08/11/2026
PART 3 — THE NOT-RETIRED, NOT-A-MILLIONAIRE HILLBILLY TRANSFORMATION INTO THE SIGN MAN 🤣😂🤣
So I'm trying to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life when John calls me.
He bought a new printing press, the semi hauling it got into an accident, and the press was damaged.
He tells me...
“CAN YOU COME FIX THIS PRESS. YOU'RE THE ONLY GUY I KNOW THAT CAN LITERALLY FIX ANYTHING.” 🤣😂🤣
So I came over and spent the next few months fixing the press and doing all the copper pipe work for the chiller system.
While I'm there, I tell John I need to figure out my next move. The e-cigarette business is dying off, and handyman work isn't a long-term solution.
John says...
“YOU SHOULD SELL SIGNS.”
I'm thinking...
SELL SIGNS? 🤣😂🤣
But he tells me most pest control and lawn care owners are just like me.
“THESE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.” 😂
So instead of just hiring me as a salesman for Turf Signs, John basically gives me my own business inside of his business.
He wanted me to benefit from the sales that my marketing created, not just the customers I personally talked to.
And that's how...
POSTING SIGNS WAS BORN.
I spent the first 2 months cold calling, cold emailing, cold FB messaging, sending 1,000s of sample packs, and I made 2 sales for a total of $1,800 dollars.
I spent $4,500 dollars on postage alone.🤦♂️
Any normal person would have just given up, but not me.
I AIN’T NO QUITTER. 🤣😂🤣
Month 3, I found the T**A group and was welcomed with open arms. Things started to take off like a rocket ship.🚀
Then I drove 3 hours to visit THE LAWN MAN, Rick Wallace.
I brought sign samples, gave the best pitch I could, and he sent me packing with an...
“I’M NOT INTERESTED AT THIS TIME.” 🤣😂🤣
At this point, I’ve made 20 or 30 sales, all very small, $200–$500 dollars, and I was losing money on every single one of them just to get my name out there and for people to give me a chance.
So, on my 3-hour drive home, I replayed my pitch over and over again until I came up with another idea.
I got back to the office, made 4 new mockups, sent them over to him, and said I would print some for FREE.
JUST GIVE ME A CHANCE.
He said he would order 5,000 signs if I could deliver them ASAP, and he didn’t want a discount.
My regular price was fair, and he wanted to see me do well.
And BOOM...💥
My first sale where I didn’t lose money. 🤣😂🤣
5,000 11x17s for $3,350.
I basically shut the shop down to get his signs out. I was so excited.
I was telling all my friends that I just sold THE LAWN MAN some signs, and one of them said...
“OHHHH, YOU’RE THE SIGN MAN NOW.” 🤣😂🤣
He said it as a joke.
But from that day forward...
I BECAME THE SIGN MAN.
The crazy part is how everything came full circle.
In 2012 I walked into that building homeless, living in my car and unable to afford $19 dollar business cards.
14 years later, I walk into that same building every day as THE SIGN MAN.
It took millions of dollars, retirement, a failed pest control company, COVID, a terrible bar investment, and a wrecked printing press to get here. 🤣😂🤣
And after all that...
I STILL OWE JOHN $19 DOLLARS FOR THOSE BUSINESS CARDS. 🤣😂🤣
WHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! What a wild ride!!! 🤣😂🤣
I can’t begin to thank everyone enough who has given this nobody a chance to earn their business.
From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!
Every order, every referral, every recommendation, every share, and every person who took a chance on me means more than you’ll ever know.
Here’s to many more years of being YOUR SIGN MAN! 💪💪💪
