People pursue the life of an entrepreneur for many different reasons. Some people are born entrepreneurs, others learn the skills to become an entrepreneur. For Beatriz Cardona, it was fulfilling a lifelong desire of owning and operating a business of her own that pushed her to succeed.
Signarama New Tampa now has more than 30 employees and a 15,000 sq. ft. showroom. Their purpose is to understand local ordinances and work out sign solutions for the Tampa Bay region. The staff at Signarama produce everything from simple banners or vinyl signage to complex illuminated exterior signage, vehicle wraps, and anything in-between. They provide expertise from concept design and fabrication to installation.
"When we opened the doors in 2010 we didn't have a single customer, it was kind of scary," Beatriz said.
That did not last long. She reached out to the Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida (USF) soon after opening and attended a few low-cost training workshops including the Women/Minority & Veteran Certification, as well as the 2010 Business Growth Conference in Pasco County. Beatriz started working with business consultant, Maria Yepes, where they fine-tuned accounting, tax, and sales issues.
In 2012, they purchased one of their suppliers, increasing their capacity of sign manufacturing and diversifying their customer base. By allowing them to produce most of their signs in house, they doubled their size and positioned the business to triple its sales.
Already having her Minority Business (MBE) and Woman-Owned (WBE) certifications, Beatriz reached back out to the Florida SBDC at USF and teamed up with consultant, Yanina Rosario, to learn about new opportunities and other certifications.
With the purchase of EmbroidMe, another franchise, they quickly outgrew their space and recently moved to their new store just off State Road 54 in Lutz. Signarama and EmbroidMe held their collaborative grand opening on April 14, 2016, where fellow business owners, chamber members, and other city officials participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
