Spotlight on... Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS

Since her appointment as CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Catherine Monson has been on a mission to advance the brand from that of a sign and banner provider to a visual ideas company for all kinds of businesses.  As part of this journey, she agreed to appear on CBS’ hit series Undercover Boss which was screened in the USA/Canada on 4th May 2012.  Large Format Review spoke to Catherine to find out more about her appearance in the series and also in her role as CEO of this successful franchise business.

FASTSIGNS International, headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, has over 530 franchise business locations across the globe offering the full gamut of visual communications solutions from banners, building signs, labels, decals, interior décor, trade show exhibits and vehicle graphics through to signage for windows, walls, doors or floors.  The business caters for all aspects of the signage process, from planning and design, through to the installation of the completed solutions.

In the UK, FASTSIGNS has 18 franchise locations.  There are plans to expand the FASTSIGNS business operations throughout Europe as well as other key regions worldwide.

Catherine Monson was appointed as FASTSIGNS chief executive officer in January 2009.  At that time, one of the biggest challenges the company was facing was a lack of communication between the corporate office and its franchise partners, as well as sales declines due to the recession.  For the past three years, Catherine has been working hard to improve and grow this 25 year old business and address these issues.

Catherine puts her success in a very male-dominated business down to the fact she is very goal-directed and always goes the extra mile.  She says, “A sense of urgency is also a key factor in achieving success.  You can always make one more sales call; there’s always one more thing you can do.”

She also works hard â€" up to 80 hours a week â€" but does not see this as a negative thing.  “My mantra has always been to work harder and smarter in order to achieve more.  I love what I do and gain huge self-esteem and personal gratification from working at FASTSIGNS.

She continues, “I always want to ensure that I do the very best I can.  I’m not a perfectionist.  I just have a real desire for excellence.”  Interestingly for someone so successful, Catherine concedes that her biggest motivator is the ‘fear of failure.’

In order to successfully operate at the highest level, Catherine spends a lot of time ensuring that she is fully up-to-date with the printing industry.  She visits all the key signage shows and events, regularly talks to vendors and keeps abreast of the latest technology.  Her desire to be kept fully informed was at the heart of her decision to go undercover in the Undercover Boss series.

“Our franchise partners and their employees are trained to take a consultative approach to providing comprehensive visual solutions to meet their clients’ communication needs.  We’re not just selling a commodity; we’re helping businesses solve their visual communication challenges.  I specifically went undercover to learn what additional training and tools our employees need to fulfil our brand promise,” comments Catherine.

She continues, “When you are the CEO of a business, people often tell you only what they think you want to hear or present things based on their personal agenda.  Going undercover allowed me to see the business from a different angle; to step into the shoes of our employees and franchise partners to better learn the ins and outs of what makes our company successful, as well as where there is room for improvement.”

As a result of her appearance on the TV show, Catherine says she learnt three key things; two business-related and one relating to her personal life.  She explains, “From my Undercover Boss experience, I became aware that in some cases, franchise partners were not feeding the latest marketing collateral and information down to the relevant people within their businesses.  I now ensure that all marketing and communication updates are sent to both the franchisee and the central email address of each FASTSIGNS location.  This communication through multiple channels increases the likelihood that the whole business has access to the materials they need.

“Secondly, from meeting with the guys on the ground, I realised that there were gaps in our training and â€" in particular - that we had not created a formal training programme for large signage installations.  This has now been rectified and we have developed better training resources.

“Thirdly, from a personal standpoint, I realised that I did not devote enough time to my passion for horseback riding which I find incredibly relaxing.  I have now rectified this and am in the process of finding a horse.”

Catherine says since the screening of the Undercover Boss programme in the USA, she has already been approached by two other business leaders who have been asked to go undercover for the CBS hit show.  “It was really fun and I would absolutely recommend that they do it.  You get to see your business from another angle.

“Overall, this was an eye opening experience that not only impacted my professional life, but my personal life as well,” concludes Monson. “I have realised that I need to take more time for myself and get back to the things that I really love in order to become a better leader and CEO.”

About Undercover Boss: Each week, "Undercover Boss" follows a different top executive as they leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies. While working alongside their employees, they see the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organisations and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while discovering and rewarding the unsung heroes who make their companies run.