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Franchise of the Month: How the Teafords Built a Business and Conquered the Competition

Starting a new business can be a daunting task. Ben Teaford knows this firsthand, having spent 16 years owning a major tax preparation franchise. When he was looking to exit that franchise he knew what he was looking to do next. With his mother and co-owner, Bonita, he found Signal, and knew it was exactly what he was looking for.

“I wanted something that wasn’t like a startup but not so established that you were just a number,” he said. “I’ve done that before. I wanted somewhere I could still make an impact on the brand and implement the ideas I have.”

Since opening his franchise in Hampton Roads, Teaford, who also owns Signal of Orlando, has shown himself to be a tremendous leader and brand partner. He’s currently ranked #4 overall for the Signal Key Performance Indicators, including 6th for both Dedicated Shift Completion and Customer Retention and 9th for Employee Retention.

Over the last three months, however, his leadership skills have been put to the test as his franchise faced one of its biggest challenges yet. Days before Thanksgiving 2022, a gunman killed six people inside a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia. Teaford and the Signal Home Office were approached by Walmart corporate a few days later.

“We got a call Saturday from a district manager from Chesapeake who was helping out on the situation,” Teaford said. “He asked me about stores and such and what security was going on. He asked if we could handle things and I said yeah because we have relationships with law enforcement. Probably an hour or two later it came through that they were looking for temporary, 24/7 law enforcement at 15 stores.”

The call came through on a Saturday during a holiday weekend, a time when the decision-makers typically aren’t working. The relationships Teaford had built came in handy and the team was able to service 13 of the 15 stores within 24 hours. Another company was enlisted to staff two Sam’s Clubs in the area but ran into challenges and wasn’t able to produce officers quickly enough. Walmart reached out to Teaford directly and he and his team were able to staff the stores.

Since it was such a large contract, Teaford and his team needed to find a lot of officers to staff it, and quickly. He credits his mother and co-owner, Bonita, and wife, Renee, with the success of that project. Additionally, the admin team was instrumental in the staffing process.

“There’s no franchise system around that could onboard 365 people in a week and pay them every single week,” he said, “It was a 24-hour job, and not just on our side. We worked nonstop to get that stuff done, but Payroll Managers Cally Franklin, Lori Cook, and the Payroll team never yelled at me. I called them and said you guys have to hate me and they’re like no we don’t. They’re always just very nice and I know they wanted to strangle me in the end, but they were always just like we’re going to get through it, we’re going to get through it. We process payroll on Thursday and Director of Cash Management, Mike Sich, would have somebody waiting for us to process the loan request because we were doing half a million dollars in payrolls between that whole group.”

Even outside of his Walmart contracts, Teaford credits much of his success to working closely with the home office.

“I’m on the phone with multiple people from the Home Office daily,” he said. “We just recently hired a COO and an Executive Director and obviously we’re leaning heavily on ops and everybody for trainings for that. I sent emails out at 2am this morning trying to get additional Edge training for these guys and at 8am I get an email, ‘hey I can do it today at this time.’ There’s no ask too big for the Home Office to help us get support, to get what we need done.”

Compared to his previous franchise experience, Teaford said he appreciates the passion and support he sees from the home office.

“My last franchise was great to me,” he said. “It taught me about how to be a business owner, how to be an entrepreneur. It showed me the growing pains. The difference here is the amount of support. We paid a much higher royalty there and we didn’t get near as much support. The people at that home office didn’t have the passion we have, the culture wasn’t there. You were just a number, and that’s what I like here. You’re a part of something and I hope we never go past that.”

For Barb Alekna and Greg Pencosky, building Signal of West Virginia has always been about more than growing a security business. It’s about creating an organization where people can build meaningful careers, develop into leaders, and make a lasting impact in the communities they serve.

Since launching Signal of West Virginia in September 2024, that vision has guided the team’s approach to growth. From earning their first client to developing their first leaders, Barb and Greg have focused on building the business one relationship, one employee, and one client at a time.

That commitment to people, consistency, and continuous improvement is helping Signal of West Virginia establish a reputation for professionalism and dependable service across the state.

Building a Culture People Can Grow In

When Barb and Greg reflect on what makes them most proud, their answer comes back to their team. From the beginning, they wanted to create more than a successful security company. They wanted to build a career culture where employees could grow, take pride in their work, and become leaders.

“We strive to create an environment where each security officer and team member understands they’re not simply filling a security post,” they explain. “They’re protecting people, building relationships, solving problems, and representing the Signal brand with professionalism and integrity.”

That philosophy shapes how the team approaches every client and every assignment. Whether supporting apartment communities, healthcare facilities, major retailers, or special events, officers are expected to bring more than security expertise to the job.

Professionalism, reliability, communication, and dedication are all part of the standard.

For Barb and Greg, some of the most rewarding moments come from watching that culture take shape: seeing a new hire gain confidence, an officer advance into a leadership role, or a client recognize a team member for going above and beyond.

Earning Growth One Relationship at a Time

Launching a new franchise comes with challenges, but building Signal of West Virginia meant starting almost entirely from scratch.

Before the first contract, the organization had no established presence in the state, no existing clients, no employees, and no revenue. Barb and Greg had experience leading successful Signal operations, but they understood that success in another market wouldn’t automatically translate to West Virginia.

Instead, they relied on proven Signal processes while taking the time to understand the local market and build credibility from the ground up.

“Everything we’ve built since then has been earned one relationship, one employee, and one client at a time.”

That approach required humility, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. Not every proposal became a contract, and not every challenge had an immediate solution, but each experience became an opportunity to improve.

From securing their first client and hiring their first employee to celebrating their first promotion and major contract, each milestone represented another step toward building a reputation in West Virginia.

Continuous Improvement Drives the Team

For the Signal of West Virginia team, showing up at their best starts with a mindset of continuous improvement.

“We never want to become complacent or assume we know everything,” they explain. “Every conversation with a client, every interaction with an employee, every success, failure, and every challenge give us an opportunity to learn, improve, and become better than we were yesterday.”

That mindset extends beyond individual performance. Barb and Greg see clear communication as one of their most important responsibilities as leaders.

By staying connected with clients, supporting their team, and being proactive instead of reactive, they work to build trust and strengthen relationships.

For them, long-term growth isn’t something to chase. It’s something to earn through consistent effort, strong relationships, and exceptional service.

Redefining Professional Security

As Signal of West Virginia continues to grow, Barb and Greg want the community to see private security as more than simply placing officers at a post.

Their goal is to build long-term partnerships, invest in the communities they serve, and create a career culture where employees are empowered to make a positive difference.

“We’re here for the long-term, and we genuinely care about making West Virginia a safer place to live, work, and do business.”

That commitment is supported by the combination of Signal’s global resources and local, owner-led leadership.

The team benefits from Signal’s technology, innovation, experienced leadership, and proven operating model while maintaining a local presence built around responsiveness, accountability, and lasting relationships.

For Signal of West Virginia, that means officers aren’t simply providing security. They’re becoming an extension of their clients’ teams—protecting people, safeguarding property, assisting employees and visitors, and representing both the client and Signal with professionalism.

The goal is to become a trusted partner that helps reduce risk, strengthen operations, and provide lasting peace of mind.

Developing People and Leaders

For Barb and Greg, one of the most rewarding parts of ownership is watching people grow.

Whether it’s mentoring an officer into a leadership role, helping an employee build a long-term career, or developing a client relationship into a trusted partnership, those moments represent the impact they hope to create.

They also recognize that growth doesn’t happen in isolation.

The Signal network has provided opportunities to learn from experienced security leaders, including Paul Alekna and the team at Signal of Canton-Youngstown. Their mentorship and willingness to share experiences have played an important role in the growth of Signal of West Virginia.

That collaboration reflects another strength of the Signal network: franchises supporting one another and sharing knowledge to help each other succeed.

Building What Comes Next

For Barb and Greg, the most exciting part of the journey is knowing they’re still building.

“Every new team member we develop, every client relationship we earn, and every opportunity to strengthen our team is another chance to make a lasting impact.”

Their focus remains straightforward: invest in their people, serve clients with excellence, and build an organization that employees, clients, and the community can be proud of.

Being named Franchise of the Month for May 2026 is an important milestone, but the recognition is viewed as motivation rather than a finish line.

Barb and Greg credit their entire team for the franchise’s success and remain focused on creating a career culture where great people can grow, delivering exceptional service, and making a lasting impact throughout West Virginia.

Congratulations to Barb Alekna, Greg Pencosky, and the entire Signal of West Virginia team on being named May Franchise of the Month in 2026. Their commitment to developing people, serving their communities, and growing with purpose is a powerful example of what’s possible across the Signal network.

 

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