Photo courtesy of Sameta Shah.
Sameta Shah poses at Kopri Signs & Graphics.
Samata Shah, owner of Kopri Signs & Graphics, LLC, recently sat down with 280 Living to talk about her journey from having $20 in her pocket to being a successful business owner.
Q: What is your background and when did you come to America?
A: I am a graphic designer. I was born and raised in India and migrated to the USA in 1987 with my husband, Shailesh Shah, who is an engineering manager. We both came to America with only $20 each. I got a job in the printing industry while my husband finished his master's. We relocated to Alabama in 1993. We have two daughters; both went through the Oak Mountain school system. I have been living on 280 for over 30 years, and I have had my business on 280, in the Greystone area in Shelby County for 27 years.
Q: When did you start your business and what were some of the challenges early on?
A: My inability to speak fluent English and cultural differences were two of my biggest challenges. The first few years were difficult, but I trained myself to speak proper English by watching the news and listening to the radio.
Q: What differentiates you from your competitors?
A: There are three reasons we are different than other promotional companies: we do most of the production in-house, we offer on-time delivery at a great price and all six of our team members are graphic designers. Our focus on “No quantity is too small or too large” landed us so many small and large customers.
Q: What do you do to relax?
A: I love gardening. No matter how tired I am, my garden refreshes me. I spend either Saturday or Sunday in my garden. I have four beds that are 8’ x 20’ that I plant with many different vegetables.
