Steve Jedele is opening the newly expanded home for his business, Steve's Custom Signs, later this month. Its several thousand square feet of production space with lots of employees - a far cry from its humble beginnings.
Steve's Custom Signs got its start in Jedele's parent's home while he was still in college. He worked from their bonus room above their garage. "I started doing stickers and signs there," Jedele says. "I moved it to my house after college."
Jedele moved Steve's Custom Signs to its first commercial space at 4676 Freedom Drive on the south side of Ann Arbor around 2005. Back then the business was Jedele's full-time job and he employed a couple of high school kids on a part-time business.
The business has changed significantly since then. Today it offers a variety of services, including promotional products, custom apparel, vehicle graphics, many types of printing services, and custom made signs. Steve's Custom Signs currently employs 14 people after hiring five in production and sales over the last year.
"Now we have a full-time person who specializes in each department," Jedele says.
Steve's Custom Signs recently expanded its work space by 2,400 square feet. The additional space include more room for production, a larger showroom, and a new client consultation area. Jedele also brought on some new automated equipment, including a 8-color M&R Diamondback screen printing press, and a 6-head Tajima embroidery machine. The new equipment will allow for the company to up its production to 400 shirts an hour.
"All of that comes from customers demanding more of our products faster," Jedele says.
Steve's Custom Signs grew its revenue by 20 percent last year, and Jedele expects it will keep growing this year and in the near future. The currently expanded space has room for up to 20 employees, and Jedele could see another expansion in the company's not-too-distant future.
"Every six months to a year we end up adding more space for one reason or another," Jedele says.
Source: Steve Jedele, owner of Steve’s Custom Signs
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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