PeopleFund Blog

Dan Graham of BuildASign.com featured in March PeopleTalk

High Tech CEO hosts Entrepreneur Education Series Lecture at Alamo Drafthouse

Austin, Texas – PeopleFund announces the first of its 2014 PeopleTalk Speaker Series, which will features the inspiring Dan Graham, founder/CEO of BuildASign.com, on Thursday, March 6th at 11:30am at the Alamo Drafthouse Village.

PeopleTalk stimulates the entrepreneurial aspirations of Austinites who want to open, maintain, or grow a small business. The talks are filled with success stories, advice on savvy business choices, and lessons learned from some of our community’s most experienced and successful entrepreneurs. Past speakers include John Paul DeJoria, CEO of Paul Mitchell Systems, an internationally acclaimed hair products company, Roy Spence and Judy Trabulsi of GSD&M, Austin’s homegrown advertising empire, and Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas.

Graham will discuss his experience starting and growing BuildASign.com, an Austin company with more than 270 employees and $57 million in revenue last year. BuildASign.com has been repeatedly recognized for its philanthropic business model and as one of the best places to work in Austin. The successful company was also recently named to the Forbes 2014 list of America’s Most Promising Companies.

“People Talk is one of our favorite events because it aligns perfectly with our mission. We are honored to have Dan Graham join our list of distinguished speakers” said PeopleFund President & CEO, Gary Lindner. He also commented, “We are most grateful to American Bank for their sponsorship of the event.”

“American Bank is proud to support the impactful efforts of PeopleFund,” expressed Robert Greenwood, President of the Austin Region with American Bank.  “For over 40 years, American Bank has worked alongside small business owners to help them build their enterprises.  We look forward to hearing Dan Graham share the inspirational story of BuildASign at PeopleTalk.”

Interested parties should register at peoplefund.org/peopletalk. The event costs $15 and includes lunch and beverage.

PeopleFund

Peoplefund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Established in 1994, it is a U.S. Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and SBA certified lender. PeopleFund provides business loans up to $250,000 to Texas businesses that lack access to traditional financing. It also provides clients business assistance and education. 89% of loans are to a target market of minority, women, and veteran business owners and those residing in low to moderate income census tracts. Over 50% of loans go to startup businesses and high social impact nonprofits. Through access to capital and education, PeopleFund creates economic opportunity and financial stability to build healthy small businesses.

Buildasign.com

BuildASign.com is a leading online custom printing provider. Proprietary web-based technology lets customers place their online custom signage and home decor orders quickly and easily, while an innovative production system ensures that each high quality piece prints and ships with industry-leading speed. Founded in 2005, the Austin-based company – which also operates Easy Canvas Prints — has been bootstrapped to great success, with more than 270 employees, $57 million in revenue and operations in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Germany. Through the BuildASign.com Giving Program, the company has contributed more than $600,000 to over 750 local and national nonprofits. It has also received national recognition for its donation of more than 300,000 Welcome Home banners to friends and families of returning military service members, valuing over $9 million.

American bank

American Bank was founded in 1970 in Corpus Christi, and is the largest locally-owned and independent financial institution in that area, with assets totaling over $1.2 billion as of September 30, 2013.  Recognizing the need for a strong community bank with a local board that specializes in financial solutions for small- to-mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals and executives, the bank entered the Austin market in 2001 with a Westlake branch, now located at 3520 Bee Caves Road.  Two additional Austin locations have been added:  Downtown, at 620 Congress, Suite 100, and Lakeway, at 1008 RR 620 S.  Executive Offices for the Austin region were opened in the One American Center building at 600 Congress, Suite 1850, in downtown Austin in April, 2013.  Ten other offices are located in Texas:  six in Corpus Christi, and one each in Port Aransas, Rockport, Goliad and Victoria.  The bank offers a full range of mortgage lending services and trust and asset management services.  A full range of non-bank investment services is also available through American Investment Services, a division of Herndon Plant Oakley Ltd., member FINRA/SIPC

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