management for sign companies
Want to learn more about management in the sign & graphics industry?
From how to lead to how to listen, the below
industry-specific resources will help guide you through a transition to management and set you on a path for growth.
Click on the name of each resource below to read a description, see the cost, and register. Reach out to education@signs.org with any questions.
Note: Courses are accessible only by the purchaser. Digital badges are assigned to the purchaser.
ISA online learning courses in MANAGEMENT FOR SIGN COMPANIES
Are you comfortable being the boss? Many business owners and managers are not comfortable leading and managing people. They are not sure what to do or how to do it. An effective boss is one who helps their people improve their performance and productivity. This improvement translates directly into enhanced business results – better people, better service, and better profits. Learn 7 actionable ideas that will immediately make you a more effective boss. Learn how to turn your good employees into great employees, producing better and more consistent results. When your people grow, your business will grow. It is time to feel comfortable as the boss. It is time to learn what great bosses do.
- Speaker: Kevin Poland, The Renaissance Group
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Did you ever wonder why some companies seem to grow and prosper while others work just as hard but seem not to be going anywhere? Here is your chance to find out why! Learn 15 things all successful companies have in common.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
People work to live. Work is the place where they spend the majority of their time. And for many, it is an environment which is dysfunctional at best, emotionally debilitating at worst. According to the latest Gallup poll 70% of American workers are either “checked out” or actively disengaged. Is this condition inevitable? Not at all. There are specific steps that can be taken to begin to reclaim some of the enthusiasm, some of the air of celebration and some of the fundamental respect for individual human dignity that is apparent within flourishing business organizations or on championship teams. An organization’s leader must provide that elusive quality called leadership. Most people think that leaders are born rather than made. That simply is not true. Leaders demonstrate an ability, which can be learned, to powerfully speak and listen in a way that engenders hope, confidence, and enthusiasm in the people within the organization.
- Speaker: Scott Hunter, Unshackled Leadership Co.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
How often have you heard people say, “This generation just doesn’t have the same work ethic!”? This session will answer that question and explore what is really different about other age groups. See how motivation works with other generations, get insights into what all employees deserve to be more effective plus practical tools to properly harness everyone’s motivation.
- Speakers: Linda Tennant, Attainment, Inc.; Tery Tennant, Attainment, Inc.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
As your organization is looking to move forward, does the next generation of leaders have what is needed? This interactive workshop will provide an awareness of the issues and challenges around leading and developing people properly, so they may step effectively into increased leadership responsibilities. It also looks at the price a company pays in having people in leadership positions without proper leadership development.
- Speakers: Tery Tennant; Linda Tennant, Attainment, Inc.
- Price: $35 for members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Fully engaged employees direct their work and positive attitude toward your company’s success. Learn how to ensure your team are fully involved in, dedicated to and enthusiastic about their work. Discover how to get people to perform at their best and how to capture their hearts and spirit, while increasing service and profitability.
- Speaker: Bob Losyk, Bob Losyk Presents
- Price: $35 for members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Within every company and business situation you will find a variety of communication styles. Understanding your own personal style and those of your colleagues, customers and clients will allow you to communicate effectively and with clarity.
- Speaker: Compass Business Solutions, Inc.
- Price: $35 members; $100 non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Many companies in the sign, graphics and visual communications industry are run by the owner’s gut feel. Learn how to set key measurements for financial and operational control of the business. These global measurements will enable better control of business processes and will provide a high level dashboard to assess business trends. Emphasis will be put on the uniqueness of the sign, graphics and visual communications industry.
- Speaker: Yaron Lew, Lauretano Sign Group
- Price: $35 members; $100 non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Whether you are leading a business, leading a department or leading a team the single most important behavior that separates highly effective leaders from average ones is coaching. Leaders who coach will develop more capable, more competent and more autonomous people. This results in increased productivity, better teamwork, more engagement and higher retention. Learn the specifics needed to coach your employees.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 45 minutes
- Register Now
Nothing prompts as much thinking about the future as the prospect of inviting the next generation into the family business. What role is right for them? How do you help them learn to lead? When and how should you think about your own exit? Learn how families in business think about succession planning and the questions that often arise from both current business leaders and the next generation. Attend with family members to gain some common insights on how to navigate the path ahead.
- Speaker: Kristi Daeda, The Family Business Consulting Group
- Price: $35 members; $100 non-members
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
Customers expect reliability and great products and service exactly as promised. Dependable quality is one of the most important strategic tools any organization can offer a customer. When a company fails to take its quality management seriously, it eventually results in some form of rework. Rework leads to lost time, increased waste, unplanned costs and, most critical, the loss of profits. The good news is most rework is preventable. Learn the top 5 tips for preventing rework.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for nonmembers
- Estimated time to complete course: 45 minutes
- Register Now
You know how to manage and motivate yourself, but how do you effectively get work done through others and still get your own tasks done? Learn how to allocate your time, delegate effectively, hold employees accountable in a positive way and help them be more productive. This thought-provoking workshop will provide practical solutions and tools to implement immediately on the job.
- Speakers: Linda Tennant, Attainment, Inc.; Tery Tennant, Attainment, Inc.
- Price: $35 for ISA members; $100 for nonmembers
- Estimated time to complete course: 1 hour
- Register Now
recorded webinars for business management for sign companies
Every contract should include a dispute resolution clause, such as an arbitration clause, and this is particularly important for cross-border contracts. A well-crafted arbitration clause can save significant time and money in the event of a dispute. This seminar is geared to business owners and executives who regularly or periodically negotiate cross-border contracts, including with Chinese or other Asia-Pacific counterparties, although it will be useful to business owners handling domestic contracts as well. This seminar covers (1) the basics of dispute resolution options, particularly for cross-border disputes, (2) tips for crafting an ironclad arbitration clause, and (3) considerations for effective judgment enforcement.
- Speaker: Katie Burghardt Kramer, DGW Kramer LLP
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
What is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)? Is an ESOP the right choice for my sign company? How does an ESOP work in the sign graphics and visual communications industry? Learn from our panel of experts including individuals from every different facet of an ESOP from executives at a sign company that have managed this transition to the lawyers and trustees that help them through it.
- Speakers: Ron Ferrigno, Sign Design, Inc.; James M Walrack, First American Bank; Benny Valek, Benny R Valek Law Offices; Ron D’Alessandro, Priority, Inc.; Christopher Robinson, Cornerstone Fiduciary Services; John Shaw, DaVinci Sign Systems, Inc.
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Successful companies have employees who are productive, engaged and happy. And it starts at the top! Great leaders and managers don’t tiptoe around the fact that they’re in charge. They take pride in their role and genuinely care about their people. They aren’t overbearing and don’t think their titles give them special privileges. They understand that great employees are one of the organization’s best assets, and as such work to create and maintain an environment where people excel. Learn how to be the best “boss” you can be – not only for your employees, but for yourself and the future of your company.
- Speaker: Ian Tonks, Traction Trainer
- Price: $10.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Companies must begin preparing now for the new processes, requirements and potential restrictions that come along with returning to work and for which there is no playbook or precedent. Hear from experts from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as they discuss the key issues impacting businesses related to return to work such as workplace safety and employee rights; liability concerns; and continued revenue disruptions.
- Speaker: Ron Eidshaug, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
When a crisis means all hands on deck to put out fires, the ongoing work you had planned to grow and nurture your workplace culture could get sidelined. To avoid the negative long-term impact of that oversight, culture work needs to continue in the background, to keep momentum without distracting from the crisis. In this session, culture expert Jamie Notter will show you how to develop low-effort culture projects you and your team can carry out—even while working remotely—to keep your culture moving in the right direction.
- Speaker: Jamie Notter, Human Workplaces
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Virtually every sector of our economy is experiencing supply chain vulnerabilities and inflationary pressures, and the sign and graphics industry is no exception. Whether its waiting for components to get unloaded at our ports or scrambling after goods at home that are skyrocketing in cost, the result is increased prices and lead times for items that are needed to get projects done. Join industry experts for a panel discussion on the economic, procurement and sourcing hurdles we all face, including how industry players are finding diligent and creative ways to handle these disruptions, as well as a look toward future challenges and opportunities.
- Speakers: Davey Glantz, Glantz; Brandon Smith, GSG; Mike Lev, Harbinger; Manish Jaisinghani, Principle Global; Bradley Stoots, Grant Thornton LLP; David Hickey, ISA
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is making decisions that impact how you manage your workforce. Their most recent decision greatly expands the definition of joint employment and may impact any employer who regularly uses or provides temporary workers or subcontractors. Other changes have more direct significance to routine issues like confidentiality, investigations, at-will employment, and handbooks. This seminar will provide the knowledge you need to understand how the environment is changing and the practical tools to protect your company.
- Speaker: Bryance Metheny, Partner, Burr
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Ever wonder what would happen to your business if something happened to you or a key employee? Key person insurance can help protect your company and is a critically important part of business continuity planning. Interestingly, it is often the most overlooked type of business insurance. Learn why key person insurance is so important, the reasons your business should consider it and the questions to ask.
- Speaker: Paul J. Phelan, CFP®, Practice Leader and Principal, Early, Cassidy & Schilling, LLC
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Manufacturers of all sizes and industry are the targets of cyberattacks. Cyber criminals are organized and know how to mimic your business operations to slip in undetected to obtain valuable confidential information, steal funds or shut down operations. What’s more, criminals use chaos as camouflage and take advantage of the fallout from events like Covid-19. Join Mark Sangster as he explores real-world incidents and threats to assemble simple cyber defenses to protect against most attacks and protect your remote workers. Designed for non-technical employees and executives, this talk will cover: • Prevalent cyber tactics and growing trends (phishing, business. Email compromise and ransomware) • Securing remote workers from the perspective of the company and the employee • Protecting home networks and providing secure video conferencing • Preparing for a return to the office: avoiding the cyber pitfalls
- Speaker: Mark Sangster, eSentire
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
As states and economies are reopening employers are facing new HR challenges – bringing employees back from furlough; handling unprecedented childcare demands; requiring PPE equipment and allowing virtual work – just to name a few. On today’s webinar, join experts from Human Resources Inc. for an in-depth Q+A discussion to address the new issues companies face as they reopen and employees return to work.
- Speaker: Timothy Schaffer, President, HRi; Cara Nicholson, HR Specialist, HRi; Holly Wilson, HR Specialist, HRi
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Even with the pandemic and economic conditions, there are opportunities in our industry for growth and future success. Get ready for the change that’s coming! Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits will be sharing his insights on crisis management along with scenario planning prescriptions to help guide your sign business out of any crisis.
- Speaker: Greg Crabtree, Carr, Riggs & Ingram
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
The U.S. government generates a wealth of data. Learn how you can use this information to grow your business and better understand your customers as well as the business landscape of your marketplace. Join staff from the U.S. Census Bureau as they provide the latest demographic, regional and economic trends as well as discuss critical information relevant to the industry including key sectors of the retail economy.
- Speaker: Andrew Hait, U.S. Census Bureau
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
Conflicting economic developments and a looming downturn, along with skyrocketing inflation and continuing supply chain woes, have led to an uncertain business environment. Join this presentation to learn from national and industry experts about the current state of the economy, the probability of recession, and what that means for the sign & graphics industry. Participants will learn ways to prepare for a potential recession and what to look forward to after this turbulent period.
- Speakers: Curtis Dubay, Senior Economist, US Chamber of Commerce | and David Hickey, Vice President, Advocacy, International Sign Association
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
After years of setting your company up for financial success, you may be starting to think about your exit strategy. How can you navigate selling your business in a way that helps you accomplish your life goals? Presentation addresses high level topics of selling your business including the timeline, improving your companies value, structuring your sale and more.
- Speaker: Debbie Van Gaale, Synergy Wealth Alliance
- Price: $0.00 for ISA members; $15.00 for non-members
