Grow Your Business and Your Relationships

Mike Sneiderman

Business Owners See Signs of Economic Growth

From increases in consumer spending to an increase in RV purchases (yes, it’s an economic indicator: click here to read more), many signs point to an economic upswing. But what about the experiences of individual business owners? According to Dan Varner and Mike Sneiderman, they are seeing their own signs the economy is rebounding.

Dan Varner, owner of Varner Claims Consulting, LLC, has seen an increase in employment in the industries he commonly works with, including the trucking, manufacturing and home and commercial construction industries (to learn more, visit their YouTube Playlist by clicking here).

“The economy is rebounding, and more shipments of goods leads to increased freight demands,” Varner says. “With the aging workforce and stricter workplace guidelines, I’m seeing the upper level of the workforce retiring, and companies hiring new workers.”

With exponentially more workers, another percentage comes up: the number of injured workers, which means a higher volume of insurance claims. Helping companies with injured workers create return-to-work solutions is Varner’s specialty. After more than 30 years experience working in claims insurance, Varner has taken this knowledge to help businesses achieve cost savings while placing injured workers in light/transitional-duty programs that keep them working during their medical recovery.

A Proactive Mindset

Because the risk for injured workers rises proportionally with an increased amount of workers hired, Varner encourages companies to take a proactive versus reactive approach.

“A proactive approach means business owners having a light duty program in place,” Varner says. “We can assist business owners in controlling claims costs and the injured worker is happy because he or she is making more money remaining at light/transitional positions compared to staying home collecting benefits.”

One of the reasons employers may not take the cost-saving approach to return-to-work solutions is simply a lack of knowledge in what is often a complicated insurance matter and manpower to support the program. Varner uses his considerable nationwide industry connections to make a light/transitional duty program easy to execute for a business owners.

Even during a tough economy, Varner has been able to carve out a niche and grow his business. He attributes his success to multiple factors that appeal to companies: flat-rate fees, a 100 percent placement rate for injured workers, an electronic time tracking program and perhaps most importantly, ease of accessibility to Varner himself.

“My company and employees react instantly to requests,” Varner says. “A company doesn’t have to go through hoops and five or eight people to reach me, which can make all the difference when a company needs immediate placement for an injured worker.”

Business Refresh

Mike Sneiderman, co-owner of SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY sees economic indicators of his own via his sign business that creates outdoor and indoor signs, banners, graphics, letters and displays. Sneiderman says more and more new businesses are coming in to work with the SIGNARAMA team to create distinctive signs that build brand recognition and attract customers.

“You can have the greatest products, but customers must be able to first find you,” Sneiderman says. “The right signage is welcoming and sets the tone for the new business.”

The SIGNARAMA team, which include Mike’s co-owner son Dave, uses its award-winning approach to help new businesses craft the message they want to send to customers via custom, eye-grabbing signs.

Another economic indicator Sneiderman is seeing more customers with existing businesses coming in for new signs, displays and banners.

“When the economy was at its lower points, updating signage and interiors was often a point that got overlooked,” Sneiderman says. “But now businesses are seeing its overall value in retaining and attracting new customers. Neglecting the appearance of your business can send the message you may neglect other aspects of the business transaction as well.”

Much like Varner, Sneiderman advises a proactive approach when it comes to maintaining business success. By regularly replacing faded, poorly lit or outdated signage, businesses appear more successful and inviting.

“First impressions are everything,” Sneiderman says. “My company will work tirelessly with a business to ensure a first impression is a strong one.”

Learn more about Varner Claims Consulting, LLC, visit www.varnerclaimsconsulting.com, call (312) 450-3259 or e-mail Varner at dan@varnerclaimsconsulting.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @VarnerClaims.

Learn more about SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY, visit www.signsdb.com or call (561) 278-7446. You can also follow the business on Twitter at @SignaramaBocaDB or visit the welcoming sign professionals in person at SIGNARAMA located at 2905 S. Congress Avenue, Suite E in Delray Beach.

Maesk Group Offers Weekend Couples Seminars

Communication, togetherness and awareness -- these are some of the hallmarks of a healthy relationship. If you feel yours could improve in one or several of these categories, Doug Maesk, M.A., Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), is offering weekend seminars for couples throughout the month of June.

Doug Maesk

“These seminars will be ideal for couples considering marriage or those who have been together for a while but are struggling,” says Maesk, a Fort Lauderdale-based counselor with more than 10 years experience. “These seminars will focus on fostering intimacy, removing barriers to healthy communication and increasing awareness of each partner’s role in the relationship.”

Maesk offers a unique approach to counseling and is trained in Gestalt Therapy, a therapy form that takes an integrated approach to healing.

“I feel I meet people where they are,” Maesk says. “If a patient is interested in more of a feelings approach, I will go there with them. If they want a more cognitive, intellectual approach, I will go there with them. In other words, my work is very person-centered.”

Maesk specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, adolescent psychology and couples counseling. He emphasizes that entering counseling is not a lifetime commitment. He often works with many clients over a three- to six-month time frame, helping them to ease worries and feel happier, two feelings they may have previously thought impossible.

‘What I want people to know is that I have helped thousands of people over the years to lead happier, more productive lives,” Maesk says.

Want to know more about Maesk’s services and weekend seminars, call (954) 353-4680 or e-mail doug@maeskgroup.com. Maesk’s offices are located at 2821 E. Commercial Blvd., Suite 210, in Fort Lauderdale.

April Dorsey of The D-Tales Shares Sassy Tips for Service Business Owners

April Dorsey of The D-Tales

With wedding season fast-approaching, April Dorsey, the wedding planner extraordinaire of The D-Tales, is working hard with brides and vendors to create picture-perfect and crazy-fun wedding events. April’s schedule is so busy because she knows her stuff when it comes to attracting clients—and here are some of her tips for how she does it:

You’ve Got to Go Mobile
The D-Tales offers a kick-a website, plus a mobile-optimized site. According to April, 67 percent of mobiles users say that when they visit a mobile-friendly site, they’re more likely to buy a site’s product or service. Personally, April says she has seen an increase in web traffic by 25 percent, especially from Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad.

Make Space for Reviews and Referrals
Customer reviews and referrals are a major revenue source for April.

“Brides want to hire someone who they have been referred to by a close friend,” April says.

Because April’s business is sometimes considered a “luxury” one, she says referrals provide a first-hand experience to explain why her business is needed to avoid issues and stress that can arise from planning a wedding. Another avenue similar to referrals is the “Reviews” section of her website. Opening her site to client reviews has resulted in an increase of visitors to the site by 25 percent.

Carve Out a Unique Space for Yourself
April’s mission is not to provide wedding planning services as usual for her brides. She’s a think-outside-the-box wedding planner that specializes in sassy brides with unique visions for their big days. Rock-and-roll-themed weddings? She’s planned those. Ethnic weddings? She’s planned those too. And she knows that each bride needs a varying level of guidance in advance of her big day. That’s why April created an expanded menu of services categorized by time, such as “Brainstorming Session,” “Month of Help,” “Help Me Finish” and “I Want It All.” April’s seen her revenue increase by 25 percent in four months after increasing her offerings.

For more information on The D-Tales, visit TheDTales.com, call (407) 687-6552 or e-mail April at April@TheDTales.com.

A Sign Company with Superpowers

Letters, Banners and Everything in Between

The Levis JCC honored SIGNARAMA for service.

When Mike Sneiderman, President of SIGNARAMA, BOCA RATON/DELRAY BEACH started his sign business in 1994, the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center was one of his first customers. After years and hundreds, possibly thousands, of signs created later, the Levis JCC recently honored SIGNARAMA with a “Certificate of Appreciation” for years of “understanding the Center’s needs, dedication to detail, creativity, quality and timely completion of every job.”

Like SIGNARAMA, the Levis JCC has a long history of serving the community. Since 1983, the Center has offered services to community members of all ages. This includes a wide range of programming and philanthropic opportunities, from summer camps for kids to physical fitness classes to a thrift shop whose proceeds support community members, to music and theater productions. The non-profit organization has a variety of services to educate, entertain and enrich the lives of its members.  

George Feld, a long-time volunteer and board member at the Levis JCC, has worked with Mike’s team at SIGNARAMA for many years.

“We often have incredible deadlines where signs are ordered today, but we really needed them yesterday,” Feld says. “SIGNARAMA always understands and meets our needs.”

A Strong Partnership

Because the Levis JCC offers so many events throughout the year, they often find themselves in need of signage and banners for events. In addition to creating these offerings, the Center relies on SIGNARAMA for everything from dynamic monument-style entry features and directional signs to dimensional lettering applied to the Center’s buildings. Feld says the lettering helps visitors not only find the right place, but also gives  a positive, visually appealing representation of the Center.

“One of the key factors we hold as a business, is to value our customers, whether they are long-term like George and the Levis JCC or someone who has just walked in the door and needs a fully lit sign for their new business,” says Mike, who owns SIGNARAMA with his son, Dave. “We provide a service that offers creative, visually appealing products at competitive prices.”

While SIGNARAMA’s business has grown since the company first worked to create signs for the Levis JCC, what hasn’t changed is SIGNARAMA’s commitment to customer service. It’s why Feld and the Levis JCC know they can call SIGNARAMA at a moment’s notice and get the products they need.

“They are able to allocate and divide their time to make sure their customers get taken care of,” Feld says. “They’ve never let us down, and they produce quality work at a very fair price.”

To find out more about these featured organizations, visit:

• The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center at www.levisjcc.org.

• SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY by calling (561) 278-7446 or visiting www.signsdb.com. Or you can visit the welcoming sign professionals in person at SIGNARAMA located at 2905 S. Congress Avenue, Suite E in Delray Beach.

The Secret to American Productivity

What would make Americans work an extra hour each day isn’t overtime pay or even more flexible hours. But they will work the extra 60 minutes if they have a better-designed workplace, according to a research study the Gensler architecture firm conducted. 

Cameron Free, Marketing Assistant with the Boca Raton, Florida-headquartered ClientFirst Settlement Funding, business knows this firsthand.

SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY's creation

“Our office is a huge first impression for potential employees,” Free says. “There have been candidates that came to job interviews and said that their first impression of our company is the sign at the door.”

The orchestrator behind this sign is SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY. Mike Sneiderman, who is the co-owner of SIGNARAMA along with his son Dave, met with marketers at ClientFirst to determine the best way to make a good first impression for employees and clients alike.

 As a company that purchases and sells structured settlements and annuities, ClientFirst wanted a sign that had a physical presence. The result was an 8-foot long, 2-foot tall sign installed with special lights to provide a backlight that flooded the front portion in a halo of light.

“It’s a drop-dead gorgeous sign,” says Sneiderman, who recently accepted a national award from SIGNARAMA for his business. “The sign provides the perfect complement to the large, open spaces the building has.”

When ClientFirst expanded their office space from 25,000 to 50,000 feet, adding an entire new floor of space, the company called on SIGNARAMA to make yet another sign.

“I think that one sign is very impressive, but two identical signs is that much more impressive,” Free says.

Don’t Ignore the Details

From signage to a logical office layout, office design is a vital part of productivity and status.

“Don’t look at an office as merely a space, but an opportunity to plan a space well,” says Jeri Rosenthal, Owner of MRA Design, a residential, hospitality, commercial and retail design agency based in Miami, Fla. “You can take a floor plan and maximize the space you need, optimizing it even if an office is short on space.”

Sneiderman reminds his sign clients that first impressions are a chance you only get once. Choose high-quality signs that make an impact and endure over time, and you won’t need to constantly replace them, which can save you money over the long run.

“To us, our sign speaks very highly of the work that we do and the quality we deliver,” Free says.

To find out more about these featured businesses, visit:

• ClientFirst Settlement Funding at www.clientfirstfunding.com

• SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY by calling (561) 278-7446 or visiting www.signsdb.com. Or you can visit the welcoming sign professionals in person at SIGNARAMA located at 2905 S. Congress Avenue, Suite E in Delray Beach.

• MRA Design at www.mradesign.com or call (305) 762-6222.

Helping Others Find Their Way

  Think about all the signs it takes to get a new condominium or housing community construction project to completion. From the “Coming Soon” signs to “Five Units Left” to the actual signs that serve as entrance landmarks, there’s a lot of things that have to happen for you to find your way to your new home. Ten years ago, when Chuck Halberg, Owner at Stuart and Shelby Development, Inc., a construction and renovation business, needed just these items, he found a business he has come to count on: SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY.

“Supporting community businesses is important to me, and SIGNARAMA goes above and beyond for my business needs,” Halberg says. “They have made every sign, banner, business card and much more. When I need something, I just call them.”

Because sign projects take creativity and a bit of perfectionism to get just right, Mike Sneiderman, who is the co-owner of SIGNARAMAUSA, BOCA/DELRAY along with his son Dave, says being responsive and building a business relationship with his clients are just some of the reasons why customers like Halberg become repeat customers.

“Service is important to me, and SIGNARAMA has always performed at the highest level,” Halberg says. “Lots of times, I tell them what I want and they execute it to perfection.”

SIGNARAMA: Your Success Is Theirs

Another business aspect that Halberg says he has been impressed with is the variety of products offered at SIGNARAMA. From a project (literally) as small as creating a new business card to one as large as a backlit sign for the entrance to Halberg’s “The Colony at Delray Beach” development, SIGNARAMA serves as a one-stop opportunity for Halberg to have his business needs met.

“Our knowledge of available products and what will work on a particular project makes us a great partner with businesses,” Mike Sneiderman says. “It’s not uncommon to have a business owner come in, uncertain of signs he needs in terms of sizing, design and materials. We are a source of advice and guidance on these aspects because we have worked in the sign industry for many years and know what works.”

As Halberg’s company continues to embark on new building project, he says he’ll always rely on SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY to get the job done.

“I don’t call anybody else—when I have a project, Mike and Dave at SIGNARAMA are the guys to go to,” Halberg says.

If you have need of a signature sign,banner, magnet and so much more, call SIGNARAMA USA, BOCA/DELRAY at (561) 278-7446 or visit www.signdb.com. Or you can visit the welcoming sign professionals in person at SIGNARAMA located at 2905 S. Congress Avenue, Suite E in Delray Beach.

To find about more about Stuart and Shelby Development, Inc. and the comprehensive building and renovationservices offered, visit stuartandshelby.com or call (561) 637-7902 for more information.


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