Flag & Banner CEO Kerry McCoy Sees Expansion Coming (Executive Q&A)
Posted on: January 30, 2012
By Kerry McCoy 1/23/2012 Issue of the Arkansas Business [gallery]This Week: Kerry McCoy President of Arkansas Flag & Banner Inc. in Little Rock Bio: Kerry McCoy Background: McCoy, 57, grew up in North Little Rock. She graduated in 1974 with a certificate in fashion merchandising from Miss Wade's Fashion Merchandising College of Dallas. Arkansas Flag & Banner has had $3 million in annual sales for the past five years and employs about 30 people. Kerry McCoy launched Arkansas Flag & Banner in 1975 at the age of 20 and has headed it since.
Q: What has been most satisfying to you about founding and growing a successful business?
A: It is satisfying to think about all the people I have gotten to know because of AFB, not just business partners and customers, but employees too. I am proud of all the AFB employee alumni I have hired and helped and who have helped me.
Q: How has your role at Arkansas Flag & Banner evolved since the start of the company?
A: I was only 20 years old when I started the business with just $400, so you could say the business and I have grown up together. I began AFB by selling flags door to door. In the late ‚70s when gas prices made driving prohibitive, I changed the focus of AFB to phone sales. Always ready for change, I embraced the catalog business, mail order business and now the Internet marketing business model. I have built AFB one department at a time. The first department was sales; then I added a sewing department, the graphic department, production department, screen printing department, retail store, shipping, purchasing, accounting, and currently, we are building a social network and marketing department.
Q: Do you have plans to have someone succeed you as president?
A: AFB is like my first-born child. It is hard to think about selling one of my kids! Speaking of kids, I do have four ranging in age from 17 to 32. They all are good, smart, responsible citizens, and any one of them could handle the succession (with a little guidance from Mom, of course), but currently there are no plans. My husband, who works with me, has made just one rule regarding legacy, and that is: None of our children can come to work at AFB until they have reached 30 years of age.
Q: Do other business leaders ask you for advice on how to transition out of a company's leadership?
A: No. People usually ask me about how to start a business. I find that most people, when they visualize themselves in business, see themselves about five years in. But you really do have to walk before you run. I worked a part-time job for nine years while I built AFB. Startups always have a cash-flow problem. You can't grow without more money, and you can't get more money without growing.
Q: What is your vision for Arkansas Flag & Banner's next several decades?
A: The new website that we launch this month really expands our possibilities. Amazon doesn't just sell books, and like them, I want to expand our product lines. Currently, we stock the products we sell, but maybe it is time to feature other vendors that will do their own order fulfillment. Another one of my interests is online affiliate marketing, where approved retailers put our products on their sites.
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FlagandBanner.com Is Hanging in Some Pretty Cool Places
Posted on: February 13, 2012
LITTLE ROCK, AR, Feb 13, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- As the recession lifts so are flags, banners, and pennants created by FlagandBanner.com for some pretty cool people and places across the country. Some recent projects have included custom string pennants for the popular television show ""30 Rock"" on NBC and a custom flag representing a fictitious Native American tribe for an upcoming episode of ""In Plain Sight,"" on the USA Network. In the world of sports, football legend Willie Roaf was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame February 4, 2012 and FlagandBanner.com had the privilege of creating a banner for the Roaf family. Photographs, newspaper clippings, and trading cards were all utilized to tell the amazing story of his career on a custom banner. If you are planning a trip to Disney World, Orlando, FL this summer you might just find yourself hanging out under one of our flags or banners. The Flag and Banner team is currently working on custom flags for Snow White and the Magic Kingdom. Kerry McCoy, owner of Arkansas's FlagandBanner.com, says, ""It is always a great sign when you see orders like these coming in from around the country. It says things are looking up, 2012 looks to be the year things get back to normal."" All of these products were custom made right here in Little Rock, AR. Kerry McCoy says, ""It's always fun to see your products on TV and it's especially nice that all of these items were made right here in Arkansas and helped to support American jobs."" Arkansas Flag and Banner, Inc. was established in 1975. Its headquarters are in Little Rock, AR with 30 employees. Need to know when to fly the American flag at half staff? Sign up for Flag Alerts, timely emails notifying you when the President has proclaimed the flag to be flown at half staff. For more information about the 22,000 products Arkansas's FlagandBanner.com provides, log on to FlagandBanner.com, become a fan of FlagandBanner.com on Facebook, or call one of their experts at 1-800-445-0653.
Contact:
Brian Shaddock
Arkansas's FlagandBanner.com
800 W. Ninth Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 1-800-445-0653
http://www.flagandbanner.com Email Contact
SOURCE: Arkansas's FlagandBanner.com
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Flag Day 2012 at Flag and Banner
Posted on: June 19, 2012
A big thanks to all the folks that came out for our Flag Retirement Ceremony on Flag Day June 14. It was a huge success. I think we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 flags dropped off to be retired. The boy scouts did an awesome job! Keith Dover and the rest of Legionnaires... we couldn't have done it without you!"
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Big Sam on Saturday Morning DayBreak on KATV, Channel 7
Posted on: July 2, 2012
KATV - Breaking News, Weather and Razorback Sports
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US SBA Administrator Marie Johns Tours FlagandBanner.com
Posted on: July 12, 2012
From Arkansas Business, By: Lance Turner 7/11/2012 4:18:02 PM
Representatives of the Obama administration were in Little Rock on Wednesday to promote the president's plan to help small businesses and encourage hiring.
U.S. Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Marie C. Johns toured the offices of Arkansas Flag & Banner of Little Rock, which has received three SBA loans over the years.
The visit came a day after the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate approved, on a 80-14 vote, the president's plan for a 10 percent small-business tax break for companies that expand payrolls.
The measure would also extend a provision allowing small businesses to write off 100 percent of the value of new capital investments this year, up from 50 percent under current law.
Johns said the president's plan to offer small businesses tax credits and incentives for capital investments will help the economy and encourage hiring.
""The way to get our economy moving again is by supporting small business,"" Johns said. ""They are the job creators, and that's why [there's] a tax cut for small businesses who add to their payroll - give them a boost so they can continue to do more.""
Arkansas Flag & Banner, owned by Kerry McCoy, received a $500,000 loan through Arkansas Capital Corp. of Little Rock in 2003. Its most recent loan was in 2011, when the flag and banner manufacturer and retailer received a $205,000 loan from Centennial Bank to help the company grow its online operation and redesign its website. The company has 30 employees and about $3 million in annual sales.
Obama's proposal heads next to the Republican-led House, where GOP leaders are expected to use the bill as a vehicle to force votes on extending Bush-era tax cuts to all Americans, including top earners. Obama has said he wants end the Bush-era rates on taxable household income above $250,000 or single taxpayers earning more than $200,000 a year.
![]() Click on link to watch video US SBA tours Flag and Banner.com"
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Leadership
Posted on: July 20, 2012
President: Kerry McCoy
Kerry McCoy founded FlagAndBanner.com with only $400 when she was just 20 years old. Her success is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we leave our comfort zone and make decisions through action instead of fear. To learn more about Kerry's story see a Recent Speech she delivered for a high school commencement ceremony.
         
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Getting into the Olympic Spirit at Arkansas Flag and Banner
Posted on: August 1, 2012
 By: Wendy Suares, KARK 4 Today Updated: July 27, 2012
Arkansas Flag and Banner knows the Olympics well and is helping Arkansans get into the Olympic spirit. KARK 4's Wendy Suares visited with them and got the scoop on popular Team USA gear. Watch the video for more or visit the FlagandBanner.com website.
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