There are numerous tax-related terms and rules that a small business owner needs to know, whether they’re doing their own taxes or hiring out. Knowing what a write-off or tax deduction is and knowing what items a business can and can’t write off are important things on that list to remember.

What is a Tax Write-Off or Tax Deduction?

A tax write-off or tax deduction is a legitimate expense that one can deduct from their taxable income on their tax return. The IRS says that an expense must be ordinary and necessary in order to be deducted. It’s good to know what you can and can’t write off because it ultimately saves you money. These write-offs can add up to a substantial reduction in the sum of taxes you may have to pay the IRS. If you don’t know what these are and don’t take every write-off that your business is entitled to, then you’ll end up overpaying on your taxes.

As with anything government related you want to be extremely careful when making your decisions. Tax write-offs are great, but there are laws and penalties surrounding them to watch out for. Tax write-offs are not simply a catch all category to stuff “expenses” into to get out of paying taxes. A small business could commit tax evasion in multiple ways, such as improperly claiming tax deductions by taking unauthorized tax deductions for personal expenses on your business tax return or falsely claiming charitable deductions. This is seen as cheating on your taxes, which is a felony. If found guilty, you could face up to five years in prison and have to pay up to $250,000 in fines, as well as paying the correct amount of taxes owed and your legal fees.

Below is a list of common small business write offs and things that aren’t actually considered a write-off for SMBs. Use this as a jumping-off point to find out the exact rules of what you can and can’t write off for your small business, including considerations around the independent contractor versus employee classifications.

What SMBs Can Write Off:

• Accounting services

• Advertising and promotion

• Auto and truck expenses

• Bank service charges

• Business gifts

• Business-related training sessions and seminars

• Casualty and theft losses

• Certain bad debts

• Certain charitable contributions

• Child labor

• Consulting fees

• Contract labor

• Educational expenses

• Equipment rent or lease

• Freight and delivery charges

• Guard dog (If the dog is on site protecting your inventory, the costs to keep and maintain it can be deducted.)

• Health care costs

• Home office deductions

• Hiring a lawyer for a criminal issue related to your business

• Incidentals on a business trip

• Installing an athletic facility (as long as the employer runs it, it’s on the business’ premises and is mostly used by employees)

• Insurance expenses — building, equipment, liability, workman’s compensation, E&O Insurance

• Interest expenses

• Internet

• Janitorial

• Licenses and regulatory fees

• Marketing expenses

• Meals and entertainment (as long as it’s directly related to the conduct of your business)

• Moving expenses (if you had to move because of your job)

• Music, stereo equipment (if you play soft background music to help employees be productive and/or to make a creative, comfortable work environment)

• Office supplies

• Outplacement services for your employees

• Payroll processing

• Penalties and fines paid for late performance or nonperformance of contracts

• Permits and fees

• Postage

• Professional fees

• Recruiting expenses

• Rent expenses

• Repairs and maintenance

• Retirement contributions and plans

• Salaries and wages

• Smartphones and tablets

• Social Security

• Software expenses

• Subscriptions

• Taxes — payroll; local, city and country property taxes; foreign taxes paid

• Telephone charges

• Travel expenses (related to the conduct and operation of your business)

• Uniforms

• Utilities

• Waste removal/trash

What SMBs Can’t Write Off:

• A small business loan (But what you purchase with the loan can be written off.)

• Business attire that can double as street or evening attire

• Charitable contributions of your time

• Dues you pay to be a member of something, even if your membership is for business

• Federal income tax payments

• Life and disability insurance premiums paid for yourself if you’re a sole proprietorship, partnership or S Corporation

• Lobbying expenses

• Penalties and fines you pay when breaking the law

• Political contributions

• Professional accreditation fees

• The salary you pay yourself as a sole proprietor

As a small business owner, something you need to think about besides what you can and can’t deduct is the chance of being audited by the IRS. When filing an individual income tax return, there’s only about a 1 percent chance of being audited. But as a business your chances increase, and your chances of being audited increase even more as your business generates more income.

There are a few things that can prompt the IRS to further investigate and audit your business: accounting irregularities, failure to report all of your income, inadequate record keeping and improper claims for deductions. If for some chance you find your business being audited, don’t stress. Just make sure you’ve maintained good record keeping, and remember to be completely honest and cooperative with the IRS agent. A perk of being audited is that if you come across any deductions you forgot to take, you can take them during your audit.

The bottom line is that just like when you file an individual tax return the utmost care should be taken in claiming only the deductions you can legitimately claim for your small business. While no one likes to pay taxes they are one of the constants of life and it’s much easier to do them correctly the first time then stress over them later. If you’re not sure about which deductions you can take as a small business do plenty of research, reach out to certified accountants you may know or consider hiring someone to do your taxes to eliminate the risk of doing them incorrectly.

*We’re signage and not tax experts. Thus, this was written solely to provide helpful information and a starting point for small business owners. We won’t be held liable for any person or business’ actions taken after reading this information. If you’re unsure of how to proceed we recommended contacting a tax professional before filing your taxes.

A Quick Guide to Small Business Tax Write-Offs

How To Put Up or Install Yard Signs 

The simplest and most popular way to install yard signs is by using wire stakes. These are H-shaped steel stakes that you drive into the ground. They are lightweight, easy to transport, and when used correctly, reusable. Putting them up is simple: 

1. Find a suitable surface where your yard sign will be displayed. Ensure the surface is soft enough to insert the wire stake but firm enough to hold your sign up. 

2. To install the wire stake, push it far enough in that it will support the yard sign. You can use your foot to add extra force if the ground is firmer. Take care when doing either that you don’t bend the wire stakes as you do so.  

3. Once the stake is firmly placed in the ground, you can slide on your yard sign. Align the corrugated flutes inside of the yard sign with the top prongs of the stake and slide it on.   

Our wire stakes come in standard and heavy-duty versions. Standard is made from 9-gauge steel while heavy-duty has a sturdier base made from 1/4″ steel with a welded top also made from 9-gauge steel. The heavy-duty stake provides more stability and strength when facing windy conditions. With routine care and maintenance, wire stakes can be reused for years. 

While wire stakes are the most common way to put up yard signs, they are versatile enough to work with other display methods as well. Signs.com offers three different metal frames and suction cups that can all be used to display yard signs.  

Additionally, wooden stakes are yet another way to display yard signs. The primary advantage of these is that they are easier to drive into hard surfaces than the traditional wire stakes. You can then attach your sign to the wooden stakes via a screw or bolt with a head that is big enough to hold the sign in place – but be careful not to splinter the wooden stake in the process. This is typically a more laborious and costly method of displaying them but can work better if they are going to be up for an extended period.  

Spider stakes are a modern take on the traditional H-stakes. They are easy to install, give additional wind resistance, and are made of 100% recycled material.  

If your yard sign has grommets, you can also hang them using rope, hooks, or zip ties.  

If your location is prone to strong wind, we recommend installing the yard signs at a slight angle so that the sign itself doesn’t absorb the full impact of the wind. You should also try to drive the wire stake as deep as you can, within reason, to strengthen the base support. Another tip to combat strong winds is to use two stakes. On smaller signs, you can install the first stake normally, then use one prong from a second stake and insert it in the middle of the yard sign panel, creating a T-shape. Drive both stakes into the ground. For larger signs, that do not result in horizontal fluting, Signs.com offers two wire stakes that can both be installed in standard fashion to help keep your signs upright and displayed as they are intended.  

If you plan to put up really large yard signs and that need to be displayed for an extended period of time it is common to reinforce the back before displaying them. Otherwise, you run the risk of the signs toppling over or being damaged by the wind. Similar to the wooden stakes method above, you can attach the sign to a large piece of plywood that will serve as a protective and sturdy backing. With or without the solid backing, a custom wooden or metal frame will also help your oversized yard sign last for the long run while displayed outside.

Rules and Regulations of Displaying Yard Signs 

While the process of designing, buying, and displaying yard signs is super easy, there are a number of common questions as it relates to displaying your yard signs. The most common is: where can one put yard signs? Additionally, how long can they be displayed for? What about what they can and can’t say? Does this differ where the yard sign is placed – on private property vs. public property? All of these questions are worth thinking about as you move through the design and ordering process. While we’re not legal experts, as best as we can, we’ve tried to address some of these questions around yard sign placement below. 

Where Can I Put Yard Signs? 

Some states, municipalities, and homeowners’ associations (HOA) have strict rules regarding the use of yard signs, whether it’s political in nature or not. In general, as long as the yard signs are placed within your property, you have the freedom to do so. This means that you can place for sale signs, advocacy messages, religious messages, or political support on your lawn or property without fear of running into any issues. Which, of course, as it relates to freedom of speech makes perfect sense. However, placing yard signs outside your property, such as in empty lots, along city streets, public parks, etc., depends on local rules and regulations and as noted below this public display of certain messages is where personal rights such as freedom of speech and local laws have collided in recent years. Thus, simply put: for yard sign use outside your personal property, it’s best to consult with the municipality, homeowner’s association, or other applicable governing body to make sure you are adhering to any rules or regulations that may be in place as it relates to where your signage can be displayed. 

How Long Can My Signs Stay Up? 

Once again, this answer is contingent on where your yard signs are displayed. Of course, on private property, we know of no rules or regulations that state that lawn signs can only be displayed for a certain period of time. Of course, if your private property is governed by some kind of HOA and you’ve agreed to certain covenants and restrictions there might be some duration limitations but otherwise, you are free to display the sign(s) for as long as you wish.  

On public property, once again, it is prudent to verify if there are any stipulations surrounding the duration of displaying signage. We know for certain that many cities often give political candidates “x” number of hours or days after the election has ended to remove all signage from public property. Understandably the administrators of certain public property locations don’t want signage from past elections, causes, and events permanently displayed in an unsightly and dated way. So, whether you’re a political candidate, a supporter, or have placed yard signs for an entirely different reason on public property, make sure to know what is required as it relates to the removal of your sign.  

What Can I Put On My Yard Signs?  

The actual content of your yard sign is far and away the most complicated part of the public display of yard signs. Like the questions around where and for how long, there is both a public and private property angle to consider as it relates to the actual content of your sign. 

We would assume that on private property you can display religious or political (or otherwise) related yard signs with whatever you want on them given that it is your private property and it would fall under freedom of speech rights. That said, you may want to make sure that there are no HOA regulations surrounding the content of your displayed signage.  

That said, and regardless of possible HOA regulations, there may be some cases where what you put on your sign is regulated. For example, can you display signs about your immediate neighbor or others in your neighborhood? Generally speaking, yes, as long as it’s within your property it is your constitutional right. However, you may only be permitted to do so if you’re abiding by local laws and regulations, as well as your HOA agreement. For example, in some cases, you can’t display yard signs calling your neighbor a sexual predator. In some places like Starke, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, it is the police and local government who are authorized to display such signs. While there is no way for us to detail every single city or municipality’s governing laws as it relates to this one example, let alone all of the unique situations that may arise, if you plan on putting up signs with potentially offensive content to some, it’s best to take a moment and consult any governing bodies and local laws before doing so even if the message is factually correct.  

On a similar note, even when you’re displaying signage on private property, creating and displaying signs that display unsubstantiated claims or misinformation may be deemed as harassment, defamation, or run afoul of fair business practices. Any of these scenarios could quickly become an invitation to a lawsuit or create other legal issues. So, while you might have the freedom to display anything you want, we’d urge caution, common sense, and decency as you determine what your sign on your private property will display.  

As for what you can and can’t put on your yard signs when displayed on public property it can be even more complicated. In the landmark case, Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz., 576 U.S. 155 (2015), the United States Supreme Court deemed that sign placement regulation on the basis of content is unconstitutional. Thus, while it may appear that this gives the sign creator carte blanche as to messaging undoubtedly the governing bodies of said public properties have their own set of rules and restrictions in an effort to avoid situations that may create contention and/or liable situations. While we once again can’t detail all the scenarios or write a brief that balances freedom of speech rights vs. public display of signage messaging we’d recommend ensuring that your signs’ message will be in compliance with any possible regulation or laws that might be in place where you plan on displaying them.  

While the above questions around location, duration, and content of yard signs can very quickly veer into complicated legal areas, for the vast majority of sign uses you can rest assured that with a little common sense and decency you’re probably just fine in displaying your yard signs with the original messaging. To be safe, and because we’re not legal experts, we’d still highly recommend verifying with any governing body or location where you might be displaying your yard signs to make sure the location, duration, and content of your yard sign display won’t cause any issues.  

How To Protect Yard Signs? 

The simplicity of yard signs also has a negative – they can be vandalized, stolen, or damaged. While this is illegal, it does happen sometimes, especially during election season when yard signs are seemingly everywhere and emotions run high. The best way to avoid this scenario is to make sure that your yard signs are placed in a well-lit, visible area inside your property to deter trespassers. If you have a CCTV camera, make sure that your yard signs are within view as well to catch the faces of the culprits. 

Though it isn’t currently offered by Signs.com, you can also use an anti-graffiti laminate to help protect your signs that may not be placed on your property or with any kind of video surveillance deterrent. This film is placed on top of your sign to protect it from stains, chemicals, permanent markers, and paint. If your sign does get vandalized, you can use household cleaners on the laminate to remove the marks without risking damage to your yard sign. While this is an additional cost to consider, it ensures that your signs are safe from being defaced by anyone with ill intent. Lastly, you can also opt to remove the yard signs at night and put them up again in the morning.   

While corrugated plastic is weatherproof, inclement weather can still damage it. Extreme weather conditions, such as ones with abnormal amounts of precipitation, wind, or temperatures, can negatively affect your yard signs. If the weather forecast is bad, we recommend stowing them away until the weather passes. For very little effort, this will ensure the longevity of your yard signs.

 Can Yard Signs Have Grommets? 

While wire stakes are far and away the most common way to display yard signs, grommets are sometimes used as well. Grommets are small metal rings usually used with vinyl banners for easy hanging. These are located on the corners of the banner and you can use rope, zip ties, or suction cups to hang your banner. Likewise, you can select grommets to be placed on your yard sign so you can hang it up on your door, windows, or anywhere you prefer. Our yard signs are weatherproof, so you can hang them indoors or outdoors. When using them outdoors, make sure the grommets are tightly tied or firmly secured to ensure it doesn’t fall down. 

The primary advantage of choosing grommets for your yard sign is the added display versatility that comes with it. You can display it using wire stakes or hang it with rope and hooks. This is a good option to consider if you’re always changing the location of your signs or need to display it in a unique way. It ensures that you can display your marketing materials whatever the place or situation. However, grommets do have the potential of interfering with your design. Thus, if you know you need grommets for your yard sign make sure to design your sign in a way that the grommets (in the four corners or top two corners) don’t detract from your design or main message in any way. While grommets for your yard sign are a far less common option there is no doubt they still look great and add even more versatility to an already great sign choice!

How To Store Yard Signs 

After the seasonal events are over, you’ll need to store your yard signs properly to keep them in good condition. Since our corrugated plastic signs last for years, you can reuse them once the situation presents itself.  

We recommend storing yard signs upright next to each other. You can store it flat and stacked but make sure not to place anything heavy on top of it to prevent permanent unsightly dents and creases (unlike vinyl banner wrinkles or creases these will not come out). This also goes for wire stakes. Placing heavy items on top of the stakes can make the steel bend, rendering it unusable.  

Store the yard signs in a cool, dry place. Dirt and humidity can in some cases lead to mold formation. When the time comes to display your yard signs again simply wipe them down with a wet rag and they should be good to go! 

That’s A Wrap!

We hope that our brief guide on some of the finer side of yard signs can assist you in making the right decision as you purchase yard signs. With this extra knowledge, we’re confident that you’ll get plenty of value from a true time-tested signage solution. 

Yard Signs FAQ Part 1 – Signage 101

How do you stand out from the fierce competition and make the most out of those precious eight seconds? 

With stunning vinyl banners, you can stop people in their tracks and capture their attention from just about any distance. Custom vinyl banners have a high visual impact that makes them ideal for street and other advertising. Not only are they great as an outdoor signage option, but these large custom signs also cost less than digital media and are extremely durable to boot. 

If you’re new to designing banners, the options and process of creating a banner may seem overwhelming. What’s the difference between the materials? Do you need pole pockets or grommets? In this post, we’ll walk you through the different banner options, design considerations and creative options, and how to design a banner online. All so that you can create eye-catching vinyl banners that speak to your customers. 

Vinyl Banner Options 

Here at Signs.com, we offer two types of banner material that you can use indoors or outdoors: 

• 13 oz. vinyl offers an excellent combination of weight and thickness. It’s the same material used for billboards and other outdoor displays.  
• 18 oz. vinyl is a heavy-duty material that you can print on both sides. This material provides 100% opacity. It blocks the light, so your message always remains visible. 

All our banners have an internal scrim makeup, a polyester cording or thread that adds tensile strength to the material. This prevents our vinyl banners from tearing easily during windy conditions and is a big part of the reason why your banner will last for years to come.  

Rest assured that no matter which material thickness you choose you’ll get a long-lasting vinyl banner. The most important consideration when it comes to thickness is probably whether you want a single-sided banner or a double-sided one. If the latter, make sure to select 18 oz. vinyl. 

After determining the thickness and the number of printed sides, the next choice to make is your edge finish.  

By default, our banners’ edges (13 oz.) are heat-welded—not glued or stitched like other banners in the market. The welded helm –for added durability and provided at no extra cost – prevents the banner from fraying and tearing over time. You can also order banners that are flush-cut or without the welded hem. To do so, select the 18 oz. material. A flush cut edge doesn’t mean that the lifespan will be shortened but rather is a function of the material. The thicker banner option is still plenty durable!  

Display options will be the next decision you’ll need to make. The most popular and default option for our banners, and for easy installation and display, is having metal grommets included with your banner. These metal grommets allow you to hang or display the banner in a variety of ways with rope, zip ties, bungee cords, and more. Simply select what grommets option you need and select accordingly. Needless to say, if you plan on hanging your banner then you’ll likely need grommets. A general rule of thumb is that the bigger the size of the banner the more grommets you’ll need so it displays well.  Read ALL about grommets here.

The other extremely popular display option is pole pockets (think: parade banners or championship banners hanging in a gym). Three-inch pole pockets can be placed at the top and bottom of your banner or just the top. It is important to note that pole pockets, like some other option selections, impact what additional banner options are available. For example, banners with pole pockets can’t have the welded hem we outlined above. Our banners product page has an easy-to-understand options summary table that will help you get the options you need for your banner’s end use!  

Any extra accessories you may need to display your banner are also available during the design process. From rope to zip ties to velcro patches, there are plenty of ways to display your custom banner. 

How to Make a Banner 

With a basic understanding of banner materials, and all the various banner options selected, the process of how to make a vinyl banner now turns to the design side. 

Designing vinyl banners is easier than most people think. Unlike brochures or flyers that can contain a lot of information, banners by necessity typically focus on just the essential points. Before creating your banner, here are some design considerations you should keep in mind: 

Placement and Use 

Location maybe more than anything else influences a banner’s overall design. Think about where you want or need your banner to be displayed. Will you put it against a wall or on the street? In a classroom or outside a business during a grand opening? Considering the background and setting will help you plan the color, size, and the number of printed side(s) of the banner. 

The goal is to make your message stand out, so your banner design shouldn’t blend with the environment. (check out this post on more on color contrast) A bold color against a gray wall will surely make your banner pop out. However, the color scheme should still be representative of your brand.  

Purpose 

Vinyl banners can be used in different ways. Traditionally, banners are hung against a wall, but they can also be mobile as in the case of parade banners. If you plan to engage crowds at a parade, we recommend using the 13 oz. vinyl for a parade banner.  

The 13 oz. vinyl is light enough to be carried for long periods but is durable enough to withstand heat and wind. Since your message can be seen from only one side, the 13 oz. vinyl is a cost-effective solution with its single-sided printing. We recommend adding pole pockets for inserting wooden dowels or actual poles to prevent the signage from flapping in the wind while marching. 

For banners that are hung on posts or along the street, the 18 oz. vinyl is a good choice. The thicker material allows for double-sided printing, so your message can be seen from either direction.  

Message and Imagery 

Text and images are essential to getting your point across. The perfect combination of typography and imagery can persuade customers to buy from your store, check out your website, or join a cause. However, having too many design elements or too much text on your banner can overwhelm those that see it. Banners are designed to deliver a clear and concise message, so keep your message to just a few words. 

Before putting together your design, think about how and where people will view your message. If your customers will see your message from a highway and in a moving car, the size of your banner and artwork/copy should be big enough to be seen quickly. A party banner can have a smaller design because it’s stationary. Most people can also get close enough to the sign to read the message at their leisure.  

Think about font sizes, weights, and combinations. Sans serif fonts tend to work well because they are easy to read. However, it all goes back to your branding. If your business already has a good following, it doesn’t make sense to change your style for the sake of creating a banner.  

Additionally, keep design elements away from the edges. This ensures that no part of your design will be lost during the production process and that people can see the whole message and other important information such as your business address, phone number, or your website. Lastly, and as noted above, consider how your design would look against the background color. Contrasting hues are effective because they put the most important part of your design in the spotlight. 

While the option selection process for your banner is a fixed set of options, designing your banner has no limits to what you can do. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or just want some professional help, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of professional graphic designers for free design help.  

How to Design a Banner Online 

Keeping the above design considerations in mind, you can now confidently say that you know how to create a banner for your business. Armed with this knowledge of how to make a banner, there are plenty of free and paid online design tools to put it all together.  

If you’re partnering with a designer, you can use professional tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create your design. These are paid tools that have all the bells and whistles you’ll need for great artwork. However, there’s a steep learning curve if you’re planning to create the design on your own.  

There are also a plethora of online tools that come with varying levels of functionality if you don’t have, or can’t afford, the standard Adobe products. These online tools typically allow you to then use the file and print it wherever you prefer. Though, some of them will include a watermark that must remain part of your artwork unless you pay some kind of fee or sign up for a premium service. 

If you’re not one who has the skills or desire to design your own banner, some custom printers offer paid design services. You can specify exactly how you want your banner to look and then pay by the hour for them to design it for you. Be aware these can be extremely costly and often come with limited or very detailed language around revisions. More often than not these services are also on the slow side. Thus, if you’re in a hurry you’re likely better off to try it on your own or explore other options. 

If you want to create your design without the steep learning curve, without the extra costs, and without the long wait, Signs.com is your best bet. We offer an online design tool (AND free design services!) that allows you to create a banner regardless of your design skill. Our easy-to-use online design tool makes it effortless to create artwork from scratch. Or you can start from a pre-designed sign template. You can upload images in any of the following formats: AI, EPS, PDF, JPEG or JPG, and PNG. After you’re done designing give your banner options selection a quick double-check and then quickly and easily check out online! 

Create Vinyl Banners With Signs.com 

While making or creating your own banner may seem like a daunting task, it really isn’t! Knowing what options are available and best suited for your needs, what things to consider from a design perspective, and a little time in our design tool and you’ll have an eye-catching vinyl banner in no time! 

How to Make a Vinyl Banner – Signage 101

Anyone who needs to get their message out needs a banner. Banners provide a great way for business owners (and others!) to broaden their reach and communicate important messaging, such as a sale, a new product or event, or a promotion. Like other kinds of outdoor signs, banners offer an affordable and effective way to reach new customers and reconnect with old buyers. Schools can use it for important announcements or celebrations. Non-profits and advocacy groups can use it to raise awareness about issues they care about. Event managers can use it to promote their events and on the actual day of the event itself. And the list goes on. In short, banners are widely used in many different outdoor scenarios due to the variety of advantages they offer. 

If you’re looking to design your own outdoor banner but don’t know where to start, we’re here to help. In this Signage 101 article, we’ve prepared this comprehensive guide with everything you need to know to get your own outdoor banner. 

What Are Banners Made Of?

Banners typically come in vinyl, fabric, and mesh. When it comes to outdoor advertising, vinyl banners are our top performers.  

Vinyl is durable, affordable, and long-lasting – it’s resistant to weather, water, and humidity – making it the best choice for outdoor displays. In contrast, fabric banners are made of lightweight polyester, which makes these portable and easy to display but not suited for outdoor use. On the other hand, mesh banners also offer a great outdoor banner option but are lighter and more resistant to wind, thanks to their mesh construction. Thus, if the wind is your primary concern, then mesh banners might be the right choice for you. Otherwise, vinyl banners offer the all-around best banner option for outdoor use. 

Read our article on banner material comparison for more details.

Why Are Vinyl Banners the Best Option for Outdoor Use?

Vinyl banners are made with durable yet lightweight material that’s waterproof and weatherproof. This durability comes from how the vinyl itself is manufactured. Basically, the internal makeup of the vinyl (called a “weft inserted knit” or internal scrim) reinforces the material and makes for a very strong and durable outdoor material for your sign. This durable construction of the material doesn’t sacrifice image quality as they also provide an excellent printing surface. Our vinyl banners come in two thickness options: 

• Thirteen-ounce (13 oz.) vinyl – ideal for everyday display. This is the same material commonly used for billboards.  
• Eighteen-ounce (18 oz.) vinyl – recommended for heavy-duty displays. This high-grade banner material is heavier and more durable.

When placed and used correctly, your vinyl banner is durable enough to withstand constant exposure to the elements. In fact, with proper placement and care, your vinyl banner can last more than three years. In many cases, this lifespan can be much longer if you’re aware of the factors that may affect the durability of your banner. 

To maximize the lifespan of your banner and make it last as long as possible outdoors, it is worth noting some of the main factors that can affect its lifespan: 

• Sun Exposure – Prolonged exposure to natural light and heat can cause your banner to deteriorate quickly. So, while you can leave your banner up year-round (excepting inclement weather), to prolong the lifespan of your banner even further you can take down and store your banner if your end-use allows. 
• Wind – Strong winds can be bad for vinyl banners. If you’re going to use your banner in a particularly windy place you could opt to go for a mesh banner as discussed above or securely display your banner. Typically, the damage from windy conditions comes from a banner that is poorly displayed and the resulting flapping/movement can cause damage. Selecting and using sufficient number of grommets and bungee cords or rope, or other comparably sturdy display methods, should mitigate risk of wind damage to your banner.  
• Weather – Prolonged and frequent exposure to heavy rain and very low temperatures can lead to a shorter lifespan for your banner. Unfortunately, this is true no matter what you do for your banner – or where you buy it from. Simply put, some climates and locations are more favorable to your banner’s lifespan. 

• Pollution – While this is the least likely factor to affect the lifespan of your banner, pollution can wear down your banner fast. When exposed to excessive pollution, the colors can fade, and your banner will be covered in grime. If you live in a very high pollution area, much like inclement weather, we’d recommend that you display your banner only when needed and store it to prolong its lifespan. 

Popular Sizes for Outdoor Banners

Vinyl banners come in pretty much every size imaginable. And due to the wide variety of end uses for banners there is often no one size fits all for what size you might need your banner to be. That said, in our experience the most popular size for an outdoor vinyl banner is 6′ wide x 3′ high. This size provides one that is big enough to be visible but not so big that it is overwhelming. It also results in a banner that comes in at a very affordable price point. 

The most important thing to consider when deciding how big your banner needs to be is the end-use. Where will it be displayed? Who will be looking at it? Drivers? Pedestrians? Knowing these things will help ensure that it is sufficiently big and readable to those that need to see it. As a reference point, the image below shows some of the most common signs you might see on a day-to-day basis and how they compare to the 6’x3’ banner size referenced above.

Further, to help you determine what size to order for your specific needs, you can jump over and read our article on our standard vinyl banner sizes and our guide on letter height and viewing distances.

How to Put Up Outdoor Banners

There are a variety of ways you can display your vinyl banner outdoors, depending on its size. You can use velcro strips or small screws through the grommets and hang your banner against a wall. In some cases, specialty adhesive tape can also be used for flat surface display. You can also suspend the banner between two posts using ropes or zip ties – a very common and practical display method.  

If you want to hang your banner from the ceiling or an awning, use the grommets to pull up your banner with a string or a rope. You can also use bungee cords to pull your banner tight, or nylon rope, hanging clips (or carabiners), zip ties, or even suction cups/hooks. 

Other ways to display your banner include hanging the banner on a fence, a table, or the side of a slow-moving or parked vehicle. For a static display, use a pole or hang your banner against a wall or a frame. 

The most important thing to remember when displaying your banner is to do so securely. A banner that moves, slides, or flaps in the wind is much more likely to be damaged over the long term. Securely displayed vinyl banners can last for years in the right conditions and with the right care.  

Learn more about how to hang your banner.

What You Need to Create Outdoor Banners That Stand Out

With your material and size selected, and now that you’re well versed on what affects the lifespan of your banner and how to display it, it’s also important to make sure your banner is well-designed!  

If you don’t have any previous design experience, creating a custom outdoor banner can be intimidating. We’re here to walk you through the essentials of a good vinyl banner design. Here are the most important things you should consider when designing a banner that you will be proud to display – and get you results.  

1. A Clear Purpose  
 
What message do you want to convey? What’s your call to action? Your message should be clear and direct, whether it’s promoting a store opening, announcing a seasonal sale, directing foot traffic to your storefront, or inviting trade show attendees to your booth. 

2. A Good Location for Display 

As with any sign, the location of your banner is crucial to its effectiveness. Your chosen location will influence the size of the banner, the colors you would use, and the messaging. Will your audience be walking, standing, or driving when they see your banner? How can your banner copy help capture your audience’s attention? Does your messaging need to be concise? Or can you afford to put more information on it? Consider where the banner will be displayed as you customize your banner’s written component. 
 
Once you have a good idea of where you’ll display your vinyl banner and what it will say, you can select a color scheme for your design. It’s not enough that the colors you choose are attention-grabbing; these should also contrast nicely with the background. You don’t want to use brick red in your design when you’re going to set up your banner against a red brick wall. 

3. Eye-catching Colors and Fonts  

We’re not talking about your brand colors and font – ideally, you shouldn’t change that – but what colors to use for your signage. Remember to choose a color scheme that doesn’t clash with your brand and fully conveys your message. For example, avoid putting dark-colored type against a dark background.  

When designing your banner, remember not to use too many colors that may distract from your message. 

It’s also important to choose the right font. We recommend a good, solid sans serif font that is easy to read. Our design team believes that the best fonts are the classics.  

Our top five fonts include Helvetica, Futura, Bebas, Avenir, and Proxima Nova. (We love to talk about this! We have an in-depth article on the best font types to use for signs.) 

Care Tips for Your Banner

After you’ve done everything else for your new outdoor banner don’t forget to take good care of it! Here are some tips on how you can take care of your banner and extend its lifespan: 

• Regularly clean your banner with soap and warm water. 
• Avoid displaying your banner in an area that is exposed to the elements for a long time. Sun exposure, pollution, and strong winds will affect the durability of your banner. Try to place the banner in a spot that does not constantly receive direct sunlight to prevent fading. Or as noted above, in some cases you can remove and re-display it as needed if the extra lifespan is worth the effort of doing so. 
• Ensure the surface or the poles where you hang your banner are free from rust, grime, or anything that can stain your banner. Also, ensure your banner is securely displayed! 
• Never iron your vinyl banner. To smooth out wrinkles, you can try placing a flat, heavy object on top of your banner and leaving it in the heat of the sun. 

An Outdoor Banner for Years to Come!

Although mesh and fabric banners are also great banner options, vinyl banners are the best choice for outdoor use. With the right banner type, size, design, and placement, you can effortlessly connect with your audience, buyers, or prospective customers and broaden the reach of your message. And with proper care, your banner should last for years to come!

Create Your Own Outdoor Banner Design  

Need help printing your own vinyl banner? Wondering where to buy outdoor banners that will last? We’re here to help!  

Customize the banner size, color, and material using our online design tool. We have a library of free templates that you can use for inspiration or you can upload your own design to have it printed with us. 

If you have an idea that you want a professional designer to bring to life, check out our free design services.

Related Articles

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Aerial Advertising: Banners in the Sky.

Do You Need Vinyl Banners for Business Advertising: A Checklist.

A Guide To Outdoor Banners – Signage 101

Heather purchased a clear window decal for her storefront in order to display the store hours of her toy store in Old City.

Tell Us About Yourself 

I grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. I’ve always loved working with kids. I started teaching swim lessons when I was 14, and I kept teaching and coaching swimming through high school and college. I graduated from Yale in 2009, and took a job as an options trader outside of Philadelphia. I worked in finance for four years, and left in 2013. I got married and opened Momo’s in 2014.

What does your company do?

Open since November of 2014, we sell toys for curious kids in Old City, Philadelphia. I wanted Momo’s to be a destination for families. Our 2000 square foot space has plenty of room for little ones to run around and explore. We welcome families to stay and play as long as they like. We have a play area with a kitchen, train table, and some ride-on toys, as well as a craft table where kids can try our art supplies. We were recognized by Philadelphia Family Magazine as the city’s best toy store after only 4 months in business.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

I lived in Old City for four years before opening Momo’s Tree House. The neighborhood attracts a lot of visiting families because of the historical sites like the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin’s house, and Independence Hall. There’s also thriving independent boutique scene. I noticed that despite plenty of children and plenty of great shopping, there were no stores for children. Now Old City has Momo’s!

What sets you apart from your competition OR what is your unique selling proposition?

We understand that children learn through play. Our staff can help customers find the perfect gift for any kid, and we provide complimentary gift-wrap. Our selection is curated. We don’t sell anything with licensed characters or a screen. It’s a relief for parents to shop in a kid-friendly environment without video games and Disney characters everywhere.

Does sourcing unique/hard to find toys mean you have to pass the cost onto your customers? If so, how do you overcome this? 

Everyone knows that wooden blocks handmade in Michigan cost more than plastic ones made in China. We carry a variety of price points so that there is something for everyone.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

We get lots of tourist food traffic, so we try to draw them inside. Our most fun method is our Joke of the Day. We write a little riddle on a sandwich board with “ask inside” underneath. That gets people in the door. We’ve also had success with events like story time and our Easter egg hunt. The kids have fun, and the parents spread the word.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in acquiring new customers that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We’re still trying to figure out what works. I’ve tried Facebook advertising, but I don’t have much evidence that it’s worth it. Ask me after a few more months in business.

How do you compete with the bigger toy stores that have brand recognition and large marketing budgets?

Customers actually like coming to Momo’s Tree House. We’re happy to help, and we’re also happy to let customers play. People have fun discovering new products. We have demos displayed all over the store for anyone to enjoy.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

Winter was tough. No one visits Philly in February.

How did you overcome this? Or how do you think you will overcome seasonality in the future to ensure your business continues to grow?

Holiday sales were strong enough to help us through the winter doldrums. Slow winters are expected- the median specialty toy store does 24% of its sales in December and only 5% in Jan. I used the slow season to evaluate what worked and what needed to change.  My husband and I went on vacation. I spent three days in February at Toy Fair in New York. It wasn’t bad to have a break.

Did you write a formal business plan? Regardless of yes or no, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the “business plan” phase?

Yes, I have a business plan. I used data from the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association to get started. It helped to have numbers from similar stores.

Did you take on money to start your business? Regardless of yes or no, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs on bootstrap vs. funding?

I took the start-up money from my savings, so I don’t have any advice about that topic.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

I would have spent more time on marketing before we opened. I got the keys to the store on October 2nd, and I was determined to open by a big neighborhood event on November 7th. I was so focused on the necessary physical tasks- painting, unpacking toys, assembling displays- that marketing went on the back burner. I should have let my employees start earlier because I needed the extra hands.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Hire to delegate. Show repeat customers that you recognize and appreciate them.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Our products help. For example, we sell a bubble wand that blows bubbles the size of a 4-year-old. The best part of my job is taking kids outside and having a bubble party. Momo’s Tree House carries products that delight, and our customers love coming to the store to discover them.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

Let’s get through the first 6 months first! I would love to open a few more locations. I’d also like to host parties, but we would need additional space for that.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue? 

That’s hard to answer since we’ve only been open for 5 months.

Where can you be found on the internet? 

Website – http://www.momostreehouse.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/momostreehouse

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/momostreehouse/

Instagram – https://instagram.com/momostreehouse/

Editor’s Note: We appreciate Heather taking a few minutes to interview with us. Heather’s success is at least in part a credit to her ability to spot a need. She recognized that the area of Philadelphia was full of kids from visiting tourists but lacked entertainment options for kids. Starting a business that fills a legitimate need is arguably the best thing any small business owner can do for long term success. Heather has also successfully created a unique store by encouraging kids and parents to stay and play, sample and have fun. Thanks for sharing Heather!

Momo’s Tree House – Small Business Success Story

Today’s interview is with Andrew Simeona. Andrew is the Co-Founder and Owner of Chop City SLC. Chop City is a Salt Lake City based food truck and catering service offering a variety of sandwiches and bacon desserts.

Andrew and Chop City bought several signs for their food truck from us including a custom magnet that is used as their menu and another magnet for the truck advertising the bacon aspect of their products and their social media presence. Both of these custom signs can be seen below.

Tell us about yourself

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, I come from a Polynesian and Greek background. Naturally, growing up in these cultures has given me a love for food. As I’ve grown older I’ve coupled that with a love for travel. As far as I’m concerned Anthony Bourdain has the best job on the planet.

As the son of immigrants, I was raised in an entrepreneurial culture. Many members of my family have found that the most fulfilling way to make a living has been to create businesses and realize the full value of their hard work.

What does your company do?

Chop City (CC) is a food truck and catering service. We can be found all throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Our menu features a wide variety of delicious options from around the world. The twist is we add bacon to everything we do.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Our family has always had a knack for cooking amazing meals. My cousin Geoff Patmides is no exception. So we teamed up to create CC to fulfill a lifelong dream of building something together.

Was there a specific moment or event that motivated you to jump into the food truck scene/business?

I wouldn’t say there was one particular moment. We had entertained the thought of teaming up a few years earlier but the timing was off. In 2014 the time was right for both of us. We looked at the budding food truck scene in SLC as the best route to create CC. So we put in a few months of work and started this company.

Outside of your cuisine and the bacon approach, what sets you apart from your competition OR what is your unique selling proposition?

The stigma attached to food trucks is that the quality of their food is subpar. We sell a quality product and have a strong brand. Our brand is us and the way we treat people.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with? Is there an area that you’ve struggled with that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We have really benefitted from an engaged following on social media. We try to run plenty of giveaways and other fun events to keep people interested in what we’re doing at CC.

An area that we are constantly working at is how to increase customer retention. If we don’t see a customer again there could be many reasons. We try to pinpoint trends and make necessary improvements to our customer experience.

We make it a point to reiterate with customers that their satisfaction is our top priority. If a customer isn’t happy with their order then we do whatever we can to fix that.

We also make a huge push to connect with our customers through social media. Being a mobile food truck that is at a different location each day, our chances of seeing a customer come back are much greater if they are getting updates of our location.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

We opened in the fall. We fully expected the weather to be a challenge. Fortunately we were blessed with a mild winter, but there were still tough days where we couldn’t operate at full capacity due to weather. We remedied that by putting heaters out in front of our truck as well as a tent. Also, making a huge push for indoor catering gigs helped us navigate the winter months.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

That’s a hard question to answer. There are so many lessons that we’ve learned through experience since we’ve started this business. As an entrepreneur the trials you face are your master teachers. I’m not sure there is a path to success that doesn’t require trials in some form or another.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

My advice is to to think smarter not harder. So much of what we do could be made more efficient if we would just stop and ask ourselves why we do it that way and then try to find way to do it more effectively.

Also, Geoff and I constantly have differing viewpoints. The key to our relationship is we both put our pride aside and try to do what is best for our company always.

What’s your approach for negative reviews, which can be make or break for restaurants/food trucks, left online?

I would say this happens once every 500 or so customers. When we do get a negative review our approach is to contact them directly. We always apologize first then try to identify what the issue specifically is. Some of our best customers now were people who once posted a negative review.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

We often give away free samples. This works wonders with pulling in customers off the street. We know that once we get customers to try our food they love it. Whether it’s a unique twist on a dish they’ve grown up eating or bacon added to a dessert favorite, people are usually interested in trying it out.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

We are mainly after stability. Perhaps one day we will expand to another truck but as of now we are mainly focused on building a quality brand with a quality product. In our short time being open we’ve seen success. We’ve also seen many other trucks open and close down. It’s crucial to our success that we wait for the right time to expand.

Do you think a single food truck can be “franchised” in the sense that one company could have 3-5 food trucks serving the same thing all under one brand? If so, why? If not, how do maximize your revenue from your lone truck and limitless locations to serve at each day?

There are many trucks that have the right model in place to be able to expand into a franchise situation. To expand what you do has to be scalable. The trucks that have expanded that way have a menu that doesn’t require a skilled chef to prepare.

I certainly imagine there being a demand for our food. The challenge with us will be to maintain a high quality product through the franchising process. This means we must refine our process and staff our trucks with the right kind of employees.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

We’ve seen a steady increase in our monthly sales. Our social presence only continues to grow and our schedule keeps filling up. So much of this business is the way you treat people. Nothing matters more to us than this. We’ll continue to get business as long as people matter to us most.

Where can you be found on the internet? (website, social, etc)

You can find us at @chopcityslc on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. We post our daily locations there.

Facebook – www.facebook.com/chopcityslc

Twitter – www.twitter.com/chopcityslc

Instagram – www.instagram.com/chopcityslc

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Andrew for taking the time to be a part of our small business interview series. Without a doubt the food truck business is a challenging entrepreneurial endeavor and Andrew and his business partner Geoff are doing great things. As Andrew alludes to their primary reason for success is developing relationships and making the truck about people. If people are the most important thing to success in this case then right behind it is a quality product. Andrew correctly understands that customer service is great but a good product is also a necessary part of a successful business. Chop City also does a great job leveraging social media and understanding that every business’ use of social media and different marketing channels is going to be unique. Business owners need to figure out which are most important for them, develop a strategy and then execute. Great work Andrew and thanks again!

Chop City SLC – Small Business Success Story

Today’s small business interview is with Sara Stringer. Sara is the Owner and Founder of Country Cake Shop located in Salem, Oregon. Country Cake Shop focuses exclusively on custom wedding cakes.

Sara bought a custom foam board sign from us that acts as a great display sign to help brand her company at events and displays.

Tell us about yourself

I’m Sara Stringer, owner and cake designer for Country Cake Shop. I’m 28 years old, and I grew up in Salem, Oregon. I coach high school volleyball, I’m a hobby photographer and I opened Country Cake Shop about 3 years ago. I learned to bake from my mom who was a hobby baker while I was growing up so I guess it runs in the family!

What does your company do?

I create customized wedding cakes, that have a very romantic, feminine and sophisticated style. I’m extremely passionate about what I do and spend an extensive amount of time on every project. I specialize in realistic looking sugar flowers and delicate ruffles.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

It wasn’t until I stumbled across photos of sugar flowers, that I found something that I was really passionate about. I took a two day workshop in Alexandria, VA- spent my small savings to get there and I was hooked. I spent the next couple months creating cakes. I’m self taught (aside from the workshop) so it took a while to figure out how to put cakes together and how different techniques worked, but after a while I had a decent profile and decided to open my business.

What sets you apart from your competition OR what is your unique selling proposition?

Branding. I cannot say enough how important branding is for my business. In the wedding industry, style is everything. Having that boutique experience to go along with a great product has been really important. So many brides are turned off by a poorly designed website or bad quality photos. I spent a long time trying to figure out how to take good photos of my cakes and it has made a huge difference.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Honestly, the best strategy I’ve found is just creating cakes in my own time to use for photos. Brides a lot of time have trouble visualizing what they want for a cake or what would fit into their perfect wedding. Not only is it beneficial to my business to do this but it is a fun and creative process for me to come up with completely new ideas and techniques.

Where specifically are you sharing your photos? Do you find certain platforms (your own site or a specific social platform) to be more effective in driving leads? If so, which one and what are you doing specifically? Anything unique?

The photos are being used on my Facebook page, website as well as Wedding Chicks, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, and Oregon Bride Magazine blog. I also make cakes like this for styled shoots. This is a pretty common practice for wedding vendors, where several vendors collaborate and submit the photos to a top blog or magazine. We are all pretty creative people so we have ideas just racing through our heads non-stop, this is a way we share and inspire brides!

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

I’m based about 60 miles from Portland, the biggest city in Oregon. I’ve had brides pass me over because they just assume I either won’t deliver that far, or that it would be more expensive than a Portland based company. I charge $1/mile and most Portland companies I’ve seen charge $50 for anywhere in Portland- so we come out to about the same cost. I’ve been doing wedding shows in Portland so I have the opportunity to talk to brides in that area.

What unique challenges come with being an online only company (when presumably other cake shops have a physical location) and how have you overcome this?

Sometimes its hard to get customers to test the waters (mostly for events other than weddings) because they can’t just walk in and sample, there’s a bit of a commitment involved in scheduling a cake tasting. Part of this I think comes from not knowing what to expect, thinking it may come out over their budget with costs they may not have been expecting. I’m very open when communicating with potential clients. I do whatever I can to lay things out and make them feel comfortable. We thoroughly discuss everything; cost, design, delivery, flavors, etc. so they know exactly what they are getting into.

How do you compete with the bigger/more established competitors in your area that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

I put so much emphasis on branding and quality of my product that I stand out. In a world of Pinterest weddings, every bride wants the perfect visual. It’s not just about an amazing cake, its about an amazing cake, in the perfect setting on a great vintage table with a slice of ombre cake. Having great photos of these things create that dreamy visual that brides are looking for that other businesses don’t take the time to do.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

Experience. I’m self taught, so there has been a lot of trial and error and figuring out what I’m capable of. I had to do a lot of cakes in my free time to figure out what would work, and what would solve specific problems.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

I think it would’ve been beneficial to have met with a small business adviser. It was really difficult to figure out everything I needed to do when I had no experience.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Don’t be frugal! Things that represent your business, like your website, business cards, etc. It’s so important that they look fantastic and professional. Spend the time and money!

How do you “WOW” your customers?

I strive to make my cakes look perfect and I feel like that really resonates with brides who are putting together their dream wedding. Brides always seem to love the cake tastings as well; they get 6-7 tiny layered cakes to sample with their own custom menu. They always love the samples! My portfolio is a great book put together through Blurb, and everyone seems to love the quality of it.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

Only time will tell! Being so passionate about my business really is beneficial; all my free time is spent learning new techniques, photographing cakes, or updating my website.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

I’m going on my third wedding season. So far I have nearly twice as many weddings booked for this season than I did for last season. Exposure for my business has just begun with features in local magazine and being a preferred vendor and several international top wedding blogs.

Where can you be found on the internet? (website, social, etc.)

Website – www.countrycakeshop.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/countrycakeshop

Pinterest – www.pintrest.com/countrycakeshop

Editor’s Note: Thanks for Sara for her willingness to answer our questions. Sara offers some sound advice for companies that are purely online and don’t have the bricks and mortar location experience that many stores have. It is evident that she understands the importance of branding and always presenting a professional front to customers. Without a physical location your entire company will be judged on what people see on your website and social properties. Thus, make them professional! Sara has done just that. Hand in hand with this Sara notes that business owners of online companies shouldn’t skimp when it comes to spending money to achieve this professional look! If customers are going to base their buying decision off what they see on your website don’t be afraid to spend some money! Sara also understands that online businesses have to be as transparent as possible in an attempt to gain trust from prospective customers. Transparency can help tremendously in convincing customers that you’re not simply trying to make money off of them but able to fill their need or want. Thanks again Sara!

Country Cake Shop – Small Business Success Story

Our small business success interview today is with Kay and Joseph Barker of Musicologie. Musicologie offers custom music lessons and is located in Columbus, Ohio.

Kay and Joseph bought several signs from us for their converted music studio where they offer their music lessons.  As can be seen below these custom plastic signs were used for parking, restroom and a door number and can be used for both indoor and outdoor use. They offer an affordable and versatile signage option for small businesses.

Tell us about yourselves

Owners Kay and Joseph Barker both entered the music world as bright eyed 5 year old piano students. Kay quickly fell in love with singing, writing lyrics in a spiral notebook and Joseph scored piano pieces rather than doing his theory assignments. They met in college, bonded over Chopin, and after graduation, armed with degrees in vocal performance, psychology, and philosophy, toured nationally with their band Bella Ruse (bellaruse.com). Like many musicians, they taught lessons and produced records for other musicians when not traveling. But what started as a side gig during breaks turned into a passion with Kay teaching a growing number of students out of her house, and Joseph producing music in a converted bedroom. Both of the businesses grew quickly and in 2014 the Barkers opened Musicologie in Columbus, Ohio. The bigger space in the gorgeous Grandview Heights neighborhood includes four practice rooms, a two room recording studio and five additional teachers.

What does your company do?

Musicologie is a music lessons school and recording studio in Columbus, OH. It’s a space where learning music is fun and engaging. We don’t just do normal music lessons – we host shows and workshops, we get our students involved in the recording songs, they meet and learn from local musicians, and get a personalized, comprehensive music experience.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

When I (Kay) started thinking about moving my teaching studio out of our house and into a separate space, it seemed like a great opportunity to move Joseph’s recording studio too. Things started clicking and we realized that seeing a recording studio in action, and being able to be a part of that would be an exciting and encouraging opportunity for students taking private lessons. Musicologie allows us to marry the traditional private music lesson format with an interactive professional music experience. When a beginning student gets to see a session player or singer in her element, it’s an incredibly inspiring experience. And our students can get even more involved by doing songwriting workshops and recording their creations. Music is creative and collaborative and we want our students to be able to be a part of that exciting community from the very beginning.

What sets you apart from your competition OR what is your unique selling proposition?

One problem that a lot of studios have is high teacher turnover, which creates a bad experience for the students. The teacher-student relationship is the foundation of good music lessons, and students should be able to be sure their teacher is not only superbly qualified, but committed to the long term development of the student’s skills. Our formula is simple: we pay our teachers better and so we can get and retain the best people. Our teachers are working musicians, connected to the music community and committed to perfecting their craft. Our combined teaching/recording space is also different from other studios. It provides unique musical opportunities to our students and fosters a creative environment for learning! We also have recently partnered with the local non-profit Music Loves Ohio to provide need based scholarships to our students.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Online presence is huge. A lot of our students come from google searches. Ranking high in organic google search results has been incredibly important. At least half of our new students find us that way. It’s taken a lot of time and energy to get our site to where it’s at, but it’s been absolutely worth it. We also gain students through personal recommendations from current students, teachers and friends. There’s no shortcut to that. It means being present in the community and active in the local schools, and delivering a great lesson experience every time.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

It’s essential that everyone who comes in has a consistent experience. That’s been a little bit of a challenge since private lessons are such a personal thing. But we’ve come up with an assessment process that our teachers do with every new student to make sure we understand their goals and abilities, and pair them with the right teacher and the right curriculum from the very beginning.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

We wrote our business plan less than a year ago, and we’ve already been up and running for six months. The biggest challenge has just been managing the whirlwind that is starting a business, and getting it done quickly and on budget. Both of us are used to doing things ourselves and we’re control freaks, so we’ve had to learn how to relinquish tasks to other people. We now have a team that includes an accountant, realtor, lawyer, various contractors and of course our teachers. Finding people that we trust to build that group has been incredibly important.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

We’ve been really happy with the success of Musicologie so far, so there’s not much we’d do differently. But we’re still new, so talk to us in a year and by then I’m sure we’ll have made lots of mistakes we can tell you about! One thing we’re really happy we did do was to not accrue large amounts of debt in the beginning. We kept our costs down by teaching and recording out of our home for as long as we could, and only made the leap into a commercial space with more teachers and a larger recording facility when we could fund it almost entirely by ourselves. Because of that we were confident we could be profitable right away, and that’s given us a ton of freedom and flexibility.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, music related or not, what would it be?

– A business plan is essential, even if you don’t need to get funding and you’re the only one who ever reads it. You should reference it continuously, evaluate your  progress and make revisions if necessary. It helps you keep focused and taking the right steps toward your goals.

– Build a team you trust implicitly

– When you’re testing new ideas, you always need someone to encourage you, and someone whose honest opinion you can trust. But you also need a devil’s advocate. That’s the person who imagines the worst case scenario and makes you defend your ideas no matter how good they seem. They’ll keep the bad ideas from getting out, and help hone the good ones into great ones.

– Get everything in writing, not just big things like leases. Usually things will be fine, but contracts are made for the off chance that things go wrong.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Two ways: with our amazing teachers, and our space. First of all, our business model is totally different than most because it’s not about getting costs down so we can deliver products cheaply or developing logistics or proprietary processes. We’re only concerned with connecting a music student with a teacher who can give them the tools to achieve their dreams. And many times that student is with the same teacher for years. That takes trust and a close personal relationship. But when you find that relationship, anything is possible. Our teachers know how to develop a personalized lesson experience, and know how to make lessons engaging for any student. Because of that flexibility, we’re able to take on an incredible range of students. People often come to us with non traditional students – like a non verbal autistic boy who just started – because they know we have teachers who can design a lesson experience for them. Our teachers are therefore our most valuable asset, and we treat them that way. The space at Musicologie is the other wow factor. is designed to be inviting, comfortable and creative. All the tools are there for music creation at any level. It’s not just boxy, bland, practice rooms.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

Both the music industry and music education are changing continually so we feel like we’re in a really exciting place. There are a lot of great new ideas about how music should be created and taught, so keeping up with that will be a challenge. Music will always be an important part of people’s lives, but we’ll have to be able to respond quickly to the changing industry and be able to deliver the kind of education experience our students want. In the near future we’d like to open another location in Columbus, and collaborate more with non-profits like Music Loves Ohio.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

We opened in August with enough students for the two of us, and now we have 5 additional teachers. We’ve seen steady growth in student numbers over those months and our retention rate has been incredible. And that’s all with almost no marketing budget, so we’re confident we’ll continue to see the same, if not better, growth in the next year.

Where can you be found on the internet?

Website – MusicologieLessons.com

Facebook – Facebook.com/MusicologieStudios

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Kay and Joseph for the insightful interview. Their music lessons, which are actually much more, fulfills success factor  number one of any business: have an unique selling proposition or something that sets you apart. Kudos to them for finding one and growing a business using it. They both also astutely recognize that good teachers are critical to their business success. As such they spare no expense on making sure they retain these teachers. The ability to do so is driven by their foresight in growing their business without taking on lots of debt. Avoiding debt and the financial freedom that comes from doing so has been one of the common elements of most of our interviews. Lastly, they both realize that you need to have not only talented people on your team but ones you implicitly trust. Thanks for the lessons and advice guys! 

Musicologie – Small Business Success Story

Our small business interview today is with Derek Loranger. Derek is the Owner and Founder of Burger Bench, a soon to open burger restaurant located in historic Escondido, California. This interview primarily focuses on the process of opening a restaurant. We’ll follow up with Derek in the future for questions on how to operate and manage a restaurant on a day-to-day basis.

Derek and his partners purchased a large vinyl banner from us to advertise the future opening of their burger restaurant.

Tell us about yourself

Born and raised in Southern California, and self-taught in almost everything I know, I have been interested in the outdoors and technology as long as I can remember. I would go to the beach or play basketball part of the day and then would program in BASIC for the rest of the day.

I formed my own digital video production company, which ultimately led me into web design and user experience research while blogging about the outdoors. Throughout the years, my wife and I always imagined being our own bosses, owning something of our own. For the past decade, we’ve fantasized about opening a burger restaurant.

What type of restaurant are you opening? What will be offered?

The restaurant we are opening is called Burger Bench, where you order at the counter and we bring out your food. Located in Historical Downtown Escondido, we have an emphasis on fresh and local ingredients. We are hoping people will come and enjoy the food, knowing that it came from down the street.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

We’ve been playing with the idea of opening a burger restaurant for about a decade. What really solidified it for us was when we were living in Carpinteria, CA, where I had a technology job. Once or twice a week, we would find ourselves at the local burger spot, which had been in business 100 years. Right by the beach, it was popular with both tourists and locals alike.

It wasn’t a giant burger that filled us with regret. Rather, it was a nice size, and had the right crunch and flavor to eat more than once a week, if that was what you’re craving. We realized that was the type of burger we wanted to make, should we ever gather enough courage to try it.

Was it always a dream to own your own business such as a restaurant? If not, what was the motivating factor or “a-ha” moment that made you take the plunge?

Like I mentioned above, we had been thinking about it for many years, but just never had the opportunity to try it. Our jobs were great and we were comfortable.

Then one day, I was laid off with several other employees, due to restructuring. I had no notice and was escorted out of the building, which was their standard procedure. When I had woken up that morning, I was happy and comfortable, and that afternoon, the reason for me being in the Santa Barbara area was gone. By the end of that day, I had secured the social media names for Burger Bench and we had decided to sell our house and head back to San Diego to open a burger restaurant.

It was that fast. We were just looking for an excuse.

Before long, my wife’s sister and her husband were partners and away we went.

How do you think your tech background will help you in running a burger restaurant?

The current trend in tech companies is agile and lean development. The idea is that you release small changes or enhancements to your products, learn from it, and refine it from there. My background is in user research, so understanding the goals and preferences of my customers to provide them what they truly want has been important for me for my whole career.

The main point is that it’s OK to make changes to your product, as long as you get the proper information from your customers that you’ve done it right. I don’t want to be stuck with a menu that isn’t working or be out of touch with my customers. I want to talk with them every day, ask the right questions, and make their experience at our restaurant, from the food, the lighting, and down to the background music, the best it can be.

Where will your restaurant be located? Any history to the area or building itself?

Burger Bench will be located in Historic Downtown Escondido on Grand Ave. This has been the ‘Main Street’ of the region since the 1800’s. Festivals, parades, farmers markets, and a special event called Crusin’ Grand, which brings in thousands of visitors, all happen down Grand Ave.

The owner of the original Escondido Times-Advocate, a local newspaper, built the building in 1924. The paper was written and printed in the building up until the late 1940’s, as I understand it. As part of our construction, we are exposing the beautiful brick walls and rafters that are over 90 years old, while adding some modern touches of our own.

The city of Escondido has been enthusiastic about us bringing a burger restaurant into the area. They’ve been very supportive throughout the entire process.

What will set your business apart from the existing competition OR what will be your unique selling proposition?

Fresh and Local is our mantra and it’s been great to meet local vendors. Everyone we’ve spoken to is so enthusiastic about a restaurant that is distinctly San Diegan.

San Diego is seeing such an explosion of quality craft beers, that it makes sense to offer only local San Diego craft beer. The buns we will be using are baked daily less than two miles away. The wines and eggs will be from the same city. Our bacon will be from Julian, our produce will be from the local farmers market, and even our dairy products will be sourced from local vendors.

We are proud of what San Diego County has to offer and feel that the freshness of the ingredients will come out in our recipes.

Can you outline the process so far from idea generation to opening and offer advice/insights from lessons learned to others who are just starting the process?

My biggest nuggets of advice to someone starting a restaurant are:

•        Don’t be afraid to ask for help; don’t try to do it on your own.
•        Do your research.
•        It’s never too early to start getting things in place.
•        Be organized
•        Make Decisions.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help: We didn’t have any restaurant experience, other than being discerning patrons. So we asked questions. When we went out to eat, we watched the kitchen wherever possible and asked questions of the servers and cooks. We’ve even hired people we’ve met while dining to chat with us outside of their work to educate us on certain things.

Do your research: If we didn’t know something, we found someone who did, observed it for ourselves, or bought a book on the topic. Everyone has been eager to share his or her knowledge and it’s made the process much easier than it could have been. I spent many hours on Grand Ave to understand the customer base and busy times of the day and week.

It’s never too early to start getting things in place: Don’t think you’ll have time to do it later. We’ve been getting our vendors involved early, as they each have a different level of expertise and can help keep the costs down by offering solutions to a problem that another vendor is up against. Your launch date will come more quickly that you know, so get those ducks in a row ASAP.

Be organized: This definitely comes from my years in the tech industry. Sharing spreadsheets with action items assigned to individuals is one of the best ways to clearly communicate the goals of the project. In this case, the project is opening a restaurant. We are carving out new processes for us and learning so much that many things would slip through the cracks if we weren’t tracking our goals and progress in a shareable way.

Make decisions: Many times I’ve heard people talk for an hour during a meeting and then leave the room without a decision being made, even if the decision is to simply make a decision at a future specified time. When opening a restaurant, many decisions hinge on other decisions, so being quickly decisive can get the ball rolling so much faster. However, you have to be flexible when you need to revisit an earlier decision based on new information. Otherwise, you’ll trap yourself in the we already decided this, therefore it cannot change deadlock.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had in this process and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges has been the lack of domain knowledge in the realm of opening and running a restaurant. We solved it by doing research, as noted above. We leaned on experts, did field research, and read a lot of books.

What do you think will be the most critical factor to long-term success for Burger Bench?

Consistent quality in the overall user experience.

How do you think customer service will impact your long term success? What specific plans do you have in place to ensure that this is an advantage and not a detriment?

See the section about my tech background. We have to make sure our bad day doesn’t become a customer’s bad day.

What about online reviews? Have you put in place a strategy for these as they can be make or break for restaurants these days it seems?

You have to take reviews with a grain of salt. You aren’t going to please everyone all of the time. Try not to get defensive. A defensive owner responding to a one star review just looks sad sometimes.

Be proactive with your customers and anticipate problems and solve them before they get posted online. Many negative reviews are simply by customers who didn’t get a satisfactory resolution. Asking a customer how you can make it up to them goes a long way to nipping that in the bud.

Are you able to share what your marketing plan will be and what areas you think will be most successful? What will be your focus?

My focus will be on social media, getting the word out during the many events on Grand Ave, and supporting the Escondido community as much as we can. For each marketing initiative, I’ll try to find ways of measuring its success so we’ll know what to do more of and what to remove from the list of strategies.

In what ways have you closed knowledge/skill gaps to start your business? Friends? Hired consultants? Self-taught? Any advice for other SMB owners/entrepreneurs facing similar challenges/gaps?

See above in the advice section.

Any advice to other entrepreneurs who are on the fence of taking the risk of starting their own business/changing career paths but may have fear (financial or otherwise) of doing so?

Know your limitations. If you are not a detail-oriented person, are not very organized, or cannot multitask, then I would not recommend opening a restaurant.

However, to be optimistic, the skills often learned in the tech industry, such as project management, collaboration, and delegation are very transferable to starting your own business. Many people I have known in the tech industry, including myself, have said, “If I was in charge, I’d do it right.”

Starting your own business is the opportunity to do just that.

What are your short and long term goals for Burger Bench growth?

Short term, we want to assess our customer base and determine whether we should be also open for breakfast or weekends or every day.

For the long term, we hope to open other Burger Bench locations, or if it suits the location, perhaps a restaurant of a different variety. We will rely on what we learn from our experience and make those decisions once we feel we know the answer.

What is your open date?

We are aiming for a late spring 2015 opening date.

Where can you be found on the internet? (website, social, etc.)

Website – http://www.burgerbench.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/burgerbench

Instagram – http://instagram.com/burgerbench

Twitter – https://twitter.com/burgerbench

Editor’s Note: We appreciate Derek taking the time to do this interview with us despite a super busy schedule as he prepares to have a successful opening of his restaurant. Derek provides at least three great tips on how to open a restaurant. First, he is keenly aware that he’ll need something to differentiate himself (fresh and local) from the many other restaurants (without a doubt this is critical for any business).  He also implicitly understands that location for a restaurant will be essential to his long term success. His downtown location should prove to be perfect for this requirement. Lastly, Derek through his previous professional experience recognizes the importance of having a vision and smaller goals and then adjusting course as needed. This forethought, accountability, and propensity to act rather than freeze when faced with decisions can make or break a successful launch and subsequent viability of a business. Thanks Derek!

Burger Bench – Small Business Success Story

Today’s small business success story interview is with Daniel Lowenstein of Red Hawk Premium Peppers. Red Hawk, and its gourmet hot sauce products, is located in Central Pennsylvania.

Dan bought a vinyl banner from us to advertise his sauces at fairs and other events where he sells his product. His banner (“Award Winning…”) in action can be seen below.

Tell us about yourself

I am Dan Lowenstein, the owner and head saucemaker at Red Hawk Premium Peppers. After a lifetime of being a chilehead, my wife Stephanie and I decided to open our business in 2011.

What does your company do?

Red Hawk Premium Peppers makes our award winning, gourmet hot sauces and hot pepper products from some of the most exotic and hottest peppers from around the world.

What kind of facilities do you have to produce/package your sauces? If so, how did you overcome the fear of the financial outlay to get started?

Presently, we rent a commercial kitchen located in a community center for our processing needs. Using this facility helps us support our local community by providing support to the local township owned facility. To take some of the strain off of the ever growing demand for our products, we are working with a co-packer. We are fortunate enough to have found a co-packer who not only works well for us but allows us to produce our products in medium size volume so the financial strain up front isn’t as much as it would be if larger batches were required. Financial responsibilities are always scary when starting a new business but we are fortunate that we have been able to taper some of that burden by growing our own peppers, which just happens to be the main ingredient in our products. Moving forward, we are trying to keep the business financially self supporting. Once we have our first product in production with a co-packer, we are anticipating using at least half of the profit from sales to move the next product into production while using the remaining profit to continue supporting our current handmade process. We are currently exploring the possibility of building our own packing facility in the future.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

I am a chilehead by birth. I was graced with a little Irish grandmother that loved spicy foods and never left home without a travel bottle of sauce or pepper flake shaker. Along with my Grandmother, I have also inherited my Father’s “green thumb” and have always enjoyed growing and eating fiery foods! Since I am also the owner of a forestry consulting company, I already knew what would be involved in getting another business off the ground. With the support and encouragement of my family and friends, Red Hawk Premium Peppers was born.

How did you determine there was demand for such a product? Did you create a business plan or just go for it? Would you anything differently on your pre-launch process if you did it again?

I have always been a member of hot pepper forums and a consumer of hot pepper products. To find the balance of heat and flavor I desired, I have been making my own pepper products for nearly a decade. In 2011, we decided to use the products we had already been making for personal use and bring them into the market.

What sets you apart from your competition OR what is your unique selling proposition?

There are a lot of hot sauces on the market that ONLY focus on heat. We at Red Hawk Premium Peppers are able to make an amazingly flavorful and unique product using anything from the current world record holding Carolina Reaper pepper, to rare uncultivated wild varieties in our products. Opening peoples’ eyes to a whole new world of spice is our specialty! Since I am a chilihead at heart, I taste each pepper fresh to get its flavor profile. This helps me to pair it with what I feel would be a great culinary match of flavor. I also take great pride in making sure that the flavor, heat and consistency of every sauce is perfect before ever offering it to the public.

What is one specific strategy or tactic for gaining customers that you have been successful with? Is there an area that you’ve struggled with that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

Our business strategy is simple; provide a quality product in a quality manner. Our motto: “Come for the HEAT….. Stay for the FLAVOR!!!!” We love our customers. We try to match them up with the perfect product and if we feel we don’t have what they want, we don’t try to force it. We get to know our customers and build a great relationship with them because in the end, it is the customers who decide if our business with fail or succeed. Our primary means of acquiring new customers is fairs, festivals and through social media. We have a large following throughout the country and on Facebook.

One major struggle that is critical to any business is the speed in which you grow and staying within the confines of your abilities.  It is very easy to fall into the idea that bigger and faster is better. I believe that our growing success is directly linked to the idea of slow and steady wins the race. This is also directly tied into the question of financial stress. We started out small making sure that we stayed within our financial constraints. It is very difficult to keep this frame of mind when you are working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Building a solid foundation allows us to now be able to take the next step in growing our business with less financial stress as well as less stress over success. We have a proven product and the demand is growing which gives us the confidence that we are on the right track. Many businesses jump in to quickly and don’t allow time for a good foundation. This doesn’t allow the business to grow fast enough to support the financial strain.

Any plans to allow for online ordering through your website? Do you think this would alleviate any short term challenges with gaining distribution and meeting demand?

Red Hawk does currently offer online ordering and we are in the process of improving our website (www.redhawkpeppers.com). Our online sales are a large portion of our business.

How do you compete with bigger and more well-established hot sauce competitors on the market?

As mentioned before, we compete with larger companies by offering a product with unmatched flavor and quality. We have gone toe-to-toe with some of the leaders in the industry and held our own without a problem. Like any other business, we use trial and error to see what will work. Competing and working side by side with some of the larger companies in our industry gives us the opportunity to see what they have gone through. A young business owner should never be shy in asking for advice.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

One of our biggest challenges right now is space and capital. We currently grow the majority of the chiles used in our products. Due to increasing popularity, we are struggling to meet the demand. This limits us on the amount of wholesaling opportunities we can capitalize on since we have finite stock. We are looking into purchasing more ground and even considering partnering with a co-packer. This is a crucial time for a business owner. Taking the next step in growing your business is always scary. Managing the stress and financial strain is very difficult. I think the best way for any business owner to succeed is to have a solid business plan and an end goal to move towards.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

If I had to change one thing, I would have had a better functioning website before launching the company.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, within your industry or otherwise, what would it be?

Always use quality ingredients and stand behind your product!

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Our “WOW” factor comes from the outstanding and unique flavors featured in our products. We truly love watching our customers’ faces as they try flavor combinations that no one would believe! I think what also ‘Wows’ our customers is the fact that we not only sell our products, we use and stand behind them. We are family owned and love what we do. I think that really comes across to our customers when we talk to each of them individually and tell our story.

In what ways other than your online store are you trying to distribute your sauces?

We distribute our products in many ways. I am currently the Vice President of the Tuesday Farmer’s Market Association in downtown State College, Pennsylvania where we sell our products alongside other local produce from April through November. In addition, we have our products on the shelves at multiple locally owned gift shops, restaurants, grocery stores and other local businesses. We currently have offers from several regional supermarket chains and will be placing our products there in the near future. Stay tuned! We also work almost every weekend selling our products at fairs, craft shows and beer, wine and food fests. Again, this is a very family oriented business. My wife usually joins me at shows as well as our 8 year old son and 5 year old daughter. The first year was a bit rough of traveling and getting the word out regarding our product. But now that we have built that foundation, we get return customers bringing new customers our way.

What success and failures have you had and what did you learn? Any advice for other owners who are trying to grow distribution channels with similar products?

We started with small scale distribution to maximize our profit margins which allowed us to grow faster. Although we were limited in our wholesale opportunities in the beginning, our patience has paid off and we are now able to wholesale a known product to an established customer base.

What success and failures have you had and what did you learn?

Within the first year of opening our business, Red Hawk Premium Peppers has won awards across the country including at nationally recognized competitions like ZestFest in Irving, Texas. Our company has been a great success since we were able to stay in the green from the beginning. I think that we have learned that we can’t win all the time. The first time we did a show and ended in the red was not a good experience but it was an experience we came to realize that many business have more frequently than us. It wasn’t a failure but a good lesson.

In what ways have you closed personal knowledge/skill gaps to grow your business? Friends? Hired consultants? Self-taught? Any advice for other SMB owners/entrepreneurs facing similar challenges/gaps?

I have been very blessed with very supportive friends, family members and colleagues with this business. I’m more than happy to pick my friends’ brains for ideas and tips. Along with this support, I was able to apply the knowledge gained from my other successful business in a completely different field. Who says Forestry doesn’t apply to Peppers??? Not all competitors in an industry are as welcoming as the pepper industry. Reviewing the knowledge of companies who have been in the industry for years has been great because we were able to avoid some mistakes and pitfalls that they have already done. Along with that, we try to push our knowledge down the line. Any customer interested in growing, we are more than willing to help and we have found that the ‘pay it forward’ method really takes root in this industry. Trial and error is also the age old proven method of learning and closing those gaps. Don’t be afraid to experiment with ideas and ask opinions as you move forward.

Hot sauce testing and video marketing seem to be a perfect match for viral video marketing as people react to the sauce. Have you done any of this type of marketing? Or anything similar?

We have had many of our products reviewed by online reviewers, bloggers, etc. Besides the sheer entertainment value, they have brought us some new customers. The one thing every business needs to keep in mind when using any form of social media to advertise and push their products, is that there is always a risk. Not all reviewers are fair or appropriate. Don’t jump in too fast, make sure to investigate the social media you intend to use to make sure it is reputable and appropriate for the audience you are trying to reach.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

If the last couple years are an indicator of things to come, then the sky’s the limit for Red Hawk Premium Peppers. We would like to start moving our products into production with a co-pack to take some of the demand stress off. This will allow us to review and revise our business plan on how we want to move towards the end goal of creating our own co-packing facility. We are going to continue to soar!!!

From the start, we stuck to a strict financial structure and budget. Because we stuck to the budget, we were able to stay in the green. After reviewing our first years sales, we were able to anticipate where we were able to grow and take some more financial risks. Now that we have three years of data, we can see the steady rising trend of profit as well as demand. I have no doubt this will continue if we stay on the slow and steady path.

Where can you be found on the internet? (website, social, etc)

Website:  www.redhawkpeppers.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/RedHawkPremiumPeppers

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Daniel for taking the time to interview with us. Daniel, like other small business owners we’ve interviewed, is a great example of someone who not only pursues his passion but has focused on building his businesses in a financially viable way. Not only has Daniel grown his business without needing outside money (which typically means a loss of control) but has done so in a deliberately methodical fashion. While most owners make the mistake of growing as fast as possible regardless of the outcome Daniel and Red Hawk Peppers is a great example of not growing too fast. Daniel has built a great foundation for future growth rather than falling behind in the constant battle to have the necessary capital to grow. Thanks Daniel!

Red Hawk Premium Peppers – Small Business Success Story