As many people look forward to retiring from their careers to relax, others are motivated to start a new life in a different career. Jim Butler is among the latter.
At age 54, Butler decided to open his own Signarama franchise in Heritage Village Plaza in Gainesville. The store officially opened last month, making Butler one of almost 900 people who own a franchise with the world’s largest sign company.
Jim Butler waits for customers at his newly-opened Signarama in Gainesville.Butler is a program manager by trade and has worked in the financial industry for the majority of his life. Signarama, however, provides signs and graphic services for its customers, including digital, neon, LED and pylon signs.
He now spends much of his time caring for his mother, and Butler was looking for a career that would give him both financial stability and flexible hours.
“I needed an employment model that would allow me to work and at the same time keep an eye on my mother,” he said. “It would give me a better work-life, home-life balance.”
Though Butler lives in Purcellville, it was Signarama’s corporate office that suggested he open the franchise in Gainesville.
“The Gainesville area and the Gainesville market is growing quickly,” Butler said. “It’s a huge opportunity there.”
Although he is a first-time store owner, he is prepared to take charge of the job.
For 17 years Butler worked at Bank of America before leaving to work for Wachovia. He even worked as a management consultant for the International Monetary Fund.
“This is a guy who is coming into it who has really strong business knowledge and acumen that will definitely serve him well,” said Mary Mills, marketing director at the United Franchise Group—the parent company of Signarama.
According to Butler, he was taking notes on running a business when he was a fast food cook decades ago.
“I was watching how the managers there dealt with the customers,” he said. “You have some very gracious customers and then you have not so gracious customers, and I watched how he treated both and he treated them both the same and made sure that he resolved whatever issues that they had.”
For the majority of his life, Butler had immersed himself in his work. Although he still expects to work hard, he believes owning a franchise will give him the flexibility he has been wanting.
“The first thirty-some-odd years of my career was spent just working and working,” he said. “Now it's time for me to backup and truly smell the roses.”
His transition from working as a program manager to store owner hasn’t been quick, though. Years of research and time have gone into his decision to open a franchise.
“I’ve been looking for something of this nature for maybe five or six years,” he said. “The reason I went with Signarama and United Franchise Group is because of their overall business approach and methodology.”
Butler was impressed with UFG after it flew him to West Palm Beach, Fla. to get a feel for Signarama and educate him on the brand.
“Nobody else offered to do that,” he said. “When I was interviewing a variety of franchise opportunities, they just did not appear to be as organized and didn’t have as good a reputation as United Franchise Group.”
Butler wasn’t the only one who realized that partnering with UFG was the right way to go. Sanderson PR is the public relations firm contracted by Signarama and it has a team of people who got to know Jim on a personal level.
Jason Sophian, account manager at Sanderson PR, understands Butler’s motivation and capability of owning a Signarama Franchise.
Gainesville Signarama in Heritage Village Plaza.“Just based on his diligence and research as far as what’s the most strategic move…Signarama was really able to fill that void and meet what he was looking for,” Sophian said. “He went for it.”
Now that Butler’s Signarama franchise is up and running, he is ready to move forward.
“It is fast and furious,” he said. “It has been really exciting.”
Butler has joined the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce and has already selected House of Mercy as the charity his Signarama will be working within the community.
“I’m looking to make this a legacy, pass it down to my family,” he said. “In the meantime, I hope to have more time to spend with my family.”
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