Company Profile: Living the American Dream One-time parking lot attendant and Nigerian immigrant Jude Arijaje has been the proud owner of a Minteman Press franchise for seven years in Philadelphia. JBy Howard Riell ude Arijaje, who emigrated from his native Nigeria to Philadelphia, PA in 2000, is—there’s no other way to say it—living the American dream. Following stints as both a parking lot attendant and independent real estate broker, Arijaje has realized his entrepreneurial dream as a Minuteman Press franchisee in the City of Brotherly Love. A part of the Minuteman Press franchise system since 2008, Arijaje’s shop excels in serving as a business- and marketing-services provider that does everything from digital print, design, and promotional products to advertising, direct mail, and more. His 2,500-sqft shop on Philadelphia’s Broad Street runs with a team of six employees. “We offer custom solutions that are tailored to your company,” he said. “We can create, design, print, and produce anything you can put a name, image, or logo on. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop to meet all of your unique business needs while offering you the type of personalized attention and high quality service you deserve.” Arijaje services a diverse range of clients, from real estate firms and professional sports teams to local businesses and community organizations. “The beauty of the Minuteman Press franchise system is that anyone can be a client, and we are able to build ongoing relationships with other business owners since we can do so much to help them.” Arijaje says he has found that because he is a part of Minuteman Press, he is “truly are able to gauge the pulse of the community in a very effective way. Our services go way beyond printing, and because we are entering into business partnerships with other business owners, we are able to give them the most diverse offerings while still catering to their individual needs on a highly personalized level. We have truly branded ourselves as a one-stop shop for businesses and organizations in the Delaware Valley Region. When we say that, we don’t even say printing services; we say marketing services.” ‘Very Blessed’ The strategy is proving successful. “As of mid-July, I am proud to say our 2015 year-to-date sales are approximately $517,000,” Arijaje reported. “We are very blessed to have nearly doubled our year-over-year sales growth from 2014.” The reasons behind the rise all have to do with smart business practices. Said Arijaje, “There’s really nothing called luck in this business. It’s a combination of everything, including following the Minuteman Press program and getting out there. My growth this year is an accumulation of seven to eight years of relentless networking, of shaking hands, and putting our small business on the map.” Beyond that, he continued, “The key to all of this is that we always put ourselves last in the sense that we ask, ‘What can we do to help your business? What can we do to make your life easier?’ The capability we have to help is a huge responsibility and a huge reward, and every single one of my staff understands and respects this.” According to Arijaje, 2014 was primarily about making his facility more efficient, streamlining all aspects of the operations, and setting up for what he hoped would come in 2015. Thus far this year, he continued, 2015 has been “an incredible year with robust growth and seeing all of our hard work come to fruition. Investments in education have really paid off.” Over the course of the past several months, Arijaje has made it a point to delegate more responsibilities and provide empowerment to his staff so that all of his employees have more of a stake in what they do. As he explained, “I feel like they have gained a great deal of confidence that has helped them effectively speak to and manage our customers, and this has given me more time to continue building the business.” More than Just Print Arijaje has worked hard to brand his shop as a one-stop shop for all of his clients’ marketing needs, including printing, promotional products, and whatever else they may need. “We do more than just print, and we are truly proud Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter (left) with Minuteman Press franchise owner Jude Arijaje. Through his Minuteman Press franchise, Arijaje serves Philadelphia business owners with digital print, design and marketing services from concept review through to completion. 22 Printing News | October 2015 PrintingNews.com
Printing News October 2015
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