We’re looking forward to introducing you to Alan Li. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Alan, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Right now, most of my day is split between growing Signs and Mirrors and recording content for my podcast Opening Soon. For Signs and Mirrors, I’m either working directly with new customers who want beautiful sidewalk signs for their pilates studio, skincare clinic, or retail store, or I’m in the weeds figuring out how to make our products better. That might mean testing new materials, working with fabricators, tweaking our Shopify store, or planning the next product drop.
For the podcast, I’m usually scheduling interviews, filming business owners around NYC or virtually, or editing footage into short reels. The goal of the podcast is to make it easy for people to learn what it really takes to open a physical retail space. I love talking to founders about how they found their space, how they funded it, how they got their first customers.
Every day looks different, but it’s all connected. I’m either helping retail brands open, or telling their stories.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder of Signs and Mirrors, where we make beautiful, design-forward sidewalk signs and furniture for retail spaces. Think stainless steel, mirror, and acrylic, not your typical chalkboard or plastic signs. We started the company because I couldn’t find a sign I actually liked for my first business, a self-portrait photo studio in NYC. So we made one ourselves. Other businesses started asking where they could get one, and that’s how Signs and Mirrors was born.
Our signs are now used by really big brands like Blue Bottle, Samsung, and Gap to your local pizza shop, pilates studio, or nail salon. We are based in NYC and ship worldwide.
On top of that, I host Opening Soon, a podcast where I interview brick-and-mortar founders about their entrepreneurial journey. I’m really interested in what it takes to build a great retail business including what worked, what didn’t, and all the stuff people don’t usually talk about. Both the podcast and Signs and Mirrors are about supporting independent businesses in a way that’s thoughtful, high quality, and creatively interesting.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Honestly, running my own businesses taught me more about work than any job ever did. I’ve worked in high-pressure, high-prestige environments, but nothing compares to the lessons you get when it’s your name on the line and your money in the bank account.
That said, I’ve learned a lot from my wife. she has an insane eye for detail and quality. She’s taught me that good taste is a muscle you build, and that how something feels, not just how it looks, can make or break a brand. We push each other to do better, and I think that’s shaped the kind of work I do now: thoughtful, fast-moving, and built to last.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me patience. When things are working, it’s easy to move fast, make decisions, and feel confident. But when everything feels stuck, orders aren’t coming in, a shipment’s delayed, cash flow is tight, that’s when you have to dig deep and weather the storm.
One of my favorite phrases is from Howard Marks, “Never forget the six-foot-tall man who drowned crossing the stream that was five feet deep on average”
By understanding this, suffering taught me how to sit in discomfort without rushing to fix everything immediately. It forced me to slow down, look at the fundamentals, and rebuild things the right way.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My wife’s, without question. She has an incredible instinct for design and brand. Whether it’s refining a new product concept for Signs and Mirrors or thinking through the vibe of a shoot for Opening Soon, she sees things I miss. Where I might move quickly to get something out the door, she’ll always pause and refine to try to make it perfect.
A lot of what makes our work stand out comes from that balance. I push things forward, she elevates them. Her taste, her attention to detail, her ability to know when something feels off.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired tomorrow, I think our customers would miss how personal everything feels. We answer every message ourselves. We care about the details. If something goes wrong, we fix it. If a customer has a weird install question six months later, we’re still here. People trust us because they know we’re not phoning it in. We actually give a sh*t. And I think that’s rare. So if we disappeared, I don’t think they’d just miss the product. They’d miss having a team that really had their back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.signsandmirrors.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signsandmirrors/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/signsandmirrors/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@openingsoonpodcast
- Other: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/
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