1. Bob and Gaby Mullinax with grandkids; 2. Celebrating All the Arts for All the Kids Foundation with Ford dealership owner Jim Miller; 3. Showing off gifts from author Judy Holler; 4. speaking on entrepreneurship at Fullerton College; 5. delivering a client’s wall décor … and multitasking with phone.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
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franchisee of a FASTSIGNS
by Mary Vinnedge
Gaby Mullinax loves life in the FASTSIGNS® lane. She invested in a franchise in November 2016 and operated it out of her existing photo services business in downtown Fullerton, California. In 2017 she bought a 23-yearold FASTSIGNS location in the adjacent town of Brea. Mullinax, who emphasizes relationships as well as excellence in service and products, started out with minimal staffing but has added employees—including family— as the businesses grew. Seeking a better quality of life, her husband, Bob, left his job in the grocery industry to operate the Brea site, which does sales but also is the production facility for both locations. Gaby and Bob’s daughter, Kaitlyn, a former events planner, is director of new business development; Kaitlyn’s fiance Aaron just finished his MBA and is the general manager of the Brea location. Gaby starts her day with a swim she calls “my creative time.” She arrives at work by
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8:30 a.m., and at 9 there’s a phone call about production and sales, with both sites participating. The day continues with activities such as client visits, sales calls, preparation of estimates, and handling email and phone inquiries. Leaving the office by 5:30 or 6, she and Bob have time for favorite outdoor activities such as walking, biking, and photography. The best part is having time to play with and spoil their grandchildren. THE BIG PICTURE Before FASTSIGNS, Gaby had handled all client outreach for her photo business for 17 years. FASTSIGNS is different. “There’s no cold-calling. Business comes in because this is such a powerful brand. FASTSIGNS does such a fabulous job of marketing, sending business to me.” That leaves Gaby to deal with the big picture. “I keep a 50,000-foot view, always looking to improve.” Learn more at www.fastsigns.com.
