The Fine Print

Tech-Savvy Franchisee Makes His Mark with AlphaGraphics

(PHOENIX) - Having worked with start-up businesses for 11 years, Scottsdale resident Marcus Strom left behind the corporate grind in pursuit of starting his own business. Marcus risked it all — using everything his family had earned up until this point in their lives — to achieve his dream of owning his own business. In August, he opened his AlphaGraphics at 20910 N. Tatum Blvd. in Phoenix.

“I had a successful career as Senior Program Manager at Intel, but I wanted a business of my own that I could launch successfully and quickly, one that allowed me to combine my computer background with my passion for marketing design,” said Marcus. “It was a big risk to use our family’s resources, but AlphaGraphics supplied the additional training and information I needed to launch the business quickly and as a franchise, AlphaGraphics has a proven method for success.”

AlphaGraphics offers visual communications services to small- and medium-sized businesses and corporate entities including custom design, direct marketing solutions, digital color printing, high-speed duplicating, large-format poster printing, one-to-one marketing, digital archiving, finishing and binding, promotional items and online ordering. Whether it’s a small print job or a challenging design and marketing project, AlphaGraphics has become a single source for the visual communication needs of its customers.

With over 260 business centers in the United States and eight foreign countries, AlphaGraphics is seeking to nearly double its number of locations to 500 in the next five years, growing its network through new openings at a rate of 10 percent annually. Marcus fits AlphaGraphics’ ideal franchisee profile: a former senior-level executive with start-up experience and is willing to grow the business. Marcus believes the customer service, quality of work and follow-up offered at AlphaGraphics are what set the company apart from competitors.

Running a business is a lot of work, especially in today’s economy, but Marcus says the risks he took were well worth it: “Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of starting my own business. I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer.”