Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Dannis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Joe. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I graduated from Gallaudet University, I decided I wanted my own small business. My father gave me $1,000 as a graduation gift. I started Sign-A-Tee, shirts with cool Deaf slogans. I could buy a lot of shirts for $1000, and I sold them out of the back of my car. Everything I made, I put back into the business. Eventually, I moved West and had a book store in Berkeley, focusing on Deaf customers and American Sign Language (ASL). Before long, I felt I could publish something myself. I found Deaf artists and created my first coloring book, then five more. In the mid-80s, I had my first success on a very large scale. I produced and published Signing Naturally, the most widely used ASL instructional materials. I moved the growing business to San Diego in the 90s. The company just celebrated its 40th year in business. My journey as an entrepreneur was not a glamorous and instant pathway to success. There were many long nights with nothing to eat but peanut butter sandwiches. For a while, I lived in a camper. One thing I’ve always had plenty of is passion for business, and a deep passion for ASL, Deaf culture, and the Deaf community. It’s my community and my language, and it’s been a great ride.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think one obvious challenge, especially in the early days, was being a Deaf entrepreneur. When I started my business in the late 70s, there was no smartphone, no internet, no email. Simple things hearing entrepreneurs take for granted like communicating with vendors and potential sales outlets took creativity and endurance. On the production side, I used to drive to the printer so I could review proofs in person, ask questions I had. On the sales side, I drove to many colleges to pitch Signing Naturally in person. At first, some of the schools didn’t even have a VHS player, and video is the centerpiece of teaching and learning a visual language like ASL. Similar to how business technology advanced and helped remove some of my obstacles, the technology used for our products has steadily improved. Although keeping up with the rapid changes in technology presents its own challenges! It is never boring!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with DawnSignPress – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
DawnSignPress is a media and publishing house that develops, produces and publishes quality ASL and Deaf culture-related materials. We are known for our high quality and our ability to do a phenomenal job capturing ASL on video. For many years I’ve been obsessed with developing a variety of skills in-house. We do everything ourselves from design to shipping orders and everything in between. I’m proud that we employ Deaf in jobs that may not be accessible to them in other companies. There are a few more Deaf than hearing employees, the mix offers great opportunities to learn and grow for everyone. Everyone in our company can sign.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the weather, I hate the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6130 Nancy Ridge Dr
San Diego, CA 92121-3223 - Website: https://www.dawnsign.com
- Phone: Video Phone: (858) 768-0428 Toll Free: (800) 549-5350 Voice: (858) 625-0600
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnsignpress/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnSign
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawnsignpress
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dawnsignpress-san-diego
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/dawnsignpress
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