Minuteman Press International Franchise Information

The brand has a royalty incentive program and a strategic plan to help franchisees succeed.

1851 Franchise: Tell us about the history/founding of the brand. 

Minuteman Press: In 2023, Minuteman Press International is proud to celebrate 50 years in business! The first Minuteman Press center opened in Plainview, NY in 1973. Roy Titus, founder of Minuteman Press, along with his son Bob Titus, decided to open the shop after running a successful operation for Parent’s Magazine. While working with other printers for Parent’s Magazine, Roy realized that the printing industry was a huge market that had untapped potential.

In 1973, that first Plainview shop served as a quick printing operation that filled the need for one-color, short-run orders that needed to be done fast. From there, Roy tapped into the potential of the industry, creating the first one-stop Minuteman Press design, marketing and printing center. Products and capabilities expanded, and over the past 50 years, Minuteman Press has continued to be at the forefront of the printing industry as a leader and innovator.

It all started in Plainview in 1973, where Roy, along with his son Bob and childhood friends Jim Galasso and Dave Scadin, laid the foundation for the worldwide franchisor that Minuteman Press International is today.

1851: What void does your brand fill?

Minuteman: Minuteman Press is a printing and marketing industry leader, meeting the design, printing, promotional, marketing and mailing needs of today’s business professionals. We fill the void for all things printing and marketing for local businesses (small, medium and large), non-profits, municipalities, community groups and organizations.

1851: What was missing in the space before?

Minuteman: At the time Minuteman Press was founded, what was missing was the idea of a full-service, one-stop print center that could get jobs done in a fast and efficient manner. While Minuteman Press has grown tremendously since our humble beginnings, we are still providing our clients with one-stop solutions to meet all of their printing and marketing needs. 

1851: How was it identified?

Minuteman: The void in the printing industry was identified by Roy Titus while running Parent’s Magazine. He saw that the printers he worked with could do things better and that there was a lot of untapped potential. Roy was right, and to this day, we are experts at researching products and services, identifying our client’s needs and delivering high-quality products and services.

1851: What inspired you to start?

Minuteman: Roy was inspired to start Minuteman Press by seeing that there was huge potential in providing outstanding service, high quality and fast turnaround to local businesses. His son Bob Titus and Bob’s childhood friend Jim Galasso ran the first Minuteman Press center in Plainview, Long Island, NY, in 1973. In 1974, the second location opened in Farmingdale, NY. That second location became the prototype model for the Minuteman Press franchise when we started franchising in 1975. 

1851: What were some learning opportunities that the brand leveraged to get where it is now?

Minuteman: Minuteman Press expanded into franchising in the mid-1970s and has grown to nearly 1,000 franchises across five countries – the USA, Canada, the UK, South Africa and Australia. Throughout this time, we have continually refined our business model and franchise system to benefit our owners. 

1851: What are you doing well right now? 

Minuteman: In 2023, we are celebrating 50 years in business and over 45 years of franchising! Print and communications are essential industries and Minuteman Press franchises are supporting all local businesses and organizations. Our full-service centers are providing signs and posters, floor and window decals, banners and booth displays for local events, custom branded apparel, promotional items and more. Direct mail campaigns are also crucial for clients to get the word out about their products and services, business and organization updates, and special offers.

1851: What are your brand’s differentiators? 

Minuteman: Our owners come from all walks of life and many do not have industry experience. We provide our franchisees with comprehensive training, ongoing support, proprietary software, marketing and internet marketing programs, strong mass purchasing power due to our vendor agreements and our unique royalty incentive program that caps royalties at a monthly sales level. 

One other key differentiator for us is that we have over 125 second-generation owners in our system, and many have third-generation family members working in the business. 

1851: Why is now the time to buy this franchise?

Minuteman: What sets us apart even further is that we can provide them with a proven franchise system that has been refined for over 45 years; ongoing local support from over 25 regional support teams; research and development of products and services; and our World Expo conventions that bring together owners, vendors and special guest speakers. 

Now is a great time to join the Minuteman Press franchise family. We offer:

• A proven business model with over 50 years of experience, support and business development expertise.

• One of the largest support teams in franchising: Over 25 regional support teams that assist you onsite from management to marketing assistance.

• Wide variety of revenue streams: We provide consumable products and services to businesses. Anything you can put a name, image or logo on, we can produce.

• A royalty incentive program: Because of our capped royalty structure, we can put our owners in a position where they are receiving far more in value than they pay in royalties. Royalties are capped at a monthly sales level, and you do not pay any royalties on sales above that level.

• A business with a high net-to-gross ratio: Minuteman Press owners can take advantage of multiple revenue streams and the ability to manufacture products at lower costs than ever before. By following the program and working hard there is a fantastic opportunity for growth within our model.

• Monday through Friday schedule with normal business hours: Being a business-to-business service franchise, we are typically open Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:30pm, which allows us to service the needs of the business community while maintaining a nice quality of life for our franchise owners.

• A flexible business model that allows you to grow and expand: We lay out all the systems and guidelines for you to follow, and our experienced staff is there when you need us. It’s your business, you control it. We have found that the owners who follow the system the closest are generally the most successful. Remember, you are in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

• Every business is a potential client: Every business uses some kind of advertising or marketing items from brochures and direct mail campaigns to apparel, marketing materials and promotional items. We also provide full graphic design services. If you can put an image or logo on it, we can get the job done.

• Business to business: Our target market is businesses and organizations in and around your community, making every business a potential customer. You will have the peace of mind of doing business with like-minded professionals that utilize the products and services you offer while having the self-satisfaction of helping them grow and develop their businesses.

• Exit strategy: When it comes time to sell your business, we will help you sell it. Our experienced staff will present you to qualified buyers who have a genuine interest in buying your franchise. You will not have the hassle or expense of doing it yourself or coping with and paying a broker.

1851: What are your growth goals? What is your vision that you want your brand to fulfill, realistically or in an ideal state? What growth plans does the brand have in the coming years and how many units is the brand targeting over the next year?

Minuteman: Our primary goal is to continue to work hard on behalf of our franchise owners to help them grow their businesses. We have a vested interest in their success, and our core focus has always been to support them.

We would like to continue to build on our longevity and success in two ways:

1. Helping put more aspiring business owners into business with us who are looking for a career change but don’t want to go it alone. Because we are a well-established franchise, we have the unique ability to offer both new franchises and established franchises for sale opportunities. 

2. Continuing to help our current franchisees grow and thrive at their locations.

1851: What brands do you believe to be your competition — and what do you admire in those companies? 

Minuteman: We consider all franchises across every industry to be our competition. We believe that franchising is a viable business option for those looking to own their own business without reinventing the wheel. Rather than worry about competitors, our primary focus is supporting our franchisees and helping them achieve their goals as they realize their dream of owning a business. We simply love what we do.

1851: Who are the key players on the leadership team? What are their backgrounds? 

Minuteman: Minuteman Press remains family-owned and operated today. Bob Titus, who started the business with his father Roy Titus, remains our CEO. Nick Titus is our third-generation president. Michael Jutt, who started the original Minuteman Press training program and has been instrumental in our success, is our Executive Vice President and Director of Training. Matt Peretz is the Senior Vice President of Operations & Business Development.

1851: Who is your target consumer (demographics, etc.)? Franchising perspective?

Minuteman: The target Minuteman Press consumer is any business (business owners or team members), municipality, community group, local organization or individual who is looking for design, printing, marketing, promotional or mailing services. We provide our clients with the products and services they need for their daily operations and to market and promote their businesses. 

Minuteman Press franchisees come from all walks of life. They are business-minded people who are looking to be community-focused and follow a proven system without having to reinvent the wheel.

The total cost to invest in Minuteman Press ranges from $100,000  to $150,000 when leasing the equipment. To learn more about franchising with Minuteman Press, visit https://minutemanpressfranchise.com/.