Kinko's founder to speak to entrepreneurs

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Sept. 24, 2018) Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea will discuss the philosophy he credits for his success in business and life at the next event in California Lutheran University’s Entrepreneurship Speaker Series.

Orfalea will give a presentation titled “Own It: Thinking Like an Owner in Business and Life” during the event, which starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, in Lundring Events Center on the university’s Thousand Oaks campus.

He has used his philosophy throughout his life to turn challenges into advantages. As a young man, it helped him to create personal advantages from his dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As a budding entrepreneur, he turned the needs and problems of his customers into opportunities upon which he launched a startup. As the CEO of a rapidly growing business, he owned the challenges of motivating coworkers, managing cash flow and finding new opportunities to exploit. As an educator and philanthropist, he has owned an obligation to ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs learns from his experience. He will discuss these experiences and speak about thinking differently, thinking long-term, making tough decisions and managing a business and career.

Orfalea launched Kinko’s in 1970 as a single tiny shop near the University of California, Santa Barbara, and ended up with more than 1,000 locations worldwide before FedEx Corp. acquired the company in 2004. Over the course of his career, Orfalea has founded or partnered with more than 200 successful businesses and provided consulting expertise to another 225 organizations. Today, he shares his experiences through his writings, speeches and college courses. His philanthropic efforts focus on children’s cognitive, social-emotional and physical development.

Food will be served during a networking session at the beginning of the event. Orfalea will speak from 6:45 to 8 p.m.

The Cal Lutheran School of Management Center for Entrepreneurship launched the popular series in 2014 to provide an energetic environment where like-minded and passionate people could share their ideas and build relationships. At the first event, which featured the founders of Salty Girl Seafood, the then startup found an investor in the audience. Other past keynote speakers include serial entrepreneur and equity investor Dave Berkus, Urbane Cafe founder and Cal Lutheran alumnus Tom Holt, and the founders of Eggology, Seed&Spark and Blue Microphones.

Cal Lutheran alumna and VISIONALITY founder Emily Barany, who also launched an organization to help Thomas Fire victims, will speak at the next event on Nov. 7. 

The events are free, but registration is required. To register for the Oct. 3 event, go to CalLutheran.edu/entrepreneurship. For more information, contact Susan Wood at swood@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3091.