Paul Orfalea is the founder of Kinko’s. Inc. Now one of the most readily identified names in the corporate world, he started the company with a single copying machine, a small loan, and a deeply held belief in the limitless possibilities of entrepreneurship. But even more than this, he believed in the power of building a foundation of strong customer relationships. Orfalea’s story, which he shares with audiences across the country and throughout the corporate and non-profit sector, speaks not only about the American Dream, but also about the personal struggles he faced during his school years as a child with dyslexia. Through his family’s charitable foundation and its support of numerous educational programs, he offers himself as a model of corporate leadership, always “putting people first” as he has since the earliest beginnings of his rise to the top of the business world.
With a single copying machine, a $5,000 loan, and an unfailing vision, Paul Orfalea built Kinko's from a one-man operation in a converted hamburger stand into a corporate powerhouse with over 1,200 branches worldwide and 23,000 co-workers.
His rise through the business world was sparked by a belief in the power of entrepreneurship and a strong commitment to customer relationships and corporate responsibility.
Paul's story is also testimony to the strength of the American Dream. A chronically struggling student, he spent his school years frustrated by severe dyslexia and educational challenges. Paul now strives to improve resources for the next generation through his family's philanthropic efforts and public speaking on early care and education, intergenerational programs and learning differences.
At the podium, Paul shares his inspiring road to success, provides an indispensable model of corporate leadership and illustrates how, in today's technologically-driven economy, putting people first is still the key to winning customer loyalty and maintaining co-worker productivity.