“Number one, don’t give up. Number two, think outside of the box. And, number three, build a strong team. If you have those three things working for you and a half-decent idea, you’ve got a good chance of making it.” – Eric Johnson (USNA ‘81)
Eric Johnson is CEO and Director at HELM Audio, a company focused on audio innovation. HELM Audio was founded in 2017 by a proven team of product developers, marketing strategists, industry veterans, and musicians who also happened to be great friends. With a passion for audio gear, great music, and the deep know-how needed to build world-class cutting-edge products, Eric and his team set out to fill a vast market gap with an ambitious brand born for music lovers who desire immersive audio with ultramodern freedom and functionality at a tremendous value. Prior to his career in technology, Eric served in the U.S. Navy.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The origin story of HELM Audio
- HELM Audio’s best-selling products and who their end users are
- Why HELM Audio has a competitive advantage in the marketplace
- How HELM Audio is using its technology to help first responders and individuals with hearing loss
- Valuable lessons learned from growing a company
Eric also shares what led him to his role at HELM and tells us some of his current goals and challenges. We enjoyed hearing how HELM’s first responder program during the Covid-19 pandemic not only helped others but also helped the company go viral. Eric also discusses HELM’s three-phase revenue model and why audio technology is so far behind video technology. Eric’s passion for what he does at HELM is really motivating. We enjoyed learning about the dynamism of the audio tech space and can’t wait to see how HELM Audio continues to innovate!
Connect with Eric:
If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Subscribe and help out the show:
- Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
- Also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify & Stitcher
- Leave us a 5-star review!
Special thanks to Eric for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01
