Thanks to Bob’s hard work and dedication, Minuteman Press in Londonderry has won the Business of the Year award from the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. Bob accepted the award at the special awards dinner that was held on Oct. 12, 2023 at the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry NH.
Bob shares his humble reaction to winning the award and provides his insights on the importance of being an active member of local groups in order to build relationships and generate referrals. He also talks about his journey to Minuteman Press and how his passion for helping others drives him today.
Business of the Year Award
On winning the award, Bob shares, “Receiving the Business of the Year is a humbling experience. It was a surprise, I did not know that we had made such an impact in the Chamber and business community for this recognition. We have just tried to provide services to the businesses and the community to the best of our ability. It is great to be recognized and know that we are doing a good job with in the communities that we serve.”
He continues, “I am involved in two local Chambers, member of the Rotary Club of Londonderry, and have been an active member in BNI for 8 years. I have made many connections with a lot of the non-profits in the area and work with them to help with their needs and support their functions. With the local rotary we have sponsored Christmas on the Commons, Senior High School Graduation Banners have donated to many non-profits and helped with fuel assistance during the winter months. I am also involved with the Freemasons in the state.”
Bob further explains what it’s like to do business in Londonderry. He says, “The Derry/Londonderry community are the largest two towns that are in the chamber and we have several smaller towns in the chamber also. New Hampshire does not have a lot of large metropolitan areas; it is made up more of small towns that are convenient to bordering states. Other than small businesses and small business owners, the majority of the communities are made up of people that work out of state.”
He adds, “The people and businesses in the community are open and always look for ways to help each other when possible. As business owners, we all want to support each other and do what we can to see that we can grow and thrive.”
Building the Business
Bob shares his biggest key to building Minuteman Press in Londonderry, saying, “Networking is the key that has worked for us. Since 2015, I have been a member of the chamber and of BNI. I have always been very active in the networking area by going to meetings, ribbon-cuttings, events, and visiting businesses. We took advantage of the upgraded minuteman.com website to get some traffic through online channels. One of the other biggest ways we’ve built the business is through referrals from our customers and the organizations we work with.”
He continues, “When it comes to products and services, we have been able to provide direct mail services for many of our clients; this has been a big part of the business over the last few years especially during the pandemic. We also do a lot of marketing catalogs and Playbills for several theater groups and music groups.”
Why Minuteman Press?
Prior to joining the printing industry and franchising with Minuteman Press, Bob had a completely different career. He says, “I was in the computer industry for almost 40 years. Most of my career was in management both in manufacturing and support. I was a Field Service Representative for a computer company for many years. Then, for 20 years, I was a Technical Support Manager for a supermarket chain. I chose Minuteman Press because of the research I did on the company and talking to the Regional Vice President and several store owners.”
Nine years into running the business, Bob is happy with the ongoing support he’s received from Minuteman Press International. He shares, “Minuteman Press International support has been good on all levels. When I have a question, we can usually get an answer quickly. When there is an issue, support has been good at assisting in resolving the issue.”
Rewards & Advice for Others
When asked about the rewards of owning a business, Bob reflects, “Personal and professional goals are similar in that I enjoy helping people and organizations. This business has given me the chance to connect with many more people and organizations to be able to help and give my knowledge and experience to them so that they can succeed.”
As for what advice he would give to other business owners right now, Bob answers, “Get involved with your local Chamber of Commerce and BNI Networking Group. These two are very critical to the growth and success of the business. Also, look into other organizations and groups like the Exchange, Rotary, Kiwanis, or whatever is in your area and local to your business.”
He concludes, “But do not just join these groups; get involved and be active in what is going on with the groups and be involved in the community. You get out of them what you put into them, so if you are active and visible then you will be the person or business that others will seek out and rely on for help and advice.”
