The Numbers Every Sign Shop Owner Must Understand

If you've ever felt like you're working 60-70 hours a week and still not making the money you should be — this episode is for you. Joe and Liz sit down with Sean Borga, a business coach specializing in sign, print, and apparel shop owners. With 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience — including 22 years in the sign industry and two successful exits — Sean has navigated his businesses through 9/11, the 2008 crash, and COVID-19. He's a Certified Profit Acceleration Expert and Dave Ramsey Financial Coach, and his no-nonsense "Polo & Shorts" coaching style is all about accountability and results. Today he helps shop owners escape the "owner trap" and build businesses that create both freedom and wealth. Sean gets into the real numbers — labor burden, variable vs. fixed costs, break-even points, shop rates, and how to quote jobs so you're actually making money. He also shares how he positioned his shop to consistently hit 25-30% net margins, why discounting is almost always the wrong move, and what he wishes he'd known earlier about partnerships and preparing for the unexpected. This one goes deep. Buckle up. 🔗 Connect with Sean Borga: Your Biz Coach: yourbizcoach.biz 00:00 – Intro 05:00 – Meet Sean Borga: 22 Years in the Sign Industry 08:00 – How Sean Built (and Sold) His Sign Shop 17:00 – The "70-Hour Prison" Problem & Why More Sales Isn't the Answer 23:00 – How to Quote Accurately: Materials, Labor & the Fudge Factor 30:00 – Fixed Costs vs. Variable Costs Explained 38:00 – Break-Even Points, Shop Rates & Margins 44:00 – When Is It Okay to Discount? (And When It's Not) 54:00 – What Made Sean's Business Sellable 58:00 – Working Smarter, Not Harder: Protecting Your Time 01:02 – Rapid Fire: Craziest Project, Golden Nuggets & Biggest Lessons Sponsors: 📌 SignTracker – Project management made for sign shops: Click here to try it free for 14 days: https://bit.ly/3SMSY2s 📌 Inktavo – Business tools for print, promo, and sign professionals: Click to check out our tools: https://www.inktavo.com/tools-resources/ Be sure to join our community:   / behindthesigns   Membership Matters: Join ‪@IntlSignAssociation‬ or visit: signs.org Thank you ‪@SignBuilderIllustrated‬ or visit: signshop.com