Business Partner

Business Partner a Westmoreland County
 Success Story.

Small business is not only growing in Westmoreland County, but beginning to imprint its own inventive dynamism across the nation. Last year we reported on the successful franchise operation at Kerber's Dairy, and only last month Cardon Inc. of Jeannette began to sell their new truck-bed tie down from coast to coast. Now, Business Partner in Irwin, PA is having the kind of success that may one day make it a household name, like Kinko's. (In fact, Business Partner has been referred to as Kinko's on steroids.)

To understand Business Partner is to understand the trails of marketing your own business, especially if you are among the estimated 10 to 11% of Americans involved in a startup company this year. Where do you have a logo designed for your company, and who will do your business cards and letterhead? Will it all match with your website? And what if you need a tradeshow display, complete with some giant color posters, promotional giveaways, and a multi-media presentation? Aside from the expense, are you talking to two, three, or five different companies to coordinate your needs?

If you are like most business owners, the convenience of one name, one phone call, and the assurance of a job well done are worth double the price. Fortunately, you won't have to pay twice with Business Partner. Their reasonable pricing has brought many high-end services, traditionally out of reach for small business, into the realm of "Why haven't we done this before?" From promotional videos and full scale CD business presentations to their "one-stop sign shop" and fully equipped graphic design studio, Business Partner can put your worries to rest. Of course, your copy, printing, and shipping needs are also covered.

The brilliance of Business Partner is in creating the local, one-stop marketing store. They have merged a formidable array of disciplines under one roof, then sweetened the offer with marketing consultation services. Their commitment is to do more than sell you on high-quality advertising; Business Partner wants to move your marketing in the right direction.

• Color & B&W Copy Center
• Creative Ideas & Graphic Design
• Printing
• Promotional Gifts
• Signs and Banners
• Vehicle Lettering
• Giant Color Posters
• Web Design
• Video Production
• Multi-Media Presentations
• Trade Show Displays
• UPS & Fedex Authorized Shipping

Business Partner started in 1996, right on Main Street in downtown Irwin. Bruce and Rita Violette, whose prior experience included running an ad agency with GM dealership accounts nationwide, saw the opportunity to diversify. They wanted to help small businesses grow, by providing access to a wide range of services under a single name. Need a flyer copied, come to Business Partner. Need a corporate identity designed from scratch? They can do that too!

By the summer of 2001, the first Business Partner franchise opened in Morris Plane New Jersey, just 10 miles out of New York City. Since then, Business Partner has experienced almost explosive growth; with 60 franchises currently in operation nationwide or gearing up for grand openings. From Colorado to Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Iowa, each Business Partner is owner-operated, giving them a tangible commitment to the success of the businesses in their communities. Right here in Western Pa there is a Business Partner in Greensburg , Washington, Downtown Pittsburgh, as well as the home office in downtown Irwin. To help assure success, each new owner receives two weeks of training in the Irwin, PA corporate headquarters and store.

So successful has Business Partner become, they have attracted projects from the likes of Sony, Verizon, Good Humor, and Sears Dental. So who uses Business Partner? Well, you don't have to be on the Fortune 500 list to stop by for some world-class attention; the fact is, you don't even have to own a business. From resumes and wedding invitations to silk-screening shirts for the team, they can do it all.

"Two years in a row, we made the biggest valentine heart in the world for a group trying to beat and hold the Guinness Book record," Rita Violette explained. "Every day it is something different, and we like to be challenged. There is a big gap in the business world between a copy center and a high-end agency. Business Partner fills that void. There really isn't anything out there that fits the middle man, which suits the budget of the small business. Business Partner is the answer."

It is not surprising that success comes with a little innovation, initiative, and the perseverance to see a vision through to the end. It can sometimes be surprising, but gratifyingly so, to walk by the beginnings of a nationwide success story on Main Street, downtown Irwin, Westmoreland County.

Business Partner is owner-operated with a dedication to total professional service and quality production.

For more information, please visit the
 Business Partner website or call Business
 Partner's store and corporate headquarters
 in Irwin at 724-863-7888.