Daily Inspiration: Meet Joe Tindall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Tindall.

Hi Joe, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a small blue-collar town in Upstate NY. After graduating from a Junior College, I enlisted in the Navy and served four years of active duty and two years in active reserves. I completed my MBA at Syracuse University and worked in corporate America for 20+ years in progressively more responsible marketing and general management positions. I worked for GE, Kellogg’s, R.T. French, Mattel/Fisher Price and a division of Colgate Palmolive. I left a corporate position in international marketing to purchase a kid’s marketing company with a business partner. We ran the company together for 10 years, and I decided it was time to pursue my dream of starting a business from scratch. In 2016 at the age of 59, I started GrandMark Signs, a commercial signage and graphics company in the KC Metro area. I have been a collector of original antique signs for several years and have always loved the creative side of marketing. Starting a sign business seemed like a natural fit. While a business start-up is extremely challenging, the Covid pandemic made it even more difficult. Through many sleepless nights and challenges, my team and I have built a great company, with double-digit growth every year.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?

My journey has been akin to riding a motorcycle across America in the 1920s, where few roads were paved and few services or lifelines were available. I have been on anything but a smooth road. Struggles have included:

• The Covid Pandemic
• The difficulty in attracting and retaining the best team
• Sourcing capital and maintaining adequate cash flow to meet expenses
• Dealing with some challenging clients

Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
At GrandMark Signs, we understand how important every sign and graphic is to our clients. We also know that the process of acquiring signage can be difficult to navigate. There are many sign shops, but only a few professionally run sign businesses. GrandMark Signs is known for our professionalism, communication, and commitment to making every client experience the best possible. As one of our major clients recently said, “Your work and customer experience speak for themselves.”

What are your plans for the future?
GrandMark Signs will continue to expand our production capabilities and offer the most innovative sign products in the marketplace. We will also continue to build and develop the strongest team of sign designers, fabricators, and installers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.grandmarksigns.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/grandmarksigns
• Facebook: facebook.com/grandmarksigns
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/grandmark-signs