I’ve been a Cubs fan for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a small coal mining town in Southern Illinois, it’s something you were born into – you cheered for the Cubs or the Cardinals. Rooting for the Cubs for over 40 years, I learned a lot about disappointment, but I also [...]
Before entering the hearing healthcare industry 61 years ago, Bill Austin dreamt of becoming a doctor. He admired medical professionals and their work to save lives. He wanted to make the same impact. But with no money for medical school, Bill took a job making earpieces for hearing aids instead. One day, a man came [...]
I recently did an interview with a national news organization, about the stigma that persists around hearing aid technology. It’s this stigma that continues to be a major barrier around hearing aid adoption. The conversation was informative, and the reporter was surprised to hear that, on average, people wait seven years between noticing they have [...]
In August 2018, Starkey unveiled a new generation of hearing technology. We focused on three core principles: better hearing, Healthable™ technology and the intelligent assistant. With Livio AI, Starkey redefined the role of the hearing aid into a want-to-have device. In August 2021, we raised the bar again. Evolv AI is the second generation of [...]
I have been around the hearing industry since I was seven years old. I remember traveling to service centers as a kid and talking to people in my parents’ office, Professional Hearing Services, who were there to buy a hearing aid. As a child, I only understood a hearing aid to be a device that [...]
May is not only Better Hearing and Speech Month, but it’s also Mental Health Awareness Month. While it’s no surprise with so many worthy causes that there would be some overlap, this one in particular feels like more than just a coincidence. Better Hearing Month raises awareness about hearing health and communication disorders. It’s about [...]
They say timing is everything. At Starkey’s Hearing Innovation Expo in January 2020, I announced we just hired the hearing industry’s first and only Chief Health Officer. Two months later, a global health crisis was gripping our nation. While we had no idea a pandemic was on our doorstep, what was already an important position [...]
“Business starts with how you treat people.” I was recently asked what was one of the best pieces of business advice I’ve ever received, and that was my answer. In my role at Starkey, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of great leaders: presidents, accomplished entrepreneurs, thought leaders and trailblazers. Whenever I [...]
In life and business, we have a desire for coaches, counselors and mentors. Since 1992, I have been fortunate enough to have a front row seat to my mentor, Starkey Owner and Chairman Bill Austin. Having this steady mentor throughout my life and career has not only shaped who I am as a leader, but [...]
Mike Tyson famously said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” For most of the world, 2020 was a sharp left hook. At the start of 2020, no one could have imagined how the year would have played out. In January, Starkey hosted 3,600 hearing health care professionals from around the [...]