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Company: PostNet, Denver, CO
Company Description: PostNet Neighborhood Business Centers provide marketing services and specialize in meeting the design, printing and shipping needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Founded in 1993, PostNet has over 700 locations worldwide, including several hundred locations in South Africa. Select PostNet locations in the U.S. and Canada now offer Web Services.
Nomination Category: Sales Awards Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Growth Achievement of the Year

Nomination Title: PostNet

Tell the story about how your organization has improved its sales growth since the beginning of July 2012 (up to 525 words). Begin the essay with the percentage growth in revenue and/or units during that period, over the prior year. Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

PostNet CEO Steve Greenbaum, and co-founder Brian Spindel led PostNet’s re-imagined franchise model from its origins as a mail and parcel store to a full-on Neighborhood Business Center. When consumer sales declined in the recession, PostNet seized an opportunity in a new breed of customers: laid-off workers who decided to go into small business ownership. Validation of this new target customer came from extensive market research and an analysis of the top-performing franchises that were already mainly focused on servicing the needs of small businesses in their communities.

PostNet Neighborhood Business Centers strive to be the “business behind small businesses,” assuming the role as the marketing arm of local companies. PostNet’s ever expanding services include planning direct mail campaigns, including designing and printing the mailers, Web services, email marketing, mobile payment processing solutions at select locations, and more.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2013, PostNet opened three times as many stores in 2013 as it did in 2012, and 2013 sales were 300% of 2011, a remarkable sales growth achievement. The ability to maintain a brilliant business model while being 100% franchised is being looked upon by companies all over the world.

The brand's growth comes as PostNet's core customers, entrepreneurs, are starting new businesses at a faster pace. According to a report by The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, entrepreneurship reached its highest level in a decade in 2012.

The new model draws heavily on outsourcing and developing partnerships with vendors, allowing franchisees to provide expanded services at lower cost.

• PostNet, partnered with Hostopia, a leading provider of web services for small-to-medium sized businesses, to provide web sites, mobile pages and email marketing for PostNet customers.

• PostNet and USPS Business Alliances worked together in 2012 to educate PostNet franchisees on using Every Door Direct Mail to both market their own services and promote the direct mail service to small business customers

• PostNet began working with Franchise Performance Group to jumpstart a lead generation program, build a new storytelling website and increase sales.

• PostNet partnered with Franchise Payments Network to offer PostNet Mobile Payments, letting small businesses accept on-the-go payments using mobile devices, further establishing PostNet as a one-stop business-solutions provider.

• PostNet is also actively involved with the IFA's VetFran program offering discounts and training incentives to veterans. Military Times named PostNet One of the 10 Best Veteran Franchises.

The shift also involved in-depth training of hundreds of PostNet franchise owners to meet the unique needs of start-ups and growing businesses. The company's training and extensive support have helped it earn many franchisee satisfaction awards from Franchise Business Review

Going Forward

The three industries in which PostNet operates ; digital printing, online marketing and shipping , have a combined value of more than $700 billion. PostNet’s position is growing fast.

Demand for PostNet services is expected to be especially high in 2014, as the economy seems poised for its fastest growth in years.

Greenbaum told Inc. Magazine they’d like to have 500 domestic and 500 international centers over the next five years.

When franchisees see or experience growth and see people investing in the business and the brand, it creates a tremendous momentum...that's contagious, says Greenbaum

Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated sales organization:

Mr. Steven J. Greenbaum, CFE Co-founded PostNet International Franchise Corp. in 1992 and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Greenbaum served as President of PostNet International Franchise Corp. since 1992. He is an accomplished retail professional and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in the postal and business services industry. He served as Chairman of International Franchise Association.

Mr. Greenbaum serves as a Director of the HealthStore Foundation and International Franchise Association. He served as Director of PostNet International Franchise Corp. since 1992. He has been a Certified Franchise Executive since 1997 and was honored with the IFA's Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2003 and the Gary Rockwell Award for Excellence in Franchise Development in 2004.