Is 2026 the Year to Take Control of Your Future?
With all the changes to budgets and income over the last few years, and the funding options available, could this be the right time for you to work out how to implement the future you deserve? As we begin a new year, it’s natural to reflect on our goals and aspirations. The New Year is always a great time to manifest what you want to achieve in the next 12 months. To do this, it’s a good idea to take stock of how you felt at the end of 2025. Did you feel frustrated or limited in any way? Identifying the reasons for this, maybe dissatisfaction with your job or your lack of work-life balance, could help you to bring about the change you want for 2026.
This is especially important when we take into consideration the roller coaster of the last five years, in business and in our personal experiences. As a franchise, we at FASTSIGNS are no different. 2025 has been an incredible year here for us and for our franchise network, despite the impact of Government changes affecting business owners across the board. Overall, the network saw growth of around 8.6% growth over the last 12 months.
Why Franchising Could Be the Answer
With all those experiences behind us, and the uncertainty created by the latest budget, we understand why you’ve been cautious and put your dream of business ownership on pause. However, once you look past the headlines and dig into what’s happening with the economy, something as a franchise, we do for our franchisees, 2026 has the potential to be a fertile year for planting the seeds of a new business, as long as it’s the right kind, that is.
This year, FASTSIGNS celebrated its 40th anniversary in business and 30 years of franchising in the UK. Over the last four decades, we’ve experienced various ups and downs, both in business and the wider national economy. Our network has always come out of it stronger. Underlying every challenge has been the strong growth of our franchisees’ businesses, year on year.
A Proven Business Model
Throughout 2025, FASTSIGNS franchisees benefited from several national partnerships we formulated on their behalf, which brought work across the network, such as our recent project with TaxAssist to help them rebrand all their UK offices. On a local level, we’ve also celebrated several branches breaking records in terms of growth, such as the multi-award-winning FASTSIGNS Crawley, owned by former staff members, or FASTSIGNS Leeds, where the father and son team continue to take on family members to meet rising demand.
What does all this mean for you? Firstly, it’s proof that franchising works! Especially the model we have spent the last 40 years developing. We’re not the only ones who know it. We don’t just mean the 800+ people worldwide who joined FASTSIGNS to create their own successful businesses. We also mean banks and lenders here in the UK.
Franchising is rightfully seen as a stable and resilient way to build a business, meaning most high-street banks are more willing to fund those who subscribe to a franchise model than those who come to them with a fresh, riskier idea. This is especially true when a franchise can demonstrate decades of financial success across 100s of locations, like we can, at FASTSIGNS.
A Brighter Financial Future
On top of that, interest rates are coming down. They’re forecast to settle somewhere between 3% and 3.5% by the end of 2026, with further reductions expected into 2027. For anyone needing to borrow money to start a business, this is massive news. Lower borrowing costs mean your investment goes further, and your monthly repayments are more manageable. Don’t forget, you’re likely to also be eligible for a Government Start-up Loan of up to £25,000 per director, so if you’ve got your sights set on something new in 2026, but are worried about the finances, remember there’s always a way!
Let’s try to look even further ahead: imagine you started your FASTSIGNS journey today, where could you be by 2027? You’ll have 12+ months of operational experience under your belt. You’ll have built relationships with local businesses and established yourself as the go-to signage expert in your territory. You’ll understand your costs, your margins, and your market, and will truly understand all the ins and outs of your new business. However, unlike someone going it alone, you’ll have done it with expert support every step of the way.
That’s the kind of future where opportunity thrives. One where you’re in control. So, could 2026 be your year? Could you be one of the franchisees we’re writing about in our 35th-anniversary blog in 2030? There’s only one way to find out! Let’s talk and see where your FASTSIGNS journey could take you. Read more about this topic Here
