SpeedPro Chicago Loop’s Rebecca Considine is a wonderful and valued Small Business Advocacy Council’s Board of Advisors member. We are excited to celebrate Rebecca, SpeedPro Chicago Loop founder Eric Lazar, and the company in this blog. Considering the SBAC was the very first organization SpeedPro Chicago Loop joined when they launched their studio in 2015 and given Eric and Rebecca’s important contributions to the SBAC, we are excited about how the company has grown since – especially considering the company was teetering on the brink of closure before ever even opening its doors. The challenges the company faced were immense, but now, the SBAC is proud to see one of its supporters go from nearly bankrupt to highly profitable.

Of note, SpeedPro Chicago Loop was The International Franchise Association’s 2022 ‘Franchisee of the Year’ and also most recently recognized by both Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list of Fastest Growing Companies and the Printing Impressions 150 List Largest Wide Format Printers in North America, a testament to the incredible growth they have achieved over the past nine years. With a two-year revenue growth of 106%, they earned their spot as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the Midwest.

But their journey certainly didn't start with accolades and recognition. It began with a vision to merge advertising and marketing expertise with a culture of innovation and community engagement, a vision that being an SBAC Business Supporter helped them achieve. As a Marine Corps veteran with more than 25 years of private sector experience, Eric wanted to leverage the sales strategies he learned working at broadcast television stations and working in the mobile technology industry. SpeedPro Chicago Loop was born out of a desire to channel that experience into something meaningful and impactful.

At the heart of the company’s success is their continued commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. They’ve cultivated partnerships, driven operational excellence, and embraced community engagement every step of the way. From being the only two-time recipient of Project of the Year by SpeedPro corporate to consistent acknowledgment as a ‘3-Best Sign Shops in Chicago’ for seven consecutive years, they’ve always strived for greatness.

SpeedPro Chicago Loop is committed to giving back to the community, including when the company distributed inspirational signs across Chicago to show support for frontline workers and first responders during Covid. Proceeds from the signs were donated to The American Red Cross. As mentioned above, SpeedPro Loop Chicago is also extremely supportive of the SBAC and small business community.

As we all know, it isn’t easy being a small business owner. There will be days filled with challenges, setbacks, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But amidst the trials, there are moments of great reward – the satisfaction of seeing a vision come to life and the pride of making a positive impact on the lives of customers and those around us. SpeedPro Chicago Loop is an outstanding example of the greatness our Business Supporters can achieve with grit, perseverance, and dedication.