Today we’d like to introduce you to Roseanne “Roe” Galati.
Roe, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After graduating college from the State University of New York at Oswego, I moved to Manhattan and worked for a large retail company. It didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t enjoy the big city life so I packed up and moved to Boston then Rhode Island and then Upstate New York. Family called and I headed to South Carolina to help out, where I began working in Property Management for 13 years. During my time in this career field, I used a sign vendor for items around my property and then became closer with the owner while co-chairing a charity event. One day out of the blue he called me and asked me if I would come work for him because he needed someone with a “tenacious” personality like mine. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or appreciative of his compliment but I took a leap of faith and signed on board for the wild ride of working for Sign Source of Charleston. After working for years as a Project Manager for the national side of the company the owner asked me if I would take over working the local accounts to help build the relationships with clients right in our backyard, I said yes and never looked back. A few years later the former owner decided it was time to retire and he offered me the business and without hesitation I said “YES”.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Well, you know what they say about the road less traveled… I wouldn’t say it was a bumpy ride or a smooth one at that. There was a large learning curve to be thrown into an industry I knew nothing about. I couldn’t tell you anything about substrates or even what CMYK stood for. After asking thousands of questions and learning from many mistakes, I can confidently say I am now after many years a seasoned sign company owner.
While having a background of several years in customer service-oriented positions I was able to use those skills to drill down on what I really felt this industry was missing in our area and that was connections. The raw relationships that you build with clients is the best part of my job. Knowing what my customers’ kids are up to, hearing about family vacations as well as trials and tribulations in their lives is the essence of my love for my job. It is the best part. They know I am going to take care of them because I am personally invested in them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We build signage that gets your brand and business noticed. As a full-service provider, we handle every stage from design to production and installation. If you are a new company starting up and need a logo, we have you covered. If you are an established company opening new branches, we can handle that. If you are rebranding and need a new look, we can help. If you’re not sure what you want and you have a drawing on a napkin, we can make it come to life. While we specialize in the apartment industry and working with general contractors for new build projects, we also have a large client base of repeat customers who come back for business cards, fleet vehicle wraps, promotional items, service maintenance the list goes on and on.
Our service is what sets us apart. We will take good care of you and that is a promise.
Our brand is based on the three C’s. “Customer service”, which is number one always. “Creativity”, if you think it we can make it. And lastly, “Caring”, through every step of the process from your vision to your installation we care about your project if it is a single sign or an entire facility package we will never leave a job site until the client is 100% satisfied.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
“Sign, sign everywhere a sign” the lyrics could not be more true. While we are blessed to be in an industry that does grow with the ever-expanding world of technology that growth transfers to our services and products. The requirement of signage for wayfinding, occupancy and general information is and always will be a necessity. The industry began with paint on wooden boards and on the sides of buildings to Jumbotrons in every major league stadium, You need signs to know where you are going, tell people what you’re selling, provide safety guidelines and pleasantries. Signs will always be needed and as we make strides in fabrication and printing methods, the possibilities are endless as long as progress in our field continues to evolve.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mysignsource.com
- Instagram: signsourcecharleston
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/SignSourceCharleston/
Image Credits
Larissa Lord Photography
