Paul Orfalea | Founder of Kinko's Shares Secrets of Going From a 100-Square Foot Shop to 1,000 Locations and $2 Billion in Revenues

Paul Orfalea is the Founder of the Kinko's retail chain, which was founded in Isla Vista, California in 1970. The Kinko's concept was sparked in 1969 when Paul, then a student at the University of Southern California (USC), noticed his fellow students lining up at a copy machine in a library, so he saw an opportunity there. He borrowed $5,000 from a local bank and rented a 100-square foot space next to a hamburger stand near UC Santa Barbara. This tiny Kinko's with a single copier became a huge global brand with 1,000 stores internationally and $2 billion in annual sales. Much of the success can be traced back directly to Paul's unique business philosophy, which was based on his free-thinking creative style. 

In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Paul Orfalea, the Founder of Kinko's, about how he started and scaled the Kinko's retail chain brand from one location to over 1,000 before selling it. Paul shares the lessons he learned in his entrepreneurial journey, talks about his theory of management, and explains how he transitioned to academic and philanthropic endeavors. Stay tuned.