Paul Orfalea

Join Paul Orfalea, the visionary founder of Kinko's, as he shares his incredible journey of turning dyslexia and ADHD into a multi-billion dollar success. Discover how he transformed a single copy machine into a thriving business by prioritizing employee engagement and real-time feedback. Paul reflects on the unconventional wisdom that the D students build the companies, while the A students work for them. He also discusses the emotional toll of entrepreneurship and the importance of self-awareness in leadership, all delivered with his signature humor and insight.

Paul Orfalea, the unconventional founder of Kinko's, shares his unique insights on business building and leadership. He discusses why it's essential to be frustrated by your team and the importance of hiring wisely. Reflecting on his own academic challenges, he emphasizes the value of practical skills over grades. Orfalea advocates for kindness and empathy in business relationships, all while redefining success through strong connections and philanthropic efforts. His tales of innovation, missed opportunities, and personal reflections make for an engaging listen.

Paul Orfalea is the legendary founder Kinko’s. If you guys haven’t heard of Kinko’s before, it was a leading retail chain for people to use copying machines in the late 90s.  Paul ran the company for 30 years, and it was later acquired by FedEx for $2.4 billion dollars in 2004! Paul is an AMAZING entrepreneur and also very humble. In this episode, Paul shares the top life and business lessons he learned over the years. Full show notes: https://okdork.com/podcast/273 Get the BEST daily deals on software at: https://appsumo.com/noah   ✉️ Signup for my weekly newsletter (I reply to emails): https://okdork.com/email-newsletter/ 

Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko's, shares his entrepreneurial journey from starting a simple copy shop in a converted hamburger stand to building a global chain. He reveals the challenges of partnering with co-owners and the complexities of running a 24-hour business. Orfalea reflects on his early struggles, the importance of customer needs, and the pivotal moments that led to rapid expansion. He candidly discusses personal challenges, the blend of luck and optimism in business, and his transition into philanthropy and teaching after selling to FedEx.

In today’s episode, we’re trying something different!   Usually, y’all know I have one guest and I ask them a whole bunch of questions.    BUT today, I have THREE guests. And I asked each of them to give me the advice they wish they could tell their 20-year-old self.   In today’s episode, you’ll hear from:   - Bing Gordon: Former chief creative officer of the video game company Electronic Arts  - Paul Orfalea: Founder of Kinkos… which sold for over $2.6 BILLION dollars!! - And Bob Metcalfe: Who invented the ethernet cable… which was the original internet.   ALL of these guys have two things in common: They’re AT LEAST 70-years-old and they’re all multi-millionaires… or billionaires!   Who better to get advice from in your 20s!? If you’ve ever wanted to learn about what 70 year-olds would tell their 20-year-old selves, you’ll love this episode.   In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: - What Bing Gordon DIDN’T do in his 20s that would have made his life a whole lot easier - The advice Paul Orfalea’s mom gave him when HE was in his 20s - And the ONE skill Bob Metcalfe wishes he learned sooner… that you can learn NOW.   Enjoy those 3 things… plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.   If today’s episode inspires you to start your own business but you don’t know where to start — join my Monthly1K course!! I just reopened it and you can join it now for just $10 bucks. Yep, it’s not a subscription. You just buy it once and I walk you step by step through how to create a one thousand dollar per month business. Head over to OkDork.com/Monthly1K to sign up. And check out TidyCal, our scheduling tool. New Mutual Availability beta feature out now! ✉️ Signup for my weekly newsletter (I reply to emails): https://okdork.com/email-newsletter/