Banks’ reluctance to lend doesn’t stop sign makers

New business owners John Yarnell and Jason Keeble know firsthand the good and bad sides of the recession.

First off, the experienced sign makers were unable to secure a bank loan to launch Trademark Sign Co. “We had a smart business plan put together,” Yarnell said. The pair had worked on it for four years, and it had been critiqued and improved by knowledgeable people.

The banks told them, “We apologize, but we’re not taking on any new business risks right now,” according to Yarnell.

The men are both military veterans, as well, and thought that might work in their favor – but it didn’t.

They weren’t seeking a large loan. “We needed a loan for the price of a car basically,” Keeble said. They dismissed the idea of taking out equity lines of credit on their homes because “we didn’t want to get our families involved,” Keeble stated.

Ultimately, they got funding from a friend of Yarnell’s in California, who loaned them the money.

With those funds and their own savings, they found and remodeled a warehouse for lease at 4948 Morris Hill Road. They purchased good-quality, used equipment and combined it with equipment Yarnell bought when he ran his own sign shop in California.

In October, they opened their new company.

The “good side” of the recession is the fact the men were able to purchase used equipment in excellent condition at bargain prices, and they got a low lease rate on their building.

Having their own site was important to them. “We really wanted a building for ourselves, so we could create our own identity,” Yarnell said.

Both men worked for many years for Creative Design Studios in Boise. According to Yarnell, they had hoped to purchase the business one day but owner Noel Weber decided to keep it in the family.

“There was no room for us to move up the ladder. … It was really time for us to do our own thing,” Yarnell said.

With 15 years experience each and visibility gained through work at Classic Design, Yarnell and Keeble had no trouble getting new clients right off. They have already provided signage for Parks Royal Body Works, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and the Southwest Idaho Advanced Care Hospital. They also designed and installed signage for City Peanut Shop in downtown Boise.

Signs aren’t the only product they provide. They offer logos, vehicle graphics and door lettering, among other services. “We do everything from small labels up to grand murals,” Yarnell said.

They are skilled in various kinds of craftsmanship, from carpentry to art. Some of the equipment they have on-site allows them to make signs less expensively and to pass the savings on to the customer. “We want to help you get the value out of your dollar,” Keeble said.
“We’re trying to create that product that others can’t,” said Yarnell. “We like art, and to make a living at it.”

The partners both aspired to be artists as younger men, but the need to make a living led them to practical careers. The compromise in vocations didn’t lead to a compromise in their passion for their work.

As Keeble put it, “It’s creative, and we get to put our designs out in the public eye.”

Contact info:

Phone: 208.440.2118

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.tmsignco.com