BuildASign.com

Dan Graham = Nad Maharg = Mahargdom

2008-05-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a purely personal blog. Dan Graham blog now live!

I think the Austin League will be a great organization, but until I have some time to devote to it, it will remain an idea. Until that time comes I recommend everyone read my new blog and as always, buy some real estate signs

Dan Graham

Brainwave Recognition

2008-02-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

There's an interesting new blog about brainwave recognition out there called http://www.braingizmos.com. I know it's interesting because I write it!

Las Vegas anyone?

2007-03-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

I was just wondering, how much the city of Las Vegas paid the annual ISA show to be in Las Vegas. I mean, just think of how much additional gambling money the internation craze of sign purchasing must bring.

Most people probably still don't realize just how reliant the Las Vegas economy is on signage. Without the annual conference and the reliance on signage, what would Las Vegas really be? Just a desert...

Speaking of Google...

2007-03-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's getting closer to the BuildASign.com trip to the Googleplex. In mid-April, we will be heading to San Francisco to meet with Google and to explore the mysteries of Googleplex. From free 24-hour cafeterias to cycling swimming pools to 3-D Globes showing searches, Google has spent a lot of money and a lot of time designing a place that is both attractive to potential employees and encouraging to existing employees.

It's probably true that most companies don't have the vast billions of dollars of profit each year to afford such things, but there is a lesson to be learned, or at least a question to be posed. How far do things like free food and activities go within in a company to promote morale, efficiency, intensity and of course, long work hours? Most people work 8 hours a day and then go home, but why go home when the food at work is free and the work out facilities are better than your local gym?

Extravagant ameneties are often regarded as a failed experiment of the dot-com bust, but one has to wonder what our offices would look like today if the investors hadn't pulled their money from the thousands of companies that went belly-up in the '90s. Perhaps they'd all have swimming pools, bean bag chairs and cafeterias.

It's hard to look at Google's success and especially their bottom line and say with certainty that they're not onto something with their employee generosity.

Google Money?

2007-03-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

It appears the direction some software giants are trying to move in is that of the "Virtual PC." Imagine a time when your PC is no longer a tangible thing. Your PC, or personal computer, is just a collection of data (emails, documents, music, pictures) that is stored on some network of servers in a building 10,000 miles away. All you have to do is find any computer with a web browser, and you have access to your entire life.

Many techno-worriers believe that this is an evil, invasive model. And while it's true that if a company has the most intimate details of your life on their servers, they hold a great deal of power, and potential for misconduct. I, however, being a lover of all things technical, don't hold this same idea.

I believe that companies like Google, are trying to do a number of different things by virtualizing your PC, but fraud is not one of them. If you consider the potential benefits of Google having all of your information, most of them pretty standard business ideas. For example, if Google has all of your information, they have the most complete demographic profiling capabilities in probably the entire world. They can charge top dollar for people to advertise on their sites, because they know exactly what you, as a consumer, are looking for on a day to day basis. They also have unlimited control regarding where they push those ads on you.

Another point is that if Google turns your PC into an idea, rather than a box, they are taking the power away from the computer hardware, and traditional software companies of the world, and putting it into the hands of the online software companies, the world that Google rules. "Why do I need a brand new desktop PC with Windows Vista, when all of my stuff runs awesome on my 5 year old XP computer?"

I am all for it. I think it's great that when I see an ad in my Gmail account, it's going to be perfectly tailored to what I am looking for. I love the idea that I will able to have all the same productivity on my 5 year old laptop for free that I would on a brand new desktop, loaded with the $500 copy of MS Office.

My only question is, now that I have seen Google Mail, Docs, Spreadsheets, and Pics, where is Google Money? I could really use some free budgeting software right now . . .

. . . . BUY A SIGN! =) www.buildasign.com

It Takes Money to Make Money - The importance of a good credit score

2007-03-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are many ways to make a good living in America. If you have nothing more than a high school education and a good credit score, you are in a better position than you may think. I have been doing a good bit of observing the world around me since I have been in business for myself, and I have seen a fair number of people in my little corner of the world who make an astounding living for themselves with nothing more than good credit, and some simple business sense.

With good credit, you become eligible for things like small business loans and lines of credit. You can give your gross annual income a pretty significant face-lift by using those lines to start a business, or lend to others at an adjusted interest rate, or even purchase a ratty home, and fix it up to resell.

America is the land of opportunity, true, but many of these opportunities will come and go if you are not responsible with your credit. Ye Olde Credit Folklore would have you believe that it takes 7 years to recover from the black marks of "In Collections." This does not seem to be the case. Even if your score is below 500, as long as you can settle the debt in a reasonable manner for the collection agency, your credit score will bounce back pretty quickly, and could be in the 700's in less than 2 years.

With your new and improved credit score, the only thing left to master is a pretty simple rule of business that any stockbrocker or real estate agent would tell you: Whatever it is, buy low, sell high. And if you need a sign, design one at BuildASign.com™

Schneider Time

2006-06-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Buildasign.com is sponsoring a Bob Schneider concert downtown. A promoter called us up and asked if we'd like to sponsor the local event and we said we would, and the whole process reminded me of all the strange calls we get requesting trades, barters, in exchange for money or signs.

A lot of people are call trying to get a "good cause" discount or handout, but a lot of people feel as though they need to at least be offering SOMETHING.

One guy called up and wouldn't say why he was calling, only that it involved a great opportunity and that he had to speak to a manager or the CEO or someone like that. I took the phone call because it sounded strange from the description, and a little strangeness is oftentimes just what you need at the officeplace. The gentleman on the phone explained to me that he had a private island in the caribean with a resort that he wanted to "lend out" in exchange for about a $1,000 worth of signage.

I know the market for luxury private island resorts is a little flooded right now, but even that sounded a little too low.

Fringeware anyone?

2006-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

What's the new way to make money in the business world? Give your services away for free! In a constant fluctuating marketplace, there is constant pressure to lower prices and beat out competition. So how can you be assured a spot above your comptetion? Give away your quality services and you'll be amazed how many customers you get.

Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that your company throw away all hopes of making income, I am suggesting, however, that the best way to make money might not be by selling your services!

Consider network TV stations. They show programs and shows during the day and night, and how much do they charge? Nothing. They make their money through fringe channels, namely, advertisers.

Not convinced? Consider Google. Google is a search engine and software company. They strive to provide fast results, large email accounts and quick desktop access to all internet users. How much do they charge for these services? Nothing! They make millions and millions of dollars selling advertising.

At BuildASign.com, we call this Fringeware. Offering a service or a good that is in itself free, the offering and success of which creates avenues of income on the "fringes" of your service or product that does not result directly from the sale of that service or product.

You see it more than you think, but it is taking companies like Google and Yahoo to show us how powerful it can be. From free self-serve icecream at Jason's Deli, to free TV shows, to free search engines, fringeware is beginning to show its power.

Coming up with ways to provide free services isn't always as difficult as it may seem, and there are a few ways to take advantage of traffic drawn to those free services. Both indirect (like advertising) and direct (like Run-Tex giving out free water on the hike and bike trail).

Consider a movie theatre. What would happen if they began giving popcorn out for free? Would they lose millions? Or would they create millions of extremely thirsty customers willing to buy $8.00 colas?

Fringeware is coming...

Saturday at the Office

2006-06-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Sitting here at the office on Saturday afternoon, I am haunted by horrible images...

Not so much crime, trajedy, death, poverty or anything like that, but the recent movie, The Proposition. I saw this movie last night and it is the time in a long-time that I actually fell asleep during a movie, and more than once! The sleep did not last long, however, as there was frequently a stabbing, shooting or beheading to jolt me awake.

How could a movie filled with such violence be so boring and slow that I could fall asleep during it? I'm not really sure either. I suppose in that small, upsetting way, it was an impressive movie...

Midnight Party at City Hall

2006-06-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

So, I went to City Hall yesterday evening, foolishly believing the paper when it said that the McMansion issue would begin at 6:00pm. I wanted to go hear what people had to say on the issue and what the outcome was. I arrived a bit late (near 6:45) and when I got there, speaches were being given by various Council staff, saying goodbye and giving gifts to the two outgoing Council members. A couple of Gongs, a painting of what could only be Jesus walking on water, and their names forever affixed to a new gym and disc-golf course.

The issue ended up being decided at about 3:35am. Council voted to approve the plan. No more big houses.

I suppose it's not too bad, running 7 hours behind if you are only meeting once a week or so. I would imagine putting off the most important issues until the very end of a predictably over-scheduled day is a strategy the City uses to cut down on the number of people who will stick around to talk or speak on the issue.

The Joy of Craig's List

2006-06-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

As an employer, one of the time consuming parts of my job is hiring new employees. You have to come up with an ad, figure out a place to put the ad, pay for the ad, make sure everything is spelled correctly, wait for the ad to hit the market, field phone calls and resumes, set up appointments, interview, make a decision and hire someone, have them start, train them and then finally, you've added one more person to your team.

Occasionally this process takes so long that the services of temp agencies are necessary, charging you 80% more than you'd pay yourself and paying the employee 80% less than they'd be making directly.

Craig's List solves this problem. Within an hour of placing an ad for nearly any type of position (from customer service, to production, to programmer) at least 5 emailed responses, complete with resume, will hit your inbox. Filtering and setting up appointments is easy and nearly instant and you can often have the position filled within a couple of days.

Craig's List is still free in Austin for posting (they charge in, I believe, New York and San Francisco to make all their revenue).

Kinky's Big Adventure

2006-06-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks for calling the Kinky-Hotline. How may I be of service?

There are really only three parties that ever run for any kind of office here in Texas. You've got your Republicans, your Democrats and your Anti-Democrats. Anti-Democrats of course being any other party with a candidate who, in the end, serves to dilute the Democratic vote into failure.

Don't get me wrong. Everyone has a right to voice their own opinions and to run for office on their own platform, it's just unfortunate that all those unique opinions out there belong to what would otherwise likely be Democratic votes.

Today, Kinky voiced his concern about school finance package, campaign reform, and whats more? His desire to spend his time in office fielding phone calls from Texas yokels.

Kinky unveiled a brilliant plan to set up a phone line to allow Texans to speak directly to their governor. Why? I'm not sure, but that will be the first question I ask him when I call his Kinky-Line (official name). Following that question will be my requests for recipe tips, dating advice and the dealer who provides him with those cubans.

No More Mansions?

2006-06-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

The city is voting this week to limit the sizes of houses in various neighborhoods throughout the city (48 different hoods). The sizes would be limited to the larger of 2,300 sqft or 40% of the total lot size.

This puts into conflict, two competing rights. The rights of the existing home owner to enjoy their home as they purchased it (with a view of the sun, the treeline, the skyline, birds, sky, grass and whatnot -- and the general feeling that their house is tiny), and the rights of the homeowner to develop their property however they see fit.

Over the years, many neighborhoods have developed covenants and agreements that run with the purchase of neighboring houses to keep out monstrous development, but some obviously did not. So now we have an ever more succesful Austin producing wealthier and wealthier homeowners who in turn would like a larger, nicer house.

So what do we do? Do we restrict homeowners from participating in a more free market for home devleopment? If we don't, it might even drive out long time residents who cannot afford to pay increased property taxes due to rises in property value from neighboring home improvements. On the other hand, by restricting development within Austin, we will be driving the wealthy outside the city where their higher tax dollars will go to the development of Leander or Liberty Hill.

Without a doubt, markets are often in need of regulation when there is a clear and obvious threat or concern where such threat or concern would be ameliorated by a rule or regulation. Here though, the benefits and detriments of either course of action are not clear and so I say, let the market govern.

Markets, when operating correctly, are amazing things. They find the best suited buyer, the best product, the best price and the best balance of all things that are beneficial.

When in doubt, use the market.

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The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and vote on rules to limit home sizes at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 325 of One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road.

The City Council will hold a public hearing and vote on the rules at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 301 W. Second St.

A Changing Austin

2006-06-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

Austin has been changing a lot recently and is about to change a lot more. From the tearing down of old venues, to the construction of new ones, Austin is definitely on the move. But to where?

I own a business based here in Austin called BuildASign.com and this site is my outlet to discuss and track all that is Austin. I have a law degree from the University of Texas and a BS in Computer Science. I have lived in Austin all my life and don't plan on moving.