Meet the 2024 Women in Wide Format Winners: Maggie Payette Harlow

Maggie Payette Harlow
CEO/Owner
Signarama downtown

MAGGIE PAYETTE HARLOW grew up around entrepreneurs. Her father owned a car dealership, where she worked for 12 years and learned the ins and outs of automotive and retail as well as business ownership. Maggie eventually rose to general manager but, when her father retired and sold the dealership, she decided to start her own business. In 2003, alongside her husband Brian, Maggie opened Signarama Downtown in Louisville, KY, where she serves as the company’s CEO.

Her background in the automotive business proved to be a tremendous benefit, she says, as she was able to leverage a lot of what she learned — including techniques to connect with customers, close deals, and negotiate — to fuel early success. In its first year of business, Signarama Downtown hit the $1 million mark in sales. For the past 20+ years, Maggie has been hands-on in sales, production, management, and client relations, fostering relationships within the community that have propelled the shop to one of Signarama’s most successful franchises.

What makes women leaders in the wide-format digital printing industry?

Since opening Signarama Downtown in 2003, Maggie has not only established the franchise into a successful business and pillar of the Louisville community, but she’s also become a visionary and management coach. She works side-by-side with a new leadership team to foster innovation, enhance capabilities, provide customers with cutting-edge products and services, and ultimately drive sales and profit for the company.

“During the past 20+ years, I, alongside my husband Brian, have taken my business from a traditional job shop to a full-blown project management enterprise,” she says “It takes persistence, agility, and trusted leadership to fuel the ongoing growth for Signarama Downtown, even in the wake of unexpected setbacks.”

After taking a hit in 2020, Maggie led her team forward by embracing their new reality and taking risks to right the business. “Coupled with the acquisition of competitor and an investment in expand production workspace, this move — including the development of a fresh new leadership team and forward thinking — positioned us to bounce back,” she says. “In 2023, the business broke its all-time sales record and had one of its most profitable years with very little turnover.”

Here are some examples of her community and business involvement:

Giving back to the community was one of Maggie’s primary drivers to becoming an entrepreneur, and she’s been engaged in some kind of volunteer and leadership work from the first day she opened Signarama Downtown. Her most successful program has been Signs of Support, an annual grant created in 2007 for Louisville area non-profits. To date, Maggie and her husband Brian have given more than half a million dollars in signage services and products to worthy charitable organizations in the area through Signs of Support.

Maggie also is a founding member of the Happy Birthday Park, a non-profit that honors and commemorates the life, legacy, and contributions of Louisvillians Patty Smith Hill and Mildred Jane Hill through educational programs, activities, and facilities. This includes a public park focusing on the importance of early development as a key to creating strong communities.

With an intense desire to connect with women in the community, Maggie also started CliffDivers, an organization that unites local women who want to further explore risk-taking, taking chances, and embracing changes in their lives. A successful entrepreneur and prominent business leader in Louisville, Maggie also works with many organizations to mentor young professional, including the University of Louisville and Leadership Louisville.

How does your work push the industry forward?

“As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I actively advocate for opportunity,” she says. “I’m willing to put in the work and invest time and resources to remain at the forefront of trends and innovations that will not only elevate my business but set new industry standards.” By embracing advanced technologies, integrating new marketing tactics while sticking with the tried-and-true, collaborating with wholesalers, and prioritizing workflow efficiency, Maggie continuously is focused on optimizing the customer experience. These efforts have helped grow Signarama Downtown to one of the brand’s top performing franchises and establish Maggie as a respected leader and force.