Starting a new business is a daunting task. This is something Ben and Renee Teaford know firsthand. With over 15 years under his belt as the owner of a tax preparation franchise, he knew the ins and outs of the business world. So, when he was looking to start the next stage of his career, he found Signal and knew it was exactly what he was looking for.
Since his launch, Teaford has seen tremendous success in all aspects of the Signal brand. His first franchise, Signal of Orlando, is regularly a top performer in both Sales and the Signal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). He’s purchased additional franchises in four other states and was a finalist for the 2023 Franchise of the Year and was named our Franchise of the Month for November 2023.
As an experienced business owner, Teaford was drawn to franchising for many reasons, but the largest is the support a franchise system brings. Unlike the competitive atmosphere found in many small businesses, franchising brings a sense of unity and shared goals throughout its network. When researching different organizations, Teaford saw the camaraderie among Signal owners and knew that the support system was there to encourage growth and collaboration throughout the network.
As a prior business owner, Teaford had many requirements for his next endeavor. He knew he wanted to work in the security business, and he didn’t want a company that was too large. As he puts it, he was looking for a company that wasn’t brand new, but rather in its adolescence, somewhere he could have a voice, make change and be more than a number.
“I wanted somewhere I could bring in my knowledge and excel,” Teaford said. “I really saw that with Signal. And now we’re growing so fast and have so many initiatives that I feel like we’ve graduated past that adolescent stage, so obviously I made the right decision.”
After the initial launch of his franchise in 2020, Teaford said that the biggest challenge he faced was adapting to a new set of procedures and implementing the system Signal has set out for owners. Trusting that these processes will work is a challenge for many owners, and Teaford was no different.
“When you’re buying into a franchise,” Teaford said. “You’re buying into a proven system that works. Learning the system and the processes and then executing them to the best of your ability was the hardest part of the launch for me. A lot of times there’s a policy or a procedure that you may not agree with at first, but you have to trust the process and get it done. Ultimately, it’s been proven in the past and that’s why you’ve chosen to be there.”
While monetary growth and expansion are notable achievements, Teaford says that his biggest success is the impact he and his franchises are able to have on the people they serve. Last year his franchise in Orlando was able to donate backpacks to Title One schools in the area, sponsor charity events and give over a thousand cans of food to a food drive hosted by the Home Office. This year he’s hoping to continue serving even closer to home and find a way to help support employees who experience emergencies or disasters.
Teaford attributes his success to three main things: setting teams up for success, learning from mistakes and fostering open communication. As a multi-market franchise owner, he knows that he has a lot on his plate. He is in constant communication with the management groups from each of his franchises and he estimates that 90% of impactful business decisions are discussed with him and his co-owner and wife, Renee. Teaford says that building the right team starts with a gut-feeling before setting expectations and mentoring.
“We mentor our team so we can empower them to do things themselves,” he said. “On our first day we go over the vision Reed and the Home Office have and then what the vision is for our franchises. After that we talk about expectations and things like that. I set my people up for success, so they set their people up for success. Ultimately, our job is to set the officers up for success, they’re the ones making us successful. Secondly, I tell everyone that mistakes are a wise man’s education. As long as we’re learning from that and not making it over and over again, we’re always going to be better.”
Now in his fourth year as a Signal franchise owner, Teaford and his team’s future looks bright, and he has no intention of slowing down. As the owner of four successful franchises, he is excited to see the new initiatives the Home Office is bringing on and he has big plans for his business.
“I’m going to be the first one to $100 million, I’ll tell you that now.”
