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Do IT this week: Layering
Internet helps man, 23, gain customers who need banners, business cards, 3-D animation
By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
Coffee is always on at the sign shop, RPROVISION, at 375 W. Exchange St., where on any given day, the company has 15 to 30 walk-ins for service.
''I always give free coffee. I'm working on my own blend,'' said RPROVISION owner Rick Provence III.
The 23-year-old North High School graduate, whose vocational study was in electronics and technology, said he started his business with a Ford Escort and a thrift store suit. He worked out of his grandmother's upstairs spare bedroom.
That blue 1999 auto took him a long way. Provence went from traveling home to home with door hangers to get his business going to the Internet,
where he now does business in six countries. He also advertises on the radio.
He has an Web site where he gets the bulk of his orders: http://www.rprovision.com. He also created his own software to give potential customers instant price quotes.
On a recent day, Provence received 63 orders nationwide. The business does everything from creating signs, banners and business cards to designing three-dimensional animation. The company also has 156 affiliates who resell his products.
Provence has six employees, all graphic design artists. One is in Akron and the other five work in the Ukraine. He met them through his church with missionary friends.
They keep in touch daily via the Internet and telephone.
Working from two flat monitors in his office (where he was designer, drywall installer and painter), Provence sits behind 44 inches of computer screen every day processing orders.
For in-house orders, he has a computer available so clients can view examples of his work. ''They give me their thoughts and ideas and I bring them into action,'' he said.
He said his approach is to make his signs fun and inviting.
Provence said the key to his success is not to complicate things. ''I offer the Chipotle method, where you can get several different options. You choose what you want. I limit the colors to every other color in the rainbow,'' he said.
Running a business is not new to Provence, who at 12 started Little Rick's Lawn Care. At age 18, he was making buttons through the Internet. ''I bought a button press and made political buttons and buttons for local and national rock bands,'' he said.
He was a drummer in a band at the time.
The first job he had working for someone else lasted only six months.
''I went into a print shop to get some T-shirts printed for my band. The owner was having computer problems. I fixed his computer and he hired me,'' he said.
He said his prices are affordable and he offers discounts to churches and nonprofit organizations.
''This is what I love to do and I get paid for it. I don't have to get rich; as long as I am paying the bills, I'll be all right.''
He has a wife, Amanda, and two daughters, a 10-month-old and a 2-year old.
And he still has his 1999 blue Ford Escort.
Provence said he does have a long-range goal. ''I'm far from it now, but my goal is to own two shops in every state.''
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or 800-777-7232 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
Coffee is always on at the sign shop, RPROVISION, at 375 W. Exchange St., where on any given day, the company has 15 to 30 walk-ins for service.
Get the full article here.
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