difficult situation to be in, where you know you're working with your spouse too and then you come home at night and plus think of you know that's a lot of time spent with the same person. You know in a lot of relationships you go your separate ways at work and then you come home. So it's so important to have that communication and those boundaries when you are going to be working with your family. So I love hearing that that is an interesting approach and it sounds like it's very fitting for your family.

Speaker 2:

I also really enjoyed so you did mention some of those mentorship or coaching relationships that your family has been through with. You know local community members just to kind of, like you mentioned, gain a little bit more expertise, but also realize you know it's good to talk to others about something when you're getting started. So I'm kind of curious in your situation, you know, how has mentorship or even spiritual guidance played a role just in your personal development and business endeavors? You know, are there any specific individuals or faith-based communities even that have been instrumental in your growth?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I feel like spiritual guidance has 100% been like the leading force behind how I can like work and have a family and like do all these different things. You know, this is like maybe dramatic of me, but I feel like for people that don't have a faith and don't believe in God or whatever it is that they believe in, I'm like how do you do life? You know, like I would be so sad and so discouraged. I think I didn't have that lifeline of like look, I know, at the end of the day, god's got me like I'm surrounding myself with people that are trying to like Act like he would act, you know, and be that support for other people. So I think that's been super huge.

Speaker 3:

This past year at church we did this Gathering Point is where I attend church we did this leadership and discipleship program. It was like we met once a month before church and it was just kind of diving deep into like okay, what does the Holy Spirit look like in my life? How am I resting? How am I like restoring who I am, and so I'm not burning myself out what are my strengths, what are my weaknesses? We partnered with Jeff Williams and I don't know if you guys know him super well, but he does. He loves the Strength Finders, and so we had the chance to work on that, like just surrounding myself with either people in the church or just friends, or even a lot of my co-workers that are believers. I feel like that's been super formative. You know, I feel like I don't know. I don't know how people do life if they don't have the lifeline of Jesus Christ, you know, which, again, might just be like. Some people might think I'm just being dramatic, but that's how I feel.

Speaker 3:

Another thing that really sticks with me, just like business-wise, especially in like the face of challenges and stuff, is the last few verses in Isaiah. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. I just think that is so encouraging. And there have been times like when monthly sales have been down and I've been stressed like, oh, how are we going to meet this deadline or how are we going to bring in these sales or whatever you know, and it's like it always, no matter what it always works itself out. If it's how I think it's going to, or if it's what it always works itself out, if it's how I think it's going to, or if it's some random customer that the Lord just nudged to call us instead of somebody else you know. So I think that's been really cool.

Speaker 2:

I'm so glad you mentioned that verse. That is so powerful and encouraging just for us as Christians in the work environment to carry on and realize that you know God's got us and even in those in the midst of those hard times when it it feels a little questionable and it's a bit shaky, it's so encouraging. You're right to have that faith and realize that God's got your back. Wow, I'm really glad you brought that up.

Speaker 3:

It's like one of my favorite verses. I like have one of those little flip through things on your desk where it gives you like a new verse or a new like devotional tidbit every day, and I always like that. One came up one time and I was just like, oh, my word, like I didn't know I needed to do that, but it's just kind of stuck with me and I had it written down.

Speaker 2:

So that's awesome. Yeah, are there any other practices? Just from you know a Christian standpoint that you incorporate kind of in your daily routines, even in the work environment too, to kind of leave an impact on those around you.

Speaker 3:

That's a good question. I would say we don't like pray together every morning or anything like that, but if we're ever like sharing a meal as a team, like it's always, we start by prayer. I know that some people on our team are not Christians, which is you know. I get it, you know, but we're filled with a staff that is mostly Christian, so that's encouraging. You know, you don't really hear people swearing up a storm or you know, like it's just kind of a culture where it's like we try to put each other first, we try to serve one another, we try to support one another. For me personally, I try to.

Speaker 3:

Well, every night, before I go to bed, I have my devotional and Bible time, which is awesome. My husband and I do it together, which is awesome, fantastic. We both have our own like studies that we're doing, but we do that every day. We have lunch together every day. We have small groups that we meet with every week, which is also fun.

Speaker 3:

I feel like our small group is a bunch of people that either I didn't know in college or I like wasn't super close with, but there are a lot of them are from Olivet too, and it's like we're all still in the area and so we meet like once a week and we play pickleball. Usually we do like a devotional, but in the summer it's been kind of hard to like. A lot of people are traveling and stuff. So then if it's just a few of us we'll go play pickleball or get ice cream or whatever. So that's been really encouraging to have community, that it's like these weren't my school friends, you know. So it feels like a post-grad friendship, if that makes sense, but they're fantastic and I feel like they pushed me to be a better person. So it's like it's a win-win situation, you know.

Speaker 2:

Definitely.

Speaker 1:

I want to talk maybe a little bit more about the challenges. Early on. You talked a little bit about right when we started, maybe how, when Fast Signs, you guys were kind of starting back up, how there was maybe some challenges in starting a new business, and I think that's one of the biggest things that we hear from entrepreneurs and some of the listeners about is like is getting started is the first biggest hurdle that everybody faces with that, and then the next biggest hurdle is like everything that comes after that, and so I think maybe my question for you would be like how did you navigate that and rely on family and get through that, and was there a duration where it was so hard that you were ready to quit, or what really maybe got you through that?

Speaker 3:

So back in I guess it would have been 2013, my uncle was looking to sell this business and he had like multiple different businesses, multiple different things that he was invested in, and so he was just kind of going to let this one I don't know if he was going to sell it or if he was just going to kind of let it fizzle out or what was going to happen but my dad was like I think this could really be something. So they and my mom, like with the financing and stuff they ended up purchasing and it turned into a fast signs, which is awesome and but it's kind of crazy to think about. Like our first year of business, we did the amount of completed sales that now we can do in a month, which is like insane to think about. You know, but it's like at the beginning, when you're starting a business, nobody really knows your name unless for other reasons you've been in the community and been involved with things you know. But like fast signs, the closest one to us is in Tinley Park, so nobody really around here would have known fast signs or heard of fast signs, you know. So while they might have like known my parents or known their names or something they don't really know what it is.

Speaker 3:

So I would say that was one of our biggest hurdles would be just the like, getting your face out there, getting your name out there. What you guys offer. You know so many times people will like either come to us or they'll see us at a golf outing or a chamber event or whatever and they'll be like hey, like I need X, y or Z. Like, do you guys do that? And it's like the answer is always yes, like, even if it's something we've never done before, we're going to figure out how to do it so that we can serve you guys, you know. So I would say that was one of the biggest strengths that they had was just the like yes, attitude. As far as the answer is going to be yes, we're going to figure it out.

Speaker 3:

Like you know, if if you close yourself off to like well, we, we only offer banners and yard signs and it's like well, you're missing out on a whole target market for t-shirts and pens and channel letters and leds and building signs that you know like there's so much that you could do that could be considered signage or could not be, depending on who you ask. So kind of just having that yes, mentality of like we're gonna figure it out. You know, we're gonna tackle it and figure it out. Um, I would say to my dad had an engineering, um, architectural engineering background, um, so he'd never had really done anything with signs, so that was interesting too. When we started it was like this brand new, fresh, like fresh idea that none of us really had any previous knowledge of. So that was intimidating for sure. But also we were able to, like my sister and I would come in after school and in the summers we were here working. So it was definitely an all hands on deck situation.

Speaker 1:

But I love that. That's so good. I think it's kind of like the soup to nuts thing, right, like you just kind of you make it work and it might be a little bit kind of scrappy but it comes together at one point or another. And I think also from a service business perspective, right, like if you can offer more right, maybe to start with you can almost kind of find your niche and you probably have a couple of things that man, you do a lot of those every month, but to start out it's like you don't really know until you try it. So I love that.

Speaker 3:

That's super good. It's also kind of crazy to talk about too. We actually had so fast things as a franchise. So there's over like 700 locations in the world but each location is independently owned and operated. So it's a little different as far as, like, corporate doesn't own our center, like Dave and Sonia own our center, so that's cool. But we had another Fast Signs new owner who was actually here this morning. He's learning, he's going through the like corporate training and stuff and he's about to close on his new center.

Speaker 3:

And it was just kind of fun because I was talking to him about like, oh, when we used to do yard signs, we would have to print the graphics on vinyl and then we'd have to trim them out and stick them on coroplast by hand and squeegee them and trim off the excess, and like it was a multi-faceted project, you know, just for yards. And now it's like, well, we have a flatbed printer, so we put the coroplast down and it prints the ink on it and we pick it up and we're done, you know. So it's like it's just really cool to see how we've evolved, even in our processes and our team. It's just crazy to kind of think about when we started.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's like how did you do that right how?

Speaker 3:

did we do that? I'm like I wouldn't have taken this all day to do like 50 yard signs, and now it's like that takes me like an hour, you know. So it's just crazy though.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, where do you see? Where do you maybe see like the future of Fast Signs over the next couple of years, looking forward and you're continuing to grow in your position, maybe, and kind of what's the next big thing?

Speaker 3:

I would say one thing that is super important to me that I'm hoping to continue to grow with is like involvement in our local chambers. They've been super huge for us just with making connections and meeting people, and then it's like you almost feel like you're the go to person for somebody like that you've met through the chamber. If it's like, oh well, we're going to go to fast signs, which is what we want, you know. So I would say, continued growth, just an involvement with the chamber. We are on pace to have our highest number of sales this year, which last year was our highest ever. So it feels crazy that we're growing again. But we're hoping to get within the next few years a new it's like a CNC type cutter, but it's really smart and you can just throw the material down and it just knows where to cut. It's crazy. I don't know all the technicalities of that, but we're hoping to get that in the next few years. We're looking to get some outside salespeople as well, because currently Dave, who's our owner, myself and then Sally, who sits the front desk we're currently our full-time salespeople. Well, I'm not really full-time sales, but they're our full-time sales people and I help with sales sometimes, but Sally's actually retiring, just going part-time in a few weeks, so trying to fill her role and then hopefully just keep continuing to expand.

Speaker 3:

The cool things about signs is like there's always a need for signage, you know, no matter what. It's not like it's just a trend or like a fad that's really big for like a year or two and then it kind of dies off. Like the hospitals need signs, olivet needs signs, bb needs signs, all the local businesses need signs. You know whether it's for an event or they're changing their door hours or you know whatever. So it's kind of it's a really cool like business model that Fast Signs has. So just continuing to reach out to people proactively.

Speaker 1:

That sounds like the future is bright. I hope so. I Effectively.

Speaker 3:

It sounds like the future is bright. I hope so, I hope it's bright, for sure.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, you know, I also think it's interesting. So, going back to, you mentioned when you were getting started, just the fact that nobody knew your name at first, or what Fast Signs is. How did you go about some of the marketing and advertising? You know the promotional strategies to build that following and customer base.

Speaker 3:

So I would say a lot of it is like through our chambers, so we would be involved with either women in networking or we would be involved with the ambassador programs and stuff, just to kind of like get our face out there, especially at the beginning. There's kind of like a niche group, I feel like, of people who attend these meetings every week, and so it's like you kind of build a rapport with them. Then it's like they know, oh, maddie has fast signs, like they can do that for you. If somebody they're doing business with isn't looking for a sign, then they can refer them to you. You know, I feel like the chamber was really big in that and that's something my mom did when she was here full time. She was really involved with women and networking and attending those events. We've also had different outside sales people in the past, so now it's kind of me and kind of Sally and kind of Dave filling that role, because we don't have someone who's just like going out into the community and like see, like cold calling, basically like knocking on people's doors, you know, but a few marketing strategies that we kind of like swear by, I guess, or we we kind of try to implement year after year would be like OK, school's coming up, so we're reaching out to all of the local schools in our area and beyond. You know, like it doesn't just have to be Kankakee County. We kind of have like a big radius because there are closest fast signs is Tinley, so it's kind of nice, we'll reach out to all these schools. Hey, we know school's coming up Like do you need any directional signage to help like new students not feel anxious as they're coming into your building? Or do you need perforated vinyl to help protect students so that random people walking by can't just see into classrooms or offices or whatever? You know Our same thing with, like if we know that the summer and the spring are usually time for golf outings.

Speaker 3:

So we know like Nucor has a golf outing, mateus Joy has a golf outing. Like there are many people in the community, so we'll reach out. Hey, we know we did your signs last year. We'd love to connect with you again. And then a lot of times it's like oh well, you guys helped us with the golf outing. Do you guys do building signs?

Speaker 3:

And it's a little different because I was still in high school when they bought it, so I don't know if I know all of the ins and outs, but that's a lot of what we try to like stick to now is just like constantly following up, and Fast Signs also has a program where they will like take a lot of your dormant customers and just shoot them an email that looks like it's coming from us which I don't know if I should be saying this on the podcast or not, but like it looks like it's coming from us. Just like, hey, like we miss working with you guys. Is there anything we can help you with? Um, another thing is just handwritten notes. So I'll go through our dormant customer list every once in a while and just, it's a customer that we used to work with on a regular basis or we did a really big job for them.

Speaker 3:

Just like, hey, how's your sign looking? Like? We hope everything's great. Do you need a refresh on anything? Or like I don't know. Like we know that you had this event last year. Can we help you with this event again? You know things like that just to help pull up. And I feel like handwritten cards too. People don't get those as much nowadays as maybe they I don't know know as maybe they would like, but that's kind of a rarity these days, so I feel like we try to do that as an intentional way, that's nice.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that makes a difference, for sure, a little bit more personalized, yes.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah, thank you for sharing that that's excellent, Of course. I would say too like just sponsorship opportunities. So whether it's like for golf out our logo and our name out there, so that people attending the events they're like oh, Fast Signs. Oh, I bet they probably made these signs, you know.

Speaker 2:

So anyways, yeah, another one. You know you're bringing up so many great points. It just keeps rolling and giving me ideas for questions, I guess. But you also mentioned so we were talking about Fast Signs as a franchise. How would you say some of those you know? You mentioned even someone coming into your store who's looking to open their store. You know learning the ins and outs from you guys. How was Fast Signs? You know some of the local branches. I know you said you know the closest one is Tinley. But how did some of those Fast Signs owners help you guys when you were first getting started? Or was there that camaraderie?

Speaker 3:

So they do like a mentorship program. So it's like if somebody is opening a new Fast Signs, they have to go to what they call foundations training. So when I did foundations it was actually virtual because it was COVID, but they'll usually send you to Texas, which is where like corporate headquarters are, and so they'll walk you through the ins and outs of like this is Corbridge, it's our POS system, so this is like some of the best tips and tricks for functioning through Corbridge. Or this is the Epson printer. This is how you would run this. This is how you weed, like weed out letters that will be in cut vinyl, like things like that. They kind of walk you through that process and show you the basics or the fundamentals, so that you kind of have a like a basis for if you're opening a brand new center and it's like just you or you and one other person you know, you kind of have a well-rounded look at what the basics look like for multiple aspects of the business, I guess. And then there's also the mentorship program. So this gentleman is opening his location in Gurney and so it's an existing one that he's purchasing and so he's kind of just walking through. He has to be here for, I think, four days just of training, kind of seeing how we run things, because it's one thing for corporate to tell you like, hey, this is what you should do, you know, but to see another fast signs or another few fast signs like just doing it, like functioning, you know, like. He just kind of came along and he watched our morning meeting that we have every day like our work start meeting, and then he tagged along with me up front. We just talked about like marketing and social media and stuff. So I feel like that's cool. He'll be back on Monday to sit with our graphic designers to just see what they do. It's a good like support system.

Speaker 3:

Another thing that they do that's really cool is they have like a vendor database, and so it's like if I'm looking for a very specific like whatever you want it to be I can go on to the FastScience website and find a database that's like just for us FastSigns locations, if that makes sense. Same thing with like they'll try out a lot of technologies and they've done a lot of stuff with like AI. So then they'll tell us, oh, we would recommend this, or oh, we didn't have a good experience with this or whatever you know. So it's kind of nice to have that like umbrella of like guidance almost if you need it. We have a business consultant too, so every fast signs has their own like corporate business consultant so they'll come out like once a year. Basically just make sure everything that you're doing is like up to code.

Speaker 3:

We went through like a rebrand in 2022 so they made sure that all of our signage was up to up to the new like branding and stuff you know, and they'll just kind of give you guidance.

Speaker 3:

As far as we put stickers on the back of all of our signs that just say fast signs of Kinky Keep, and our business consultant was here a few weeks ago and he was like this is kind of random, but like I've noticed that some of our centers have gotten more just like random phone calls when they put their phone number on that sticker too. So then we put the sticker on ours so we'll see if it, if we get a whole lot of calls from that, but just kind of giving guidance like that where if you're opening a business 100% by yourself and you don't maybe have that, it doesn't have to be a franchise, but you don't have that kind of like support system. You know it might be harder to get ideas flowing. Have somebody to bounce ideas off of, have like a database of things that they know have worked. You know like there have been tactics. So I would say that's super helpful.

Speaker 2:

That definitely sounds like. You know, I always like to see the difference between the franchises and then someone who's just getting started with an idea that they came up with on their own from scratch, I know for sure. Yeah, that definitely sounds nice to have that database and have some support. And, you know, just being able to have some of those materials already set in place that you can utilize and work with along the way, man, what a great feature and tool. Yeah, especially even having the consultant as well. That's interesting.

Speaker 2:

Just the ideas that can come from an outside person stepping into your business is interesting. I always love having all the different support systems, so that that's very appealing and interesting for our listeners too, as they're getting started with their businesses, and you know, we have a lot of young entrepreneurs listening to the podcast and just hearing what it's like from a franchise perspective as well as an avenue for their careers. Well, maddie, this has been such a fun conversation. It's always a joy having you on. Of course, we do have one final question for you, spencer. I'm going to let you take this one this week and give Maddie her quirky question of the week.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I can, I can do that. I can give the quirky question. It's in the spirit of entrepreneurship this week, so it should be in tandem with everything that we talked about today. But here's the question which of your family members is most likely to come up with a valid business idea, or like a wild business idea? I don't know why I said valid, a wild business idea. Why that person? Which part of your family? Which person?

Speaker 3:

Okay, it would either be my mom, sonia, or my sister, michaela, because they are like, super creative. They have, like, if I say, okay, like we have this golf outing, we need to like create some signs for it, they already have like 50 ideas in their head and it's like it's all of them are fantastic ideas, you know, but we can't actually make all of them happen, but they're just super creative. They're the ones that, like, if we're taking a trip to disney, it's like the week before. They're like, okay, we're making t-shirts, like we gotta design these t-shirts, get the heat press out. You know, like they're super creative, but they also know how to get things done.

Speaker 1:

So I would say that they would be the the ones with the craziest ideas that's good, that's a great answer, that's so good thanks yeah, well, hey, maddie, thanks again so much for uh being with us today and just sharing a lot of really really good nuggets. There was a lot of moments in there that I'm like, oh, that's good, that's really really good, and so and so thank you.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much for your time.

Speaker 2:

You guys are doing awesome work.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, Maddie. It's always a joy getting to chat with you and listeners.

Speaker 1:

If you want to connect with Madison, you can follow Fast Signs of Kankakee on Facebook or LinkedIn, so go check that out, and if you want to learn more about the AllEvent Entrepreneurship Program, you can just visit olivetedu slash entrepreneurship on the web, on your phone, whichever, wherever.

Speaker 2:

And to learn more about our Creator Conference and Pitch Competition. You can email me, carly Bird, at kabird at olivetedu, or visit our website creatorolivetedu.

Speaker 1:

All right. Well, hey, we're gonna close it out today. We'll say the tagline where faith and business meet. This is the Creator Podcast. We'll see you next time.