The Minuteman Press franchise in Cranberry Township announces it has moved to a brand new facility located at 1185 Freedom Road, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, 16066.
Rich Coyner has owned the business for six years, while the shop itself has been operating for over 20 years.
Coyner shares, “Our original location was initially set up to accommodate offset presses and a backroom operation with little retail-facing space. We moved away from the offset press business five years ago and needed a fresh look that allows our customers to see how technology has changed the way we deliver printed services to them.”
He continues, “We moved into a larger space that is wide open and enables our clients to see more of our operation and capabilities. Our digital presses are near the front of the store, and clients can see how we move a job from print to completion. We also added a larger lobby area with display racks for logo apparel and a display case for our promotional products lines. Our lobby is also wide open and accessible for customers in accordance with ADA guidelines.”
Growing the business
When asked how he’s grown Minuteman Press in Cranberry Township since purchasing the business six years ago, Coyner highlights the following:
- “Diversification/expansion of products – When I purchased the business, the focus was only on printing paper products. We have expanded into promotional products, logo apparel, EDDM and direct mail, wide format printing, and more. I eliminated our offset presses, purchased a Xante Envelope Press, added two new digital presses, and upgraded all of our equipment by purchasing a new challenge cutter, Baumfolder folding machine, and Graphic Whizard perf and scoring machine to ensure we could provide quality products in a timely manner. We also expanded our marketing efforts to pursue promotional products and apparel opportunities from our existing customer base.
- Acquisition – I acquired an independent print shop that was a few miles north of me and rolled his business into our existing operation.
- Networking – I am a board member of the largest chamber of commerce group in the Greater Pittsburgh area – The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber – and I leverage these networking opportunities and relationships to market my business.
- Community welcome wagon – I’ve also partnered with the local Welcome Wagon business – North Pittsburgh Greeting Co. – who welcomes all new businesses to the area and provides them a list of local businesses and goodies to help them get their business off the ground. We offer 500 Free Business cards and 500 Envelopes as a way of welcoming them to the area and letting them know we can support their printing and marketing needs.”
Coyner adds, “We have a great team that enjoys meeting the needs of our customers. I know that if I continue to invest in good people, new technology and keep things moving forward, the customers will stay with us. At Minuteman Press, we continue to evolve and strive to get better at everything we do to make sure our customers are happy and satisfied with our work. If we can provide a solution, we do it! And if for some reason we can’t, we’ll point them in the right direction.”
Career change & franchise support
Prior to buying the business, Coyner shares, “I spent over 30 years in the transportation & logistics industry, 20-plus years working in Corporate America for three Fortune 500 companies, and the last 12 years running a privately held third-party logistics organization. I knew how to run a company but was not sure what I wanted to do, so I became involved in franchise consulting as a Certified Franchise Consultant.
He continues, “I came across Minuteman Press in Cranberry Township and decided to purchase it. I knew how to run a company but knew nothing about the printing industry, so I did some research and worked with the local SBDC to better understand the industry and its future potential.”
Over the past six years, Coyner has continued to receive ongoing franchise support from Minuteman Press International. He explains, “Minuteman Press provides a great platform to run your business along with a diverse vendor base to meet just about any needs a customer may have. Their FLEX software is a great tool for managing day-to-day operations, and my central facility work is about 35%-40% of my business because we have such great vendors in the Minuteman Press program. I can do more sales with less staff using the central facility model.”
Advice for others
As for what advice he would give to other business owners, Coyner says, “The best advice I can give is run your business – don’t let it run you. It’s important to not let the business run you as you need to let your employees run the day-to-day, and you need to be thinking big picture. Know what you want to be today, tomorrow, and the next day – the world does not stand still, so if you slow down, it will pass you by.”
Coyner adds, “Also, treat your employees well! Without your team, you cannot meet the challenges of being a successful business owner.”
