Pro Audio Anniversary: Our Founder/CEO Reflects Back On Year One
It’s been exactly one year since we first announced LEA Professional to the Pro Audio/AV industry. And in that year, what started as a vision, rapidly unfolded into reality. Now, 365 days later, our humble startup, is transformed into a real force within professional audio. The Shark Fin logo has traveled the world far and wide and at every step, we’ve been met with excitement and encouragement. So today, as LEA turns one year old, we’d like to reflect on the progress we’ve made in such a short time. And who better to do that, than our very own Founder and CEO, Blake Augsburger.
Q: It’s been one year since announcing LEA Professional in 2019 – what thoughts or emotions come to mind when you think about that?
[BA] As an entrepreneur there are many different emotions to manage and overcome during the evolution of a start-up. For me, the excitement of creating, solving problems and rising to the challenge far outweighed any doubts or fears. It has definitely been exciting seeing the business come together and the vision become a reality.
Q: What were your visions at the start and have you met or even surpassed them?
[BA] I was driven by the opportunity to build a company. I wanted to draw on the lessons I have learned throughout my career, both good and bad. We needed to create a differentiated product, build a global sales channel, hire a world-class team, created an exciting brand, and design an efficient low-cost infrastructure. We have met those goals and far exceeded my greatest expectations.
Q: How has LEA grown as a company over the past year?
[BA] LEA is no longer a start-up experiment but a true operating business entity. Our brand is recognized, and our product is being installed and specified by integrators and consultants around the world. We have moved with great speed and enthusiasm and have gotten the attention of the market. It is the customer that judges and determines success or failure and it looks like we are passing the test.
Q: In your opinion, what have been the company’s greatest accomplishments so far?
[BA] Creating a differentiated product that solves the needs of the integrator. We sell to professional integrators that in-turn use our product to generate their revenue and profits. Hopefully our CLOUD based solutions offer that new revenue generating opportunity. It also looks and sounds amazing. 😎
Q: What has been your favorite part about starting a new company?
[BA] I love being back in the Pro Audio space; the unlimited market opportunities, the global expanse, the technology use capabilities, and most importantly all the interesting people who are life-long audio enthusiast and who share my passion. This is so much fun!
All of us at LEA would like to take this moment to thank Blake for bringing us along on this journey to fulfill this shared vision. We all believe in this company full-heartedly and we all proudly fly the Shark Fin flag. And while it’s been an amazing year and we’re proud of everything we’ve accomplished together, we’re even more excited about the future. We’ve been building on the momentum of the past year and cant wait to share what we’ve been cooking up.
Going into our second year of business, we’ll be kicking things off with some exciting announcements starting at ISE in Amsterdam. Be sure to follow our Show Report for the latest news and updates and we hope to see you at the show (Booth #15-T305).
If you have any questions or feedback, please drop a comment below or reach out to us on our social media channels.
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