Growth under 30: Minuteman Press franchisee brings new energy to her business

Exciting things are happening for young Minuteman Press franchise owner Caroline Sweeney in Ashland, Virginia. At under 30 years old, Sweeney is showing how to bring fresh energy that merges innovation with tradition to unlock new potential and grow sales. In her first full year in business since taking over in November of 2023, Sweeney has nearly doubled her annual sales for Minuteman Press in Ashland. 

What does it mean to you to be a business owner and young entrepreneur? Who was your inspiration/where does your drive to succeed come from?

“My dad told me I was going to run a successful business for as long as I can remember. His belief in me instilled a belief in myself that I can do anything I put my mind to — anyone can. Having my own business means the stars are the limit and I have the freedom to build a business that I love.”

What was your background before Minuteman Press?

“I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in marketing, which set me on my career path. I started at an agency and later became the in-house marketing director for a landscaping company. When my position was cut due to the pandemic, I took the opportunity to launch my own marketing company, specializing in graphic design and consulting. I partnered with Minuteman Press in Ashland for my clients’ projects, which is how I met the previous owner — and led me to take over the business myself.”

What are the top three reasons you bought this business/chose Minuteman Press?

1. “Marketing a marketing company might be one of the more difficult things to do and the thought of having a template that I don’t have to edit is a beautiful thing.”
2. “I helped the previous owners with design on the side and fell in love with the fast-paced environment and working with other business owners.”
3. “When I learned about the royalty cap that Minuteman Press has for owners, I felt like I knew that this was a franchise that wanted business owners to have the ability to make a good income for themselves.”

What has the training and support from Bob Heimbuch and Minuteman Press been like for you?

“Mike, Bob, and Sean are all gems and have always been so helpful with questions that come up.”

What are your top keys to your sales growth and success so far?

“Networking/BNI, direct marketing, Google marketing, and chatting with business owners who want to see me grow. They end up creating buzz and referrals for me by sharing my business with other people.”

What are your high-demand products/services and key growth areas?

“We’ve grown our apparel, mailing, and signage business a healthy amount in the past year.” 

Why do you think printing remains so vital to businesses today? What are the benefits of print?

“Print is everywhere. Yes, some things are going digital like traditional paperwork — as they should, and you could have a print shop that offers digitizing services for forms. People need to promote their business by handing out marketing materials, having signage on their vehicles and outside brick-and-mortar locations, branded apparel, and mailings. That will never go away. Don’t be scared of shifts within our industry but learn to shift with it!” 

How would you best describe your business community?

“Givers gain — I believe in giving to others before expecting anything in return. When we connect with people, whether they walked in our door from our Google listing or they were a referral from someone, our immediate response is, ‘How can we help?’ When you open up the conversation of helping someone rather than converting a lead into a sale, the atmosphere shifts.”

What are the rewards of owning your business?

“I love being able to help business owners make decisions that are right for wherever they are in their respective journeys. Marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution and it’s fun exercising out-of-the-box ways to help promote businesses. It’s fulfilling seeing our work throughout the community and making connections with so many different people.”

What are one or two key pieces of advice would you give to other owners?

“Share your visions, be kind, and trust your gut when it comes to business decisions. Care about your customers and they will care for you back. Create fun ways to keep your team motivated and happy to be of service every day.”

“Also, make sure your employees do not get complacent. I noticed my team started becoming a little hesitant to get up when they heard the door open or let the phone ring three times before picking it up. We are super busy, and I saw an opportunity to incorporate a motivating game. Whoever adds the customer to our database and converts the customer, gets one point. Whoever has the most points at the end of the month gets a gift card in that dollar amount. This helps them stay excited to speak with customers during our busy day and follow up on quotes. Who doesn’t love some competition with dollar signs at the end of it?”

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

“I took over the company and nearly doubled my sales in a year. The plan is to grow it to reach the Minuteman Press International President’s Club by the time I’m 30 so I have three years to do it!”