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CLOSE UP
MART BUSINESS PEOPLE know that to be suc-
cessful, you’ve got to keep your nose to the
grindstone. But Mike Szymczak also kept his
ear to the rails, listening for opportunities to
capitalize on consumer trends—and what he
heard was growing interest in portable speaker technol-
ogy. In 2009 his company, Costa Mesa, California sup-
plier OrigAudio (ORIG44), introduced the Fold N’ Play
Speaker. “OrigAudio was the first company to develop
on-demand, custom-printed speakers and other elec-
tronics,” says Szymczak. “Therefore, it was a no-brainer
to become an industry supplier.”
The Fold N’Play speaker was named one of
Time
magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year in 2009, and
since then Szymczak and company co-founder Jason
Lucash have continued to develop and launch three to
four products a year.
A Chicago native, Szymczak lives in Costa Mesa with
his dog, Briggs. His family includes mom Sue, dad Jim,
brother Steve and sister Sarah. When he’s not working,
you can find him playing sports, walking on the beach
with Briggs, or traveling to new places. “I have been
extremely lucky in my past and present career positions,
which have allowed me to see the world,” he says.
Jen Alexander is an associate editor at
PPB
.
How and when did you enter the promotional products
industry?
I have been involved in the promotional products
industry pretty much since my first job out of college around
2006. I worked on the distributor/client side, sourcing products
for marketing platforms on behalf of my end-user clientele.
What is your current position?
I am the co-founder at
OrigAudio, but I find myself wearing so many hats on a day-
to-day basis, from painting trade-show booths to developing
new innovative products.
What was your first job, and what lessons did you learn?
My
first job was at a local TrueValue store when I was 15. It was
strenuous work and lots of hard labor for the minimum wage I
was making. I learned the true value of a dollar (pun intended),
basic household repairs (What 15-year-old knows that stuff
these days?) and, most important, that you must work hard in
life to get where you want to be.
What piece of advice would you share with an industry new-
comer?
Learn from the mistakes of others and don’t create
your own lessons, which basically means utilize the tools that
are available to newcomers.
Who do you consider to be your mentors?
I had the honor of
working closely with Skip Yowell, the founder of JanSport, and
one of the best pieces of advice he gave me was, “Take your
business very seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.” Of
course life is a serious thing, but you can't get overwhelmed by
it all.
What motivates you?
I am really motivated and driven by
being the one company that brings the newest and most inno-
vative products to the promotional products market. I feed off
of the industry’s positive response to what our company is try-
ing to do, shaking up an old way of thinking about this indus-
try. I’m also motivated by striving to be the best I can be, and
leaving others with a positive lasting impression of me.
What promotional product do you wish you had invented?
The t-shirt. Show me one person who has never received a free
t-shirt as a giveaway, and I will show you thousands who have
a drawer full.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
Taking a dream, mixing in some drive and turning it into a
reality. I am certainly also proud of the awards and recognition
that have stemmed from our entrepreneurial journey:
Time
magazine Top 50 Inventions of the Year; “Shark Tank”;
Entrepreneur
magazine awards.
If you were to write a book about your life, what would the
title be?
Kids, Try This At Home
86 •
PPB
• JANUARY 2015
CONNECT
Mike Szymczak (left) and Jason Lucash, co-founders of
OrigAudio, celebrate a recent achievement.
S
Loud And Clear