After more than 10 years in software sales, 34-year-old Matt Polster was tired of traveling and felt increasingly burnt-out by the demands of his executive position. Matt wanted more than just a job; he wanted a satisfying career that would allow him to put his professional aptitude toward something meaningful, while giving him more time to spend with his wife and daughter.

"I realized that software wasn’t what I wanted to do with the rest of my life," said Matt. "I had no personal satisfaction in my career, it was just a job that took me away from my family too often."

Fate stepped in shortly after 9/11. The software company Matt was working for issued layoffs, including Matt. He spent an entire year contemplating his next career move. Matt realized he probably wouldn’t be the one to develop the next great software technology, so he looked for other entrepreneurial opportunities that interested him.

"Like most guys, I had dreamed about opening a sports bar. Leaving emotion out of the equation, I examined the possibilities. The failure rate and the evenings away from my family really deterred me in the end," said Matt.

Goal-oriented Matt toyed around with several other business ideas and even dabbled in some other opportunities, like consulting, but ultimately he recognized that his greatest professional skill was executing on a proven plan, already laid out for him.

Having already ruled out food franchises, Matt quickly determined that, due to his executive background, the only format that made sense, was a business-to-business franchise. As he examined the possibility of becoming a franchise owner, he thought deeply about what kind of business format franchise would suit him best. After considering several options, Matt finally connected with Speedpro Imaging CEO, Blair Gran, and he was hooked.

Speedpro is a premiere, wide-format imaging company specializing in high-impact, large-format, high-quality printed products, like the popular ‘vehicle wraps’ and building images many marketers are using in their branding efforts. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, Speedpro has 28 locations across the United States and is quickly expanding to become the premier national imaging brand.

"I really loved the technology," said Matt. "Speedpro is cutting-edge, and there is scalability with a business this innovative."

While Matt had interest in Speedpro’s business model, Gran reassured him that possessing ‘creative ability’ was not a requirement of being a franchisee. In fact, Speedpro was looking for strong relational business people who were dedicated to excellence and could put a plan into action. Matt fit the potential-owner profile perfectly.

As Matt continued to research Speedpro, he received overwhelmingly positive feedback from every franchisee he spoke to. Each franchisee reinforced the enthusiasm and success originally expressed by Speedpro’s CEO. "I knew I wasn’t just getting a line," said Matt. "These owners were genuinely happy with their decision to own a Speedpro Imaging Center and with the quality of their lives as business owners."

The Franchise Research Institute agrees. As the industry’s leading franchisee satisfaction survey firm, they conduct in-depth, fully independent analysis of franchisee satisfaction. Few franchisors agree to this level of scrutiny; however, Speedpro received among the highest marks ever recorded. Franchise Research Institute CEO Jeff Johnson notes that Speedpro franchisees indicate a very high quality of life with Monday through Friday operations that generally have traditional business operating hours.

"Speedpro is a franchise that can really provide a great lifestyle," says Johnson. "It’s a business you can really gain equity in and gain satisfaction from. With the results of our survey, it is evident that this company is really onto something."

With a wealth of experience as a business executive, and more importantly, no previous creative experience, Matt was well positioned for success with Speedpro.

"Speedpro owners are high level professionals with strong corporate backgrounds, not creative experience, or even much technological background," says Speedpro CEO Blair Gran. "Matt is a business driver. He’s a great owner who focuses on building his business and leaves the design and production to his capable technicians."

Since Matt opened his Speedpro doors he has been able to create the kind of lifestyle he was envisioning as a business owner. Only three months after opening his Speedpro Studio, people noticed a marked change in Matt’s demeanor. "My wife noted how happy I was and how much energy I had," said Matt. "That’s the ultimate proof."

With his work and home life more in balance, Matt was able to dedicate his energy to creating a culture at his business that resembled his family values at home. As a team, Matt Polster and his employees put special emphasis on the customer experience and unparalleled product quality.

"I wanted my business to reflect my values and my personality. It’s about the satisfaction of the customers, the happiness of my employees. Somehow, I want everyone who touches this business to share in the success," said Matt.

Matt’s Addison, TX Speedpro has seen quite a bit of success. He posted record, month-over-month revenues in 2008. Matt attributes his growth to the professional motto he lives by: Concentrate on better and bigger will follow.

Bigger certainly has followed. Matt estimates he will need to add a third printer within the next year to keep up with the large-format imaging demand. The prospect of growth doesn’t have Matt worried, however.

"Scalability was part of the great appeal of Speedpro," notes Matt. "You don’t have to grow in square feet to manage demand. The overhead doesn’t go up, just your ability to produce great product. They designed this model to grow."

"Speedpro is the ‘next generation’ graphics concept. This is not like a standard printing or graphics franchise. Speedpro is creating powerful photographic imagery, at extreme scale, to impact people emotionally," says Gran. "We partner with executive level people, who possess a strong commitment to service and quality."

The high-quality, large-format imaging Matt Polster and his Speedpro team have produced for Dallas-area companies, organizations and universities has received plenty of praise.

"I got a phone call recently from a customer who just had a large project installed, and we got phenomenal feedback. They said we were the best vendors they’ve ever worked with," said Matt, with a satisfied smile.

In addition to delivering a great product, Matt’s success with Speedpro has also been driven by a well-constructed business plan. He notes that, for any franchisee or anyone contemplating purchasing a franchise, it’s critical to follow the plan. "Follow the franchise’s system. It’s in place for a reason and is designed to drive success." he adds.

With several years under his belt as a Speedpro franchise owner, Matt says if he had it to do all over again, he would have invested more time in examining his initial employee hires.

"The people who are with you at the beginning are critical to your pattern of growth and how you establish yourself," he notes. "Looking back, I would have made some different hiring choices to help facilitate my growth."

All things considered, Matt says he can’t think of anything negative about owning a Speedpro franchise, but he notes that choosing a franchise is a very personal thing. Matt’s criteria in searching for a good franchise fit included: an accessible CEO and management team, a high quality product he could be passionate about, and a business model he believed he could execute successfully.

"Not every day is perfect, but that’s life. I’m happy to go into my business every day. I’m happy with the people I’m surrounded by. I have job satisfaction, personal fulfillment and more time with my family," says Matt. "Owning a Speedpro wasn’t just a great business decision. It was a good life decision."