Chris Laughren, 19, practices sign-spinning along state Highway 153 in Hixson. Laughren has been spinning for Aarow Advertising for eight months.• Name: Aarow Advertising
• Location: Aarow has a sign spinning team in Chattanooga and is looking for office and storage space. Chattanooga will be the company's Tennessee headquarters. Teams already operate in Nashville, Murfreesboro and Johnson City and another will start in Knoxville next year.
• Owner: Jeremy Pickle, 423-943-5399
• Products/services: Aarow advertisers are trained tricksters who can throw, spin, flip and twist signs in eye-catching, entertaining ways.
• Age: Aarow has been in business in Chattanooga since late July.
• Startup investment: $25,000 for initial franchise license, $12,500 per franchise after that. Pickle expects to recover the initial investment six to eight months after opening.
• Target market: Businesses most often use Aarow for grand openings. Pickle said companies as large as hhgregg and McDonald's have used it. Homebuilders also regularly use spinners to draw potential buyers to open houses.
• Biggest hurdle: Finding employees. "Without sign spinners, I can't grow," he said. Because Chattanooga is becoming the Aarow state headquarters, Pickle is trying to relocate an experienced spinner and trainer to the area to motivate people to sign up.
• Biggest reward: Helping troubled young people make a living. Pickle said he's open to hiring anyone willing to learn how to do the physically demanding job, and often talks with down-on-their-luck people looking for employers who will give them a chance.
• Lesson learned: Networking is hugely important. Pickle said his biggest hiring and sales successes have come through word of mouth. "Expect to have to wait a little bit," he said.
• Five-year goal: Pickle wants Chattanooga to be his franchises' base of operations by 2016. He hopes to have at least 25 spinners in every major city.