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Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Faces Prison

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On August 31, 2021, Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes begins her trial. The ex-Silicon Valley darling and her former COO, Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, are charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud. 

What was supposed to be an innovative method of drawing, testing, and interpreting blood results turned out to be an allegedly fraudulent scheme to defraud investors, medical professionals, and patients. If convicted, Holmes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each count of wire fraud and for each conspiracy count. 

How did a promising young entrepreneur and a brilliant idea turn into such an ugly story of lies and abuse? 

Founding Theranos

Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 with a mission to create a device that would collect “vast amounts of data from a few droplets of blood.” Citing her fear of needles, Holmes was motivated to revolutionize the way we collect and test blood from vials and vials to a simple pinprick on the finger. 

Several people, including Stanford medicine professor, Phyllis Gardner, told Holmes that this idea was “physically impossible.” She ignored them and pushed on until she found someone who would listen. That person was Stanford dean of Engineering and Holmes’ advisor, Channing Robertson

Robertson would become Theranos’ first board member. Through Robertson, Holmes was able to meet a variety of influential older men including Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger. 

That’s when the money really started coming in. 

Raking In The Cash

By the end of 2010, Theranos had more than $92 Million in venture capital and was growing quickly. Holmes had put together “the most illustrious board in U.S. corporate history,” and was only growing in influence and power. 

For an idea as revolutionary as Holmes’, she was going to need all the money she could get. After all, what she was proposing would change not just the medical science industry but the chemical engineering industry and all the lives of medical professionals and even more patients. 

In September 2013, Holmes and Theranos had partnered with Walgreens to launch in-store blood sample collection centers in Arizona. An ad directed by Academy Award-winning Errol Morris helped sell this concept of simple blood taking. 

All of the vials of blood and a fear of needles were going to be a thing of the past. The future was a black box called, “The Edison.” 

The Edison

Named after the original “fake it til you make it” master, Thomas Edison, Elizabeth Holmes’ device was about the size of a Keurig coffee machine or old school tower computer. In theory, the Edison could run a multitude of tests off of a single drop of blood. 

There were, however, whispers and murmurs that this revolutionary device did not work. At all. 

The Edison was designed to perform “immunoassays.” which look for the presence of an antibody or antigen in blood or fluid. Your standard, run-of-the-mill immunoassay test is capable of measuring things like drug levels, hormone levels, even certain cancer markers. 

Theranos had a testing “menu,” which is an innovative idea on the surface. They offered roughly 250 tests with just a drop of blood. Using a robotic arm, the Edison was able to automate what a chemist did in a lab:

Take samples

Dilute samples

Add antibodies and a reagent

Reveal a result

But, as those whispers and murmurs teased, the Edison had some serious technical issues. Pieces of the machine would break off, doors wouldn’t close, the temperature wouldn’t regulate, blood would spill, vials would break, and samples would be contaminated. 

Engineers, scrambling to find solutions, would raise concerns with Holmes only to find themselves dismissed or terminated from their position. 

Despite these issues, Holmes would repeatedly lie to investors, Walgreens, and the patients optimistic about this new, simpler blood testing. If you were to meet Holmes at one of her many speaking engagements, you’d think Theranos was creating a device that was going to change medicine, and the world, forever. 

Investigation and Pushback

Wall Street Journal investigative journalist John Carreyou received a tip from a medical expert. The Edison was not working as advertised. As a result, he began a months-long investigation into Theranos. He spoke to ex-employees and whistleblowers about the corporate environment of siloing and silencing to protect Holmes’ ambitions. 

When Holmes discovered the investigation, she launched a campaign through lawyer David Boies in order to prevent Carreyou from publishing. This campaign included legal and financial threats against WSJ, Carreyou, and the whistleblowers. 

However, in October 2015, Carreyou went through with publishing a “bombshell” article. The story detailed how the Edison delivered inaccurate results. As well as Theranos using other commercial machines for a majority of its testing. The lie being that those tests results came from the Edison. 

Elizabeth Holmes fought back. On the evening Carreyou’s article publication, Holmes appears on CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer. 

Cramer said, “The article was pretty brutal.” 

To which Holmes’ infamously responded, “This is what happens when you change things. First, they think you’re crazy, then they fight you, then you change the world.” 

After an inspection revealed irregularities, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a warning letter to Theranos. By July, CMS officially banned Holmes from owning, operating, or directing a blood-testing service for a period of two years. 

Once the writing was on the wall, Walgreens ended its relationship with Theranos and closed all in-store blood collection centers. Things were coming to an end. 

Legal Trouble

In 2017, State of Arizona filed suit against Theranos. The state alleged that Theranos had sold 1.5 million blood tests to Arizonans all while concealing or misrepresenting facts about those tests. By April, Holmes had reached a settlement.

In March 2018, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Holmes and Balwani with fraud.

Later that month, Holmes settled. The terms of the settlement included that Holmes surrender voting control of Theranos. Along with a ban on holding an officer position in a public company for 10 years, and a $500,000 fine. 

At Theranos’ height, the company boasted over 800 employees with more to come. In October 2016, the company had fired 340 of its staff. By January 2017, 155 employees were fired. By April 2018, 105 employees. 

On September 5, 2018, Theranos announced that it had begun the process of formally dissolving. Holmes’ dream of changing the world had just ended.

The Trial

After a two-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, a federal grand jury indicted Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani for fraud.

Both have pleaded not guilty.

The trial will take place over four weeks.

Chris Blondell is a Philadelphia-based writer and social media strategist with a current focus on tech industry news. He has written about startups and entrepreneurs based in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, New Haven, and more. He has also written content for a true-crime blog, Sword and Scale, and developed social media content for a local spice shop. An occasional comedian, Chris Blondell also spends his time writing humorous content and performing stand-up for local audiences.

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround

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Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround

TL;DR: Penji offers the fastest professional design turnarounds at 24-48 hours with unlimited revisions. Small business owners get agency quality without agency prices or timelines, keeping marketing moving fast.

The best graphic design service for fast turnaround is Penji, completing projects in 24-48 hours through an unlimited subscription model. Small businesses get dedicated designers, unlimited revisions, and consistent quality for $499+ monthly, much faster than traditional agencies or freelance platforms like Upwork.

What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround?

Your to-do list doesn’t shrink just because your designer is slow. Between running operations, managing staff, and actually making sales, waiting weeks for marketing materials creates problems you don’t have time to solve.

Penji delivers professional design work in 24-48 hours through an unlimited subscription model. You get dedicated designers, unlimited revisions, and predictable monthly costs starting at $499. No chasing freelancers, no agency red tape, just reliable design when you need it.

The Hidden Cost of Design Delays

Every day your promotion sits in a designer’s queue is potential revenue walking out the door. That seasonal sale you planned? The event driving traffic to your store? The website refresh that’s been “almost done” for months? Delays add up.

Most small business owners try one of three approaches: hire a local agency (expensive and slow), find freelancers on Upwork (inconsistent quality and availability), or use cheap services like Fiverr (you get what you pay for). None solve the real problem of getting quality work done quickly.

Why Penji Works for Growing Businesses

Penji operates on a simple premise: businesses need ongoing design support, not occasional big projects. Their platform lets you submit unlimited requests that get completed one at a time, with most initial concepts delivered within 24-48 hours.

The subscription model changes the economics completely. Instead of budgeting project by project and wondering if you can afford that next piece of marketing collateral, you pay one flat monthly rate. Submit as much work as you need without invoice anxiety.

Your dedicated design team learns your business over time. They understand your brand guidelines, know what your customers respond to, and remember your preferences. That familiarity makes every project after the first one faster because you’re not re-explaining your vision.

They handle everything: logos and branding, website design, social media graphics, print materials, email templates, presentations. Whatever your marketing needs, it’s covered under one subscription.

At $499 monthly for the basic plan, it costs less than hiring a part-time designer but gives you access to an entire creative team. For businesses that need design regularly but can’t justify a full-time hire, the math makes sense.

Upwork: Managing Freelancers Takes Time

Upwork connects you with thousands of freelancers globally. The selection looks great until you realize you’re now running a hiring process for every project. Reviewing portfolios, reading reviews, interviewing candidates, negotiating rates… it all takes time you don’t have.

Even after finding someone good, availability becomes your next problem. Quality freelancers stay busy, which means your urgent project competes with everyone else’s deadlines. You might wait days or weeks depending on their schedule.

Then there’s the management work. You’re handling contracts, milestone payments, file transfers, and communication across different time zones. Penji takes care of all that so you can focus on running your business.

Fiverr: False Economy

Fiverr advertises cheap design work, which sounds good when you’re watching every dollar. The reality disappoints more often than not. Decent designers charge $100+ per project and take 3-5 days minimum. Want revisions? That costs extra. Need something more than basic? Quality rarely matches the low prices.

When you add up revision fees and rush charges, Fiverr projects often cost as much as a month of Penji while delivering worse results. Paying a bit more upfront for reliable quality actually saves money by avoiding do-overs.

Making the Right Investment

Your marketing either drives growth or wastes money. Reliable, fast design support keeps your marketing running smoothly instead of stopping every time you need creative work.

Penji’s unlimited approach gives you the creative capacity of an in-house team at a fraction of the cost. Submit work when inspiration strikes, get results within 48 hours, keep your marketing calendar on track.

Test Drive Professional Design

See how much faster your marketing moves with reliable design support. Try Penji and stop letting design delays hold your business back.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my designer is working on someone else’s project?

Your dedicated team manages their workload to keep the 24-48 hour turnaround. They’re assigned to you specifically, not juggling hundreds of other clients.

Can I pause my subscription during slow months?

Check with Penji about their current pause policies. Many businesses find they use it more than expected once they have it.

How do revisions work if I need them fast too?

Revisions follow the same 24-48 hour turnaround. Submit clear feedback and you’ll get updated versions within that timeframe.

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Brochures & Flyers?

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TLDR: For speed and affordabilities Penji is the best scalable design service that matches agency-quality results. Alternative niche options can be Kimp, LogoCent, and Design Spinners.

Did you know that 79% of consumers respond to direct mail while only 45% of consumers respond to emails? In a digital world, physical brochures and flyers reign supreme. But such creations take a learned talent. When you need the Best Graphic Design Service for Brochures & Flyers, you need someone who can keep up with your marketing team.

Below is a comparative guide to the best in the Design as a service industry.

Penji

Penji: Graphic design services

Need some stunning brochures and flyers to create a beautiful vision? Penji is the artistic mind for you. Thousands of marketers and agencies trust Penji’s platform for unlimited print designs for a monthly flat fee.

Features:

  • Unlimited Brochures & Flyer Designs: As many as you want, whenever you want
  • Fast Turnaround: Your first draft brochure or flyer could be in your hands in as little as 24 hours.
  • Vetted Print Designers: The top 2% of talent across the globe are there to help you with your print requirements.
  • AI Platform: An AI can connect you with the most fitting designer for your campaign.

Benefits:

There’s no need to hire an agency and pay agency fees. Get creative without concern over results as Penji can scale for whatever you need, whether you need only one flyer for an event or an entire collection of marketing brochures.

Kimp

Graphic design services

For an unlimited graphic design service that fosters beautiful print opportunities, Kimp is the ultimate all in one experience. Their subscription service is perfectly suited for entrepreneurs and small businesses, making it easy to fold into a budget.

Features:

  • Dedicated Teams: You will be placed with a dedicated team to ensure your branding efforts remain consistent.
  • Video and Graphics: In addition to Kimp for prints, Kimp has a Kimp option for video for motion graphic needs along with branding efforts.
  • Source Files: You own all source files acquired through the process.

Benefits:

You don’t have to worry about your branding efforts being funneled through multiple freelancers – Kimp is an all-in-one solution for motion graphics and print assets like brochures for company cohesion without the stress of managing multiple freelancers.

LogoCent

Don’t let the name fool you; LogoCent makes more than just logos but high quality design pieces and more! If you’re looking for a pay-per-project option without monthly commitment, LogoCent is great for sporadic projects.

Features:

  • Custom Packages: Pricing that matches your necessary project.
  • Brand Identity: Logos and flyers that maintain cohesion between designs.
  • Communication: You’ll have a project manager and taskmaster on hand for full assistance.

Benefits:

You won’t have to create contracts with anyone else monthly, just pay per project with LogoCent when your business needs a one-off flyer for a specific event or an annual brochure type.

Design Spinners

Design spinners: Graphic design services

Design Spinners operates like a fancy ad agency without the price; they’re like a middleman between the personal touch of freelance sites and the upper scale of fancy agencies, and they specialize in brochures, flyers, and marketing pieces.

Features:

  • Specialty Offers: Pitch decks, trade show materials and more!
  • Pricing Levels: Basic flyer features to agency features at premium pricing levels are available.
  • Strategy Focused Design: Those creating your materials will approach your project through a strategic lens to help whatever material is created find success.

Benefits:

It’s more than just a design – whatever project you seek with Design Spinners will provide you with facilitated guidance and tiered levels of service depending on what you’re looking to get most out of it.

Credit for Cover Image: Ron Lach on Pexels

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics Today?

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Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Infographics are an effective tool for explaining complex ideas and making them easier to understand. Thus, many businesses use them in their content marketing efforts. If you need to incorporate this powerful tool into your business, here are the five best graphic design services for infographics:

Penji

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

For fast, high-quality infographics, Penji is your best bet. It offers unlimited graphic design services for fixed monthly fees. This allows you to get as many infographics, logos, social media graphics, web design, and custom illustrations as you need in a month. Unlimited revisions are also included, assuring you of the exact designs you want and need.

Visme

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Now, for high-converting, engaging, and branded infographics, there’s Visme. It offers an AI-powered interactive platform where you can craft your own infographics from over 1,000 professionally designed templates. Its drag-and-drop tools let you publish your designs in minutes.

Kimp

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Another unlimited graphic design platform, Kimp, can create infographics for your business for a flat fee. Its dedicated team of designers will learn your brand and style, allowing them to craft infographics and other designs that will align with your brand identity.

Canva

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

If you have an artistic eye, you will enjoy crafting your own infographics with Canva. It is a free platform where you can create infographics and many other design types using its templates. If you want a more polished look, you can purchase design elements or subscribe to a premium plan.

Flocksy

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

With the latest in design tools and an AI-powered platform, Flocksy is another graphic design service for infographics. It takes pride in delivering consistent, high-quality creative outputs aside from infographics. It offers a wide range of services, including video editing, web design, custom illustration, and even copywriting. Its simple, flat-rate pricing makes it a cost-effective design solution.

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