A Bit More on Bill Smillie, EMC Digital Sign Company Champion

Join us in welcoming sign industry veteran Bill Smillie to the Impact LED Signs team. Bill has a wealth of experience championing sign companies, helping them grow their business and inspiring their customers to unlock the power of electronic message centers (EMC).

From Sales to Digital Signage

For Bill Smillie, getting into the sign industry wasn’t part of some grand master plan, it was a practical decision. “I needed a job,” he says candidly. But what started as a career move quickly turned into a passion. With eight years of experience in corporate sales, he was searching for something more engaging that challenged his creativity and business acumen.

He found that opportunity at a young age in a custom sign shop in New Hampshire. That small business wasn’t just making signs—it was selling advertising. “We took a little firm in southern New Hampshire from 20 employees to 200 on the concept of advertising, marketing, and branding, we just happened to make signs,” Bill recalls.

That early experience shaped his perspective on the industry. Signs weren’t just physical structures; They were tools for storytelling, branding, and marketing. “The joy was helping small businesses understand how valuable their sign was. It brought a lot of joy to my heart. Still does today.”

A Love Affair with EMCs and Digital Signage

Halfway through his career, Bill discovered digital signage and never looked back. He saw how digital signs could enhance traditional signage, turning them into powerful communication tools. Whether working with small businesses or large corporations to sell more digital signs and EMCs, his goal remained the same: helping sign buyers understand the value of their signage investment.

“It was all about advertising. It was all about marketing. It was all about eyeballs,” Bill explains. “Years ago, businesses didn’t have media—they only had their sign. It was their message to the world.” Today, that message is more powerful than ever, with digital technology allowing businesses to change their messaging at the push of a button.

Championing Sign Companies

Throughout his career, Bill has been a strong advocate for sign companies, many of which are family-run businesses spanning multiple generations. He sees the industry as undervalued and strives to change that perception. “It’s so much fun to see a sign company understand the advertising and branding side of signage,” he says.

A New Chapter with Impact LED Signs

After years of working independently, Bill found himself drawn back into the industry, this time with Impact LED Signs, an exclusively EMC wholesaler to the sign company industry based in the heartland of America. Bill was impressed by its culture, its vision, and its commitment to affordability and quality.

“We’re a true wholesale EMC sign company with a purpose, and our purpose is to help sign companies gain a competitive edge in a growing market.”  –  Bill Smillie, EMC Selling Veteran

Life Beyond Digital Signs and Selling

When he’s not helping sign companies tell their story, Bill finds joy in his family, his faith, and his health. A lover of golf, the beach, and the ocean, he balances his career with the things that matter most to him.

And while he may joke about his lack of technical skills, “I don’t own a screwdriver” his knowledge of signage, sales, and marketing is second to none. Whether it’s standing next to a sign he “helped build” for the ISA Show or working with sign companies across the country, Bill Smillie remains one of the industry’s most passionate voices.

Bill’s message is clear: Signs aren’t just signs—they’re stories waiting to be told.