We returned in late October from our 10 day tour of Europe to meet with Sign-A-Rama 
franchisees to talk about how we've built our business. We had a chance to meet people from all over Europe, toured five major cities and learned more about how the airports and hotels work than we could have imagined. As I reflect on our experience, it tells me the old cliche is true: we have more in common than we realize.
franchisees to talk about how we've built our business. We had a chance to meet people from all over Europe, toured five major cities and learned more about how the airports and hotels work than we could have imagined. As I reflect on our experience, it tells me the old cliche is true: we have more in common than we realize. In preparation for our tour we created a 10-minute video about our business, our staff, and our customers. We didn't realize this video would become the centerpiece of our meetings, helping us illustrate how we work and give them a glimpse into our day. The best part was when our employees' names would appear on-screen, and we would see a reaction from the country of origin for that name. For example, the Germans commented on Mara Schmidt's last name -- one of their own -- and the Dutch loved seeing Heidi Van Zant's name on screen -- one of theirs, too!
Our first stop was Paris, where we did have a free afternoon to drive around the center of the historic city and see some of the major monuments. Of course, it was
breathtaking. Paris is beautiful, romantic and amazing, even from a car at 40 mph. The franchisees, led by Master Franchisor Oliviet Fossat, spent the better part of the day asking us tough questions and taking notes -- it was a perfect city to start in since Olivier was a great facilitator for us. There was a large group and they were very involved in the meeting. We were lucky to have a chance to ride the Metro, which was surprisingly clean and open-feeling, considering it was built many decades ago. Olivier was full of enthusiasm, as he was the brain-child of this concept and was eager to see it kick off in his city.
breathtaking. Paris is beautiful, romantic and amazing, even from a car at 40 mph. The franchisees, led by Master Franchisor Oliviet Fossat, spent the better part of the day asking us tough questions and taking notes -- it was a perfect city to start in since Olivier was a great facilitator for us. There was a large group and they were very involved in the meeting. We were lucky to have a chance to ride the Metro, which was surprisingly clean and open-feeling, considering it was built many decades ago. Olivier was full of enthusiasm, as he was the brain-child of this concept and was eager to see it kick off in his city.Second we found ourselves in Frankfurt, Germany, arriving early on Tuesday morning. The 
drive from the airport was fast, so we didn't see much! Gotta love those German highways! Leo Plasman, the Master Franchisee, was well organized and ready to turn the meeting over to us immediately. The German owners, while a small group, were very involved in everything we shared about our business. They asked probing quesitons, wanting to understand each step and specific tips and tricks. It was a fun group, especially since we didn't need translation most of the time. In addition to the German stores, we had Geil, from Holland as well as Etienne, from Vienna. After this meeting, we started to feel we were getting a great pattern and rhythm to our presentation.
drive from the airport was fast, so we didn't see much! Gotta love those German highways! Leo Plasman, the Master Franchisee, was well organized and ready to turn the meeting over to us immediately. The German owners, while a small group, were very involved in everything we shared about our business. They asked probing quesitons, wanting to understand each step and specific tips and tricks. It was a fun group, especially since we didn't need translation most of the time. In addition to the German stores, we had Geil, from Holland as well as Etienne, from Vienna. After this meeting, we started to feel we were getting a great pattern and rhythm to our presentation. Third we hopped to Milan, Italy to meet the small group of owners who have brothers Mauricio and Matteo Adreani. We stayed and met at a "Holiday Inn" close to the city center -- it was far more luxurious and stylish than the American version of the hotel! The owners were not shy and we had some great conversations, even with translations. Lunch was good, too, w
ith some one-one-one questions that were interesting. After our meeting with those owners - which were a div
erse group of new and veteran owners - we got a visit to a soccer clothing store for gift shopping for our kids as well as a traditional Italian dinner at a local restaurant. The late night tour around Milan to see the sights and grab some rainy photos was a hoot -- they know how to handle those narrow, twisting roads! What a great time.
ith some one-one-one questions that were interesting. After our meeting with those owners - which were a div
erse group of new and veteran owners - we got a visit to a soccer clothing store for gift shopping for our kids as well as a traditional Italian dinner at a local restaurant. The late night tour around Milan to see the sights and grab some rainy photos was a hoot -- they know how to handle those narrow, twisting roads! What a great time.By the fourth city, Amsterdam, we were really feeling fatigued, but the energy we gathered from 
working with the owners powered us through! There were some familiar faces -- Geil, who met us in Germany brought his wife Kitty and business partner, Arnold, to come and hear what we presented to him just a couple days previously. The Dutch were all very good with English, so the meeting and exchanges went well. They asked many good questions and appeared to really want to put some idea into action. The Master Franchisor, Ria Coolen, was charming and wonderful. She made us feel very at home. We worked through a long day and even met afterwards for more conversation in the hotel bar before dinner and then to bed.
working with the owners powered us through! There were some familiar faces -- Geil, who met us in Germany brought his wife Kitty and business partner, Arnold, to come and hear what we presented to him just a couple days previously. The Dutch were all very good with English, so the meeting and exchanges went well. They asked many good questions and appeared to really want to put some idea into action. The Master Franchisor, Ria Coolen, was charming and wonderful. She made us feel very at home. We worked through a long day and even met afterwards for more conversation in the hotel bar before dinner and then to bed. It was hard to catch much sleep, but we didn't mind -- meeting with the owners was not only our most important mission, it was the most fun part of our work! Getting to know the owners informed our impressions of the cities and countries we visited. It was so rewarding to make new friends of so many.
The last stop -- after a day of rest -- was Madrid, Spain. The rest was helpful but we were ready to get to our final meeting. The Master Franchisor, Rafael Nunez, is passionate and dedicated to his franchise. He treated us to a traditionally late meeting with wonderful food and great conversation. There was a pretty large group of franchisees who traveled many miles to b
e there and their dedication showed. They asked many insightful questions and probed below the surface to be sure they understood. Translation was going fast and furious, which we hoped ensured some understanding! They are finding success in Spain, and are just on the verge of some big sales numbers, we think.
e there and their dedication showed. They asked many insightful questions and probed below the surface to be sure they understood. Translation was going fast and furious, which we hoped ensured some understanding! They are finding success in Spain, and are just on the verge of some big sales numbers, we think.Our final day was relaxing in Madrid. We visited the Prado and walked all over the city to take in some major sights. I was able to take lots of pictures and the weather was perfect for exploring. We look forward to returning to Madrid, as well as all the other cities we visited, for a longer visit with our kids some day in the future.
Our host, Scott Mast, was an amazing tour director. He made sure we were where we needed to be on time and totally prepared. He was laid back but always ready to take control when needed. We couldn't believe how readily we were able to spend time with him and visit. It was sad to say goodbye to him on his last night, but I'm sure he had more things on his mind that dragging us around Madrid! Great job, Scott -- we were so lucky to have you there to pave our way through Europe. With the vision that you and Olivier had, I hope we provided the results you wanted!
Huge thanks to our staff, who kept things together and clients happy while we were gone. We are grateful for their hard work and dedication.
For now, back to reality and our business -- now all we have to do is follow our own advice!
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