Chris Calderon’s journey with Signal began at the home office in Omaha, where she served as a liaison between headquarters and franchise owners. It was a brand-new role for her—but that didn’t stop her. She felt called to the opportunity, not knowing it would eventually lead her to open Signal of Hawaii in 2023.
Less than two years later, she has been awarded Franchise of the Month for December, is successfully meeting ten of her Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and is using her leadership to spread the “Aloha culture” across the islands she serves.
Seizing the Opportunity
When Signal CEO Reed Nyffeler approached Chris about opening Signal of Hawaii, she recognized it as an incredible opportunity. Having spent most of her life on the islands, she believed in the potential for success—especially with Signal’s core values of honesty and integrity at the foundation—values that originally drew her to the company.
Within a month, she was in Hawaii, hitting the ground running.
From the beginning, Chris had long-term goals in mind. She purchased the entire Hawaii Islands territory and set her sights on opening a Signal office on each island. But first, she had to build her team. In the early days, she did everything herself—patrolling 90 hours a week. A few months in, she hired her first employee. While she still covered a large portion of the patrol route, having extra help allowed her to shift focus toward growth.
Growth and Expansion
Today, she leads a team of 22 officers—including two advanced officers—and manages over 20 client contracts. Signal of Hawaii has also expanded to a second location on the island of Maui.
Managing it all is no small task, but Chris credits much of their success to the Aloha culture, explaining, “It’s a level of love, compassion, and respect that we’ve become known for.”
This culture not only defines how Chris leads her team but also aligns closely with Signal’s core values of Passion, Honesty and Integrity, Relationships, Serving, and Learning—the same values that first drew her to the company.
Overcoming Challenges on Maui
Expanding to Maui has brought its own set of challenges. The island is made up of many small communities, most of which can’t afford a security service like Signal on their own. But Chris’s passion for her work has driven her to build strong relationships within these communities and strategize ways to make security accessible for all.
Though her team remains small, she is surrounded by dedicated security professionals who, as she describes, “don’t want to cut corners—they want to grow, learn, and be better than they were yesterday.”
Having a strong, values-driven culture makes even the toughest challenges easier to navigate.
Investing in Her Team
Chris takes her relationship with her officers seriously. She expects high performance—and she gets it by investing in her people.
Whether she’s leading through Signal’s core values or the Aloha culture, she is transparent about expectations and performance standards. She is also willing to step in alongside her team to cover shifts when needed.
This culture of accountability and respect has taken root among her officers, who regularly step up for one another and lead with the same Aloha spirit Chris instills.
Her officers are fully bought into her vision and Signal’s mission—not only because she sets clear expectations, reminding them that when they wear the uniform, they represent both her and the values they stand for—but also because she leads by example.
“It starts with me,” she says.
By consistently showing her team how she wants them to interact with clients, she ensures they uphold the same standards of professionalism.
Making an Impact in the Community
Chris has used the Aloha culture—along with Signal’s core values—to deeply embed Signal of Hawaii into the local community. At the heart of her approach is the value of Serving, which drives her commitment to giving back and being a consistent, trusted presence throughout the islands.
She represents her company in multiple chambers of commerce, is a founding member of Honolulu Women for Good, and has been named an Honorary Commander at the Air Force base on the island. These roles allow her to serve her community beyond the patrol car, building meaningful relationships and raising awareness about public safety and community care.
Internally, she is also a founding member of Women of Signal, a group for female Signal business owners and professionals.
The respect she has earned within her community has not only elevated Signal’s brand recognition—it’s also allowed her to be selective with the clients she chooses to serve. If a prospective client’s values don’t align with Signal’s and the Aloha culture, she walks away. She refuses to associate her name with anything or anyone that falls short of her standards.
Looking Ahead
As for what’s next for Chris and her growing team, she plans to remain deeply involved in the communities she serves—joining more chambers and local organizations as she expands Signal offices across the rest of Hawaii, one island at a time.
And she’ll do it all with the values of Signal and the Aloha culture at the forefront.
Inspired by Chris’s journey?
At Signal, franchise owners like Chris are making a real impact in their communities while building profitable, scalable businesses. If you’re an entrepreneur looking for a mission-driven franchise opportunity, Signal could be the right fit for you.
Interested in learning more? Click here to explore franchise opportunities with Signal today.
