Copycats Get Inspired by Kinko’s CEO

Consider Paul Orfalea a regional success story which literally led to a lot of copying. Delivering the presentation “Own It: Thinking Like an Owner in Business and Life,” the founder of Santa Barbara-spawned photocopy centers Kinko’s shared his insights, anecdotes and philosophies at California Lutheran University’s Entrepreneurship Speaker Series. In his youth, Orfalea endured dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and at the Oct. 3 talk at Gilbert Arena, the restless and colorful eccentric abandoned the podium to instead walk the aisle among some 300 in attendance. Orfalea launched Kinko’s in 1970 as a tiny University of California – Santa Barbara-adjacent shop. “I’m really good at one thing,” the entrepreneur told the crowd. “I know how to get out of work.” The businessman said he invested trust and kindness in well-selected employees rather than keep banker’s hours. “I’m not a guilt-ridden owner,” Orfalea said. “I own it, I don’t have to be there if I want to.” Time, he realized early on, not money, was a person’s most precious commodity, and he aimed to master it. “You don’t love your business,” he said. “You enjoy your business, you love your family. You own (a business); it does not own you.” Orfalea, who said anyone could invest in copy machines and paper, chalked up his company’s success to its customer service and 24/7 schedule. He admitted that his business could not have remained viable a decade later, especially with advent of the home laser printer. By 2004, when FedEx Corp. acquired his enterprise and rebranded it FedEx Kinko’s, Orfalea had grown the company to more than 1,000 locations worldwide. Waxing philosophically, Orfalea said, “To be successful in life, three things need to be in balance: work, love, play.” Then, in an incredibly candid moment, he reflected on his own life’s imbalance — losing a child, holding his marriage together, but “ultimately we got divorced, I’m not proud of that.” Today, Orfalea is master of his own time, transmitting his experiences through his writings, speeches and college courses while supporting philanthropy in children’s development and other causes. During the question segment, one person asked the founder what his company’s name meant. Kinko’s, Orfalea explained, was his wavy hair-inspired nickname. The business’ moniker worked, he continued, because “it’s got strong consonants” like Google, Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc. Orfalea admitted he “felt liberated” after unloading Kinko’s and has zero regrets. “I was always thinking about ‘how do I wipe myself out of business,’” he said, “but I got out in time.” Cal Lutheran’s Center for Entrepreneurship launched the speaker series in 2014, when founders of startup Salty Girl Seafood spoke and subsequently found an investor in the audience. Past keynote speakers include equity investor Dave Berkus, Urbane Cafe co-founder and school alumnus Tom Holt, and the creators of Canoga Park-based Eggology, Westlake Village-based audio company Blue Microphones and cinematic crowdfunding platform Seed&Spark.