With the help of FranNet of Houston and the Gulf Coast Region, Raul Lema is the proud new owner of a Signworld which he branded Vital Sign Solutions. It’s a Houston-based business that specializes in creating top-notch custom outdoor business signage that aligns with company brands. Vital Sign Solutions is just the latest entrepreneurial venture from Lema, who already owns LEMA Ventures, a private company that provides general business consulting to the oil and gas industry.
Raul Lema shares a testimonial on his background, career path and future plans in the latest edition of my weekly blog.
Background
“I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines. I was recruited by Hughes Tool Company and worked in manufacturing, engineering and product development to become a drill bit expert for the oil & gas industry. I worked my way up to middle management, then moved to ConocoPhillips where I worked in Technology Development and Global Operations. I had an opportunity to travel the globe and work in all types of drilling operations from Deepwater to Extended Reach, to Unconventional plays.”
On Becoming an Entrepreneur
“My dad was a small business owner and was my inspiration for following an entrepreneurial path. I always thought of pursuing this route and when the downturn in the oil & gas industry hit in 2017, I formed my own LLC, LEMA Ventures and began consulting work full-time. I didn’t think the industry was going to recover any time soon, so I decided I needed to invest in my second career.”
Why Franchising?
“I wanted to find a business where I could sell a product or a service that I could be passionate about. I had done some preliminary research on franchising—just kicking the tires, really, but I didn’t really grasp their significance. Through my interactions with SCORE, I had the opportunity to meet Diana Trondsen.”
How FranNet Helped
“I came to find out that, even if you think you know what franchising is all about, you don’t. Diana was able to take me through their process, beginning with a thorough assessment of my goals, lifestyle and what I wanted out of being a business owner. She was so good at facilitating the conversation and making the introductions I needed to make a sound decision. It was a creative process and she was able to draw parallels to my strengths and ultimately connect me with Signworld. With this business opportunity, I felt like I could leverage my background and passions to build something I could call my own.”
Where Do You Stand?
“I’ve received a lot of corporate support and training from Signworld. They helped me lease my office and workshop and my equipment has just arrived. Right now, I’m in the process of interviewing staff and prepping the new office and workshop. It looks like we’ll have a grand opening in February of next year and I’m really excited about it.”
For more information, please visit Raul Lema’s Vital Sign Solutions business on the web.