Paul Orfalea

Paul Orfalea is the founder of Kinko’s, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, investing guru, and sought-after speaker whose story of turning learning challenges into business breakthroughs has inspired audiences worldwide. Starting with a single 100-square-foot copy shop near UC Santa Barbara in 1970, Paul grew Kinko’s into a global network of over 1,200 locations with $2 billion in annual sales and 23,000 employees before selling to FedEx in 2004. Fortune Magazine named Kinko’s one of the best places in America to work three years in a row.

Turning Disabilities into Superpowers
Paul struggled through school with conditions now recognized as dyslexia and ADHD – flunking grades, being expelled from multiple schools, and graduating near the bottom of his high school class. Rather than viewing these as limitations, he credits them as the blessings that allowed him to see the world differently from his peers. Because he could not operate the machines or manage detailed paperwork, he built a culture of trust and teamwork, empowering employees and staying laser-focused on the customer experience and big-picture strategy.

Giving Back and Looking Forward
Today Paul remains active in business through his work on the Investment Committee of West Coast Asset Management and serves as a visiting professor at several universities including USC and UC Santa Barbara. Through the Orfalea Foundation, he champions early childhood education, learning differences awareness, and intergenerational programs. He is the author of Copy This! and Two Billion Dollars in Nickels.

Paul’s keynotes deliver candid, energetic lessons on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the power of viewing perceived weaknesses as the foundation for extraordinary success.

Business Motivation

Customer Loyalty

Early Care Importance

Entrepreneurship

Financial Management

Global & Current Events

Investing

Learning Differences

Work-Life Balance