David G. Donald can trace his entrepreneurial roots to his mother, who operated her own small business as a single mom. When he started his professional career, Donald co-founded Keystone Staffing with his mother, leaning on her business experience to guide them.
Donald eventually moved on to another staffing company, where he met Ryan Clark. In 2005, the pair founded PeopleShare, the staffing firm where Donald serves as co-CEO. The business has grown to one of the 100 largest staffing companies in the country and has been recognized on the Inc. 500 and Best Places to Work lists multiple times. Along the way, PeopleShare acquired companies in Virginia, Illinois, and North Carolina, and now operates in 8 states with more than 40 offices.
The company aims to grow to 49 offices this year through organic growth and acquisitions. “We’re going to add companies to our portfolio that fit our niche business model,” the company said. Company leaders envision growing to 75 offices and $375 million in revenue in the next five years.
The culture built under Donald’s leadership makes PeopleShare stand out, Donald’s team said.
“Dave believes in investing in our employees and creating a culture of innovation where employees’ ideas and feedback are heard and taken seriously,” his team said. “Last year, PeopleShare started paying back employees’ student loans — $250/month directly to the lender. We’re one in 1,000 companies that pay student loans to this level. This year, PeopleShare saw a drastic increase in the cost of medical benefits, like many businesses did. Not 1% of that increase was passed onto employees. When the HR director presented Dave with the news of the increase, his response was immediate and simple: ‘PeopleShare will pick up 100% of the increase.’”
PeopleShare has received numerous awards and recognitions under Donald’s leadership, including Forbes 2021 America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms, Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work for 10 consecutive years, and Inc. Magazine’s 500 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania.
Donald was recognized as Smart CEO Top 50 CEOs to watch and was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. He serves on the advisory board for Temple University’s Fox School of Business. He is an alumnus of the college, where he also played football.
“To lead is to inspire. If your passion is genuine and authentic, people will not only follow you, they will propel you,” he said.