Banker switches stress for FASTSIGNS

A banker and his wife reap the positive benefits of opening their own FASTSIGNS franchise.

When Simon Slee met his wife Friederike in the Middle East, he was working as an investment banker and she was a landscape architect. The two quickly decided to move to London together, but weren’t sure what the future held for their careers.

So, when an opportunity for Simon to take a voluntary redundancy arose he took the chance, having grown tired of the difficult world of banking. The two decided to set up their own business together and began to look around for the best opportunity.

Franchising was raised as an excellent way to begin their business journey, so the couple attended the National Franchise Exhibition in Manchester. It was here that they discovered FASTSIGNS, the custom sign franchise, and after chatting more about the opportunity, the Slees knew this was the right move for them as it utilised Simon’s sales experience and Friederike’s background in design.

“It was apparent from the start that the FASTSIGNS vetting process was superior to other franchisors.” says Simon “We saw they were selective about who could join their network. Their approach demonstrated to us how seriously they considered their franchisees, this sense of exclusivity was appealing, we wanted to be a part of it.”

Just four months later, the couple embarked on the four week ‘Foundations’ training course, which included two weeks in sunny Dallas, to learn everything they’d needed to know to make their business a success.

Now, seven years since the couple opened their franchise, they’ve increased their staff by 30% and moved to much bigger premises. Simon says that FASTSIGNS were incredibly supportive during the expansion process and gave the couple “confidence to grow”.

The Slees have also managed to achieve the work/life balance they’d always dreamed about, with Friederike working half-days to allow her to spend plenty of time with their young children. Simon understands that spending so much time with his children (with them even spending time in their FASTSIGNS centre) wouldn’t have been possible if he’d stayed in the corporate world.

“As a family business, we’re really lucky. Friederike has perfected balancing the business with family incredibly well, working together in the business means we can lean on each other for support, we are working together to build a future for our family.” With over 33 years’ experience in the signage industry, FASTSIGNS is an industry leader that’s constantly seeking new franchisees that can take its fantastic business model and make their fortune.