SIGNS OF SUCCESS

SHE’S A DREAMER. SHE’S A DOER. SHE’S A RISK-TAKER. SHE’S CURIOUS. SHE’S ALWAYS LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD. YEP, ALL THE SIGNS ARE THERE . MAUREEN YARBOROUGH IS A PROVEN ENTREPRENEUR AND A VERY SUCCESSFUL ONE.

SHE’S RIGHTFULLY PROUD of what she and her team have accomplished. Just ask subtly, and she’s ready to show you the shop, from design to manufacturing to marketing. No secrets here, just a determination to provide cutting-edge creativity for signs that do the job.

The Sign Matters, Inc. story started in 2005, but Maureen Yarborough suggests that she was not born an entrepreneur. She sort of fell into it or perhaps discovered it by providential mistake. “I loved working for other people,” she admits. From early years as a teacher and seven years in chemical sales, Yarborough proved herself through hard work. “I put my head down and got to work,” she remembers.

As a salesperson, she knew how to prospect for leads, and even remembers one employer telling her she was the best prospector he had. Finding new customers and then developing strong working relationships with clients would prove a winning scenario. It wouldn’t be long before she was using it for her own company.

Leaving chemical sales, Yarborough began her foray into signage, working for a local sign company, but soon discerned that she could do a better job on her own. So, with a card table, a list of potential clients, and a stack of postcards, Yarborough reached out. She developed a handful of clients, and she was off to a new adventure, both scary and exciting.

Admittedly, those early days were hectic, but that same work ethic she used for others came to her aid. “I brokered just about everything we did as far as production,” she says, but her network was extensive, and the company grew. “I purchased equipment as I went along and responded to the business environment.”

Some memories offer laughs: “I remember we used my children’s little wagon to help us with those first loads of signs.” It was a family affair. Those early days are long gone now, and within 17 years, Signs Matter has created a company with a showroom and state-of-the-art production facility on Distribution Parkway, going from a one-woman business — or one family, perhaps — to a company with a full design and production team and a portfolio to be proud of. Sign Matters products find space in countless government buildings, organizations, and schools throughout Collierville, Memphis, and the Mid-South.

These days the company’s capabilities range from designing and manufacturing to installation and phase management of signage projects. As business has grown over the years, so has their manufacturing division, including CNC (computer numerical control) routers, paint systems, vinyl plotters, and laser and digital printers.

Glancing at samples and photos of her signs and installations, it’s obvious why she takes such pride in her team’s accomplishments. “Every building has a personality,” she adds. So much of that personality reflects Sign Matters’ dedication to crisp, bold design. She knew it in her chemical sales days, and she knows it now — solid business development is about relationships, and Yarborough explains that much of her work is done in collaboration with architects, designers, and contractors.

A local showcase of Sign Matters’ work is at Collierville High School. From the distinctive exterior signage, including one fierce dragon, to signage in hallways and just about every corner, examples of Sign Matters’ work are plentiful. Another prime example of their cutting-edge signage was accomplished for Shorb Tower at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. Parking areas, wall murals, window signs, and interior signage of all kinds comprise the portfolio of the company.

The names of the firms and companies Yarborough has worked for (and with) are a who’s who of local business: Fleming Architects, Medtronic, OrthoOne, Financial Federal, Youth Villages, the Memphis Zoo, the Memphis Fire Department and the Fire Museum, Briarcrest Christian School, Shelby Farms, and so many more. A quick glance at their gallery on their website flows with examples of their work. Yarborough is particularly proud of the signage they’ve provided for the new Lake District area.

For Sign Matters, Inc., excellence is not determined by the size of the project or the name of the client. They approach each project with a passion for excellence. “We truly believe in making a difference by being creative and providing quality in everything we do,” Yarborough says. The company is known for their work involving ADA (American with Disabilities Act) signage in buildings across the community.

These days Yarborough has relinquished some of her management chores and focuses her time on unique approaches to interior signage, designed to provide customers with greater choices in color, background patterns, and design. Her focus is always customer centered.

That entrepreneurial spirit shines through when Yarborough talks of new possibilities, new markets, and new business relationships to be built. She knows that technological and manufacturing advances require change, but also knows that the essence of building and keeping a solid business is about relationships with customers. And that’s a sign of smart business.