Check Out David Druckerman’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Druckerman.

Hi David, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started my journey in the sign industry while attending North Hollywood High School in the early 80’s. I needed to find a job and learned of the job board at the school. I saw a posting for a company called Executive Designs. Since I had a passion for graphic design and art in general I was really excited. Upon going for an interview I learned that they were a sign company that mainly manufactured interior signage. I learned a lot over the next few years and was made foreman. After 3 1/2 years I left that company and went to another, Sign Exchange, Inc. I learned even more with them as they also manufactured a lot of exterior and illuminated signs. My role went from doing layouts to sales and project management. I had worked for a few other sign companies over the decades of my signage journey.
I had a six year stint in NYC where I got to experience installing signage in a cold, snowy and frequently wet environment. Also, using public transit to go on sales calls and installations was a new challenge. Returning to the valley in 2012 I started my own company with a business partner and grew that company pretty well. After investing nine years building the company my partner and I had a falling out and in 2021 I started Designage Inc on my own with no capital and a handful of clients. I worked out of my apartment in Woodland Hills and built a 4′ X 8′ work table in my kitchen. I leased a vinyl plotter and set that up in the living room. There were days when my entire apartment had signs and graphics laid out waiting to be installed. I was starting to get a few large new construction projects and need ed to obtain a sign installers contractors license. I ended up becoming good friends with another sign shop owner in Burbank. She gave me a key to her shop and let me use equipment that I didn’t have. Her help and friendship has been invaluable in more ways than one. After about a year of working out of my apartment my signage colleague leased me some space in the back of her shop. I ended up moving from Woodland Hills to Burbank. Not only is Burbank a gem but since most of my clients are downtown I saved a lot of time calling on clients and installing.
During this time I hired my first full time employee, Aaron. He has proved to be a great asset as he is eager to learn and has a good heart. I have thrown a lot at him and he continues to perform well. After a year of subleasing we secured our own 2000 square foot facility right off the 5 fwy and Magnolia Blvd. We got some new equipment and proceeded to work on growing the business. I joined the Burbank Chamber of Commerce where I like to be of service.
About me personally. I was born to a single mother in Bronx, NY. We moved out to SoCal when I was six and a half years old so we could be close to the majority of our extended family. I come from that generation where we ran around barefoot most of the time and came home when the street lights came on. We lived in a small one bedroom apartment in Canoga Park. My mom gave me the bedroom and she had a daybed set up in the living room. I would say I had a decent enough childhood considering there was no father present. I loved to draw as a child, especially designing floor plans of dream houses and motor homes. I started working at the age of 10 delivering newspapers on my bicycle. I grew my route from 36 to over 100 in a year. Back then we had to go around once a month to collect the subscription fees. A few years later I wanted to get an aquarium so I got a job at a tropical fish store and worked for credit. I did the same thing at a local waterbed store.
In my early to mid teens my mom and I were fighting a lot and I ended up going to live in a boys home for a couple of years. There was no violence and I never got in any trouble with the law. It was a decision that was made after seeing a social worker. The home was located in North Hollywood and I attended high school there. After I moved back home in Canoga Park I would commute back to NHHS. I was on the swim team and was able to win a couple of medals. It was only during the junior year. When I was 15 I got a summer job working at a deli in Studio City. Starting working the counter then waiting tables. That was a good experience.
I was in a terrible car accident just after turning 18. I was in intensive care for 10 days then spent the next six weeks in traction and going in for surgery. I was in my senior year and it I missed an entire semester. Classmates would bring me my assignments to complete while I was in the hospital. When I left the hospital I was in a wheelchair and had to have a hospital bed set up in our apartment. My best friend came to stay with us so my mom could get back to work. I was going through physical therapy and remember the first time I was able to wiggle one of my toes. I went back to school on crutches and then went back to work. The good folks at Executive Designs were kind enough to hold my job for me.
I was in a relationship from age 23 to 26. At the beginning of our third year together he came down with cancer and passed away in his sleep in our apartment. My mother passed away the following year and my aunt the year after that. It was truly a very rough time as the three most important people in my life had left in a very short period of time. That led to some drug use. I continued to work and try to excel, although looking back I spent a lot of time just getting by. I started going to AA meetings in 2014. My life started to improve and excel. I’ve battled three different cancers and so far so good. I must add that the battles weren’t that difficult as I had been lucky only having to receive radiation for one of them.
The thing I have loved the most about my career is working with people and seeing the joy on their faces after we’ve installed their signage. Signage is like the icing on the cake for a business. I have always sided with the underdog and had a disdain for injustice. To this day I remain close with my cousins and their children who are now in their 20’s and 30’s. I can’t begin to say how important family is. Friendship is just as important, there aren’t many but they are close. I continue to work on growing my business while being the best person I can be. I am grateful for my life so far and am excited to see what the future holds.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Since going out on my own business has been like a roller coaster. The economy has not been very favorable. Getting capital is very difficult.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specifically named my company Designage as a combination of the words Design and Signage as I would like to do more creative stuff. Currently we are doing a lot of code required signs. We can make them more attractive and elaborate but the client would need to be willing to spend more.
There are some projects on our website that I am very proud of. One is Hope+Flower, and the reason is because We got to do a lot of graphics that really make the property pop. Another is a giant wall graphic we did at the Burbank Town Center. There is a video of that playing on the main page of our website.
What sets us out from others is we care about our clients needs and aren’t focused on upselling unless it will be beneficial. We also use quality materials and have a quick turnaround. We have integrity which is rare these days.
We visit our clients at their place of business, take measurements and photos if they cannot provide. We also make recommendations which is part of a consultation and in most cases is free.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Refer business, invite us to be part of a project.

Pricing:

• Varies
• Everything is custom

Contact Info:

• Website: https://designageinc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designageinc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designageinc
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1707317
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@designageinc6709
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/designage-burbank?osq=signage&override_cta=Request+quote+%26+availability