Build A Sign

Founded in 2005 by Dan Graham, Blake Borgeson, J.R. Kraft, and Ty Barho, Build A Sign is an online provider of custom printing for signage, apparel, and home decor items. The company's genesis is a story of bootstrapping; it originated from a web development business run by the founders to make extra money while Graham attended law school. They developed the BuildASign.com platform as a side project for a local graphics company that ultimately declined to purchase it. Believing in their model of putting the sign design and approval process directly into the customer's hands online, the founders decided to launch the platform themselves. Initially, without their own manufacturing, they partnered with a local print shop and worked overnight to fulfill their first orders. This hands-on approach led them to lease their own space and printer by the end of 2005.

The business operates primarily through its e-commerce websites, such as buildasign.com for business signage and easycanvasprints.com for consumer-focused canvas prints. This model allows it to serve a fragmented market of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations requiring custom-printed materials. Revenue is generated directly from the sale of these products. The company offers a wide array of items, including vinyl banners, real estate signs, retractable banners, vehicle magnets, business cards, and canvas prints. Customers can use pre-existing templates or upload their own artwork, and the company also offers in-house design services for an additional fee. The platform's main benefit is streamlining the traditionally complex process of ordering custom print jobs, offering a convenient ordering process and direct shipping.

Build A Sign's growth trajectory was notable, bootstrapped from four founders in a small office to over 400 employees headquartered in Austin, Texas. By 2012, the company was generating nearly $50 million in annual revenue without taking on venture capital. This success culminated in its acquisition in 2018 by Cimpress (parent company of Vistaprint) for approximately $280 million. Following the acquisition, Build A Sign continues to operate as an autonomous brand, leveraging Cimpress's resources, such as its mass customization platform and procurement scale, to enhance its market position. The acquisition was also seen as a strategic move for Cimpress to utilize BuildASign's low-cost canvas print fulfillment operations.

Keywords: custom printing, online sign printing, web-to-print, signage provider, canvas prints, custom banners, business signage, promotional products, e-commerce printing, large-format printing, vehicle wraps, real estate signs, trade show displays, personalized products, mass customization, Austin startup, Dan Graham, Blake Borgeson, Cimpress acquisition, EasyCanvasPrints, AlliedShirts