Help Your Campus, Double Your Stipend
PhD Posters is recruiting entrepreneurially-minded students and postdocs
PhD Posters LLC was founded by three Duke PhD students, with the goal of bringing affordable research poster printing to their peers and colleagues. With seven locations across the US, PhD Posters has continued to grow significantly every year up until the pandemic, and in 2022 business has been recovering quickly.
We're looking for ambitious students or postdocs to open PhD Posters locations on other campuses. Each location is owned by the people who operate it; PhD Posters LLC provides support services in return for a share of the revenue. Start-up costs are less than $8k, but we can help cover those costs if needed.
In exchange for some "sweat equity" -- a few hours in the evenings and on weekends -- you can own a PhD Posters location without raiding your savings or going into debt. Our past and current owners find that the work co-exists peacefully with a research career, and (after a few years) generates more income than their scientific work.
Learn more below, and then contact us if you're interested: info@phdposters.com.
- Ian Davis and Brian Coggins, founders
What You Need
Requirements are minimal -- a printer, a computer, some software, and some supplies. The printer is about 6' long, 4' high, and 2' deep; it fits easily in an office, a guest bedroom, or the corner of your loft apartment. You also need a good market: a research university without a subsidized print shop. If everyone you know pays $100+ for a poster, you're in good shape.
What You Do
You commit to printing a certain number of posters (say, 5) every evening, and delivering them to your pick-up location the next weekday morning. Clients submit poster files and payment via our website, PhdPosters.com, and their delivery date is set based on the number of posters already in your queue. You'll correspond with them via email, and they'll pick up their poster from the designated pick-up location when it's ready. You have complete control over your hours and vacations.
Revenues and Profits
Each PhD Posters location is an independently-owned business engaged in a licensing agreement with PhD Posters LLC, which operates PhdPosters.com, processes orders and credit card payments, and provides other support services. In return, each location supports PhD Posters LLC with a small percentage of their revenues. We get no flat fees for licensing or franchising, so everyone is motivated to increase your customer base. Every business and every market is different, and no one can guarantee returns, but existing locations have found that 40-50% of revenues remain after all expenses as their profit.
In Canada, locations will contract with PhD Posters Canada, Inc., our Canadian legal entity.
Startup Funding
Startup costs are usually less than $8k USD, covering the printer, supplies, and software needed to begin initial service in an area. PhD Posters may be willing to loan some of the needed startup costs, at a low enough interest rate to allow the location to operate at a comfortable profit during the payback period.
Getting Started
Starting a business isn't rocket science, but there's a lot to do. That's why we guide new operators through legal considerations, market research, acquiring equipment, initial advertising, operating the printer, and more. All locations are invited to participate in our mail-order poster business, which can provide a quick start while you work on developing local business.
Exit Strategy
Moving around is a fact of academic life. When that happens, some operators have chosen to sell their business to younger students, possibly allowing them to pay for it over time. Others have ended up staying put and continued to run their business. For example, Amy and Gary chose to stay in Durham, and PhD Posters enables Amy to work part-time from home while raising their children.
About Us
PhD Posters LLC was founded by Ian Davis, Brian Coggins, and Colin Crossman in 2005, and we printed our first posters in early 2006. We have continued to grow significantly every year. More than a dozen additional people are currently involved in the business as owner/operators of the existing locations. Many of us have been graduate students at some point; some got PhDs, others changed careers, and some are still working at it. Contact us at info@phdposters.com.