Born in College Point, Queens, N.Y. in 1957 to George and Theresa Bosch. My Dad escaped the Nazis during the war and then Europe after the war. He was able to come to America. My Mom was the first generation. Her parents were married and moved to College Point around 1912. Our family is now 5th generation and still own my Grandparents home in College Point.
My Dad worked at a tire shop in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. He eventually bought the shop from the owner. His American Dream became a reality. He worked very hard and long hours. He gave us a really good life while breaking his back. While his dreams started to become reality, in March 1967 life took a different turn.
I remember at dinner, he would eat and then immediately go into the bathroom and vomit. He had cancer. Within 6 months, he withered away to nothing in front of us. In October 1967 he passed away. At 10 years old, I lost my Dad and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I understood, but I didn’t understand? My life changed and my approach to it changed that day. I became a young man in so many different ways. We lost everything. We had to go on Social Security to live. To this day, I still do not talk about it. It had a big impact on life. My Mom did the best she could. She had her own limitations due to childhood sickness and no education.
As a teenager, I enjoyed taping concerts on the radio, albums, and music onto to cassettes. I also enjoyed the emerging car stereo industry and new products for the car. I would buy the newest gear for my car and would install systems for friends and their parents. I bought everything from my friend Paul whose Dad owned M&K Electronics in Flushing. I had recently quit college to help support my Mom. Her Soc Sec. stopped when I turned 18. One day Paul called me. He said my Dad is looking to hire someone. The job is yours if you want it? Under one condition. I asked what? If it doesn’t work out and if my Dad fires you, I don’t want it to ruin our friendship. I agreed. This was 1977.
The following is a glance at my 40 + year journey. To look back at what I have touched and hopefully all those I have touched along the way. It gives me chills. Our industry has touched humanity in such a positive way. To be a part of that is simply humbling and a Life Worth Living.
* In 1979, I started dating Patti Carlat. The Love of my Life. We were married on Leap Year 1980. Our first child was born later that year. We have three beautiful children.
* 1977-1982 Store Manager. M&K Electronics, Flushing N.Y. Retail Consumer Electronics store. We sold, CB Radio’s, Car Stereo, Radar Detectors, Police scanners, Atari games, parts, and service. I was hired for $3.00 per hour. I swept the floors, stocked the shelves to start. M&K was the top retailer in the Metro NY area for CB, car stereo and other new mobile electronics at the time. This was at the height of the CB radio boom. They advertised in NY Daily News. NY Post and all the metro NY papers. It was a Saturday morning. We were slammed. They called me and told me to get behind the counter and start helping customers. Not knowing all the answers to the questions, I listened to the other salespeople and said the same thing. I have been selling ever since!! More importantly, this was the first day where my love affair with my work and my industry began. While starting as a stock boy, I quickly rose through the ranks in sales, purchasing, weekly advertising in the local papers. I also installed CB radios, sound systems, and alarm. Became Store Manager. Some industry firsts in those early years.
*CB radios went from 23 to 40 channels. This started the eventual 3-year downtrend of the CB radio market as a popular consumer product and communication devise for everyday use.
* Sold the first Radar detector. The Bear Finder, followed by the Fuzzbuster. I also sold one of the Whistler radar detectors in the late ’70s or early ’80s. Whistler and Cobra are some the few still standing in this market today.
* We went from 8 Track players to cassette players. This changed the game and began the creation of the car stereo industry as we know it. We also sold the first stand-alone amps and equalizers for the car. The 12-volt industry began to innovate and it exploded.
* Video Games was the biggest most impactful product we ever helped launch. The industry firsts were the Coleco game and Fairchild game and brands. Atari came to market a year or two later and took it over by storm. We became the #1 retailer in Metro NY for Atari, we sold and serviced the games. There were days the customers would line around the block waiting to buy new game releases like Asteroids and Space Invaders.
* 1982-1988 Forbees Electronics, Centennial Communications. Yonkers, N.Y. General Manager.
*CB Radios, Car Stereo, Radar Detectors, Scanners, Satellite TV antennas, and systems. Full line video accessories for Video rental stores such as movies, rewinders, accessories & videotape. Cable boxes.
* Artie Barr was my toughest boss. He could be a tough SOB. If you were out sick, he would call the house 4 times a day to see if you are home. If you asked for a raise, he told you don’t need it. You spend too much! He taught me the most of basic business concepts and ideas. He was the best in negotiation, dealing with people etc. He did give me a great foundation to build from. I thank him for that.
* Forbees, was the retail division. Centennial was the wholesale distribution division. They were one of M&Ks suppliers and vendors. I was in charge of sales and purchasing for the company. When the Video Rental business exploded, we opened Cypress Electronics to focus on the market. I became the GM. We sold across Metro NY states to most of the storefronts. We had a sales team on the street banging on doors. At the same time, I developed a National catalog and mailer to expand the business and customer base.
* Within a few years, we merged that into the Centennial division and I became the General Manager for the entire company. Artie, my boss saw the opportunity to reach for the stars. We opened a new division and entered the new and emerging Satellite TV industry. We became a major national distributor in this market as well.
* Our biggest selling dish antenna was a 13-foot aluminum. This was still the early days and still C Band. Within a few years, the new revolutionary KU band was introduced. This was a 2-foot dish which is what we still basically use today. In those days, Charlie Ergan was a distributor named Echostar and then bought a company called Houston Tracker. We were one of his distributors for Houston Tracker. His goal and dream back then were to own his own satellite. He now owns Dish Network. This is also where I met my next employer Solidex. We were a Solidex distributor and sold their products. We were also a Recoton distributor. That is where my relationship started with them.
* For the next 30 years, my business travel started. Since 1989, I have flown and traveled over 5 million miles during my career. Only God knows how many nights in a hotel and away from home I have actually spent! Other than my home, I have spent more nights in Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world. It became my second home. By doing all of this business travel I have missed many things that you should never miss. As time and life go by, there are sacrifices you may question?
* 1989-1995 Solidex, San Dimas, Ca. Executive Vice President & COO. Video, Camcorder & Cellular Accessory manufacturer. The company was the first to introduce the video VHS rewinder to the US market.
* My greatest risk was going to work for Solidex, in Los Angles. My Friends and Family thought I was nuts. Begged me not to go. The risk we took, became a great reward for me and the family. I was asked to Americanize the company and then to Save it. I accomplished both. They also opened Asia and the Asian mindset to me. The rest is history.
My first day, I was the first white guy. Sandra (who I previously dealt with and knew) was the only other non-Chinese in the company. There was a gallon pot of tea. No coffee pot or coffee. I asked if there was a bagel shop in the area? They asked me, “What is a Bagel?” Let’s just say, it was cultural experience and revolution for all of us.
Here are a few accomplishments we had.
* Expanded and diversified the company from 8 items to over 40 items and then 80 items across 3 emerging product categories. Expanded into full-line Camcorder and Video accessories. We built it into a top brand with #1 market share in key categories and product groups. Introduced the first Licensed accessory product. The 57 Chevy. Followed the next year by the 63 Corvette.
* Introduced the first full line or retail ready cellular accessories. Color-coded product and brand groupings, the first full line that was 100% recycled packaging. Including the first PET plastic blisters.
* Introduced the first dual slot desktop cellular charger for the phone and spare battery.
* Launched the first Cellular Plug and Play Hands-Free system for a car with a remote microphone. It was not only revolutionary and innovative, but It also changed the game and market. This was one item that every customer wanted and came to us for it.
* We also developed and went to market with a full line of Laptop briefcases and cases in 94. Our only competitor was Targus who is still here today.
We sold our products to every major retailer, wholesale club
and distributor in North America.
Tragically, one of the owners passed away just before we
launched this at CES 95. The company was sold and I helped transition to
the new company. In doing so, we moved from Diamond Bar, Calf. to
Scottsdale, Az. in July of 1995. Within 6 months of the move to Scottsdale,
Unitech, the company that bought us filed Chapter 11 protection. With my big
contract, big stock option package and promises of being on the Board and more,
I was let go. I sued, won the case for a 6 six-figure settlement and they never
paid me.
On a side note, within 3 days of being terminated, I was hired by Recoton as VP of Marketing. I ran 3 brands and 5 product groups within the company.
1996 – 1997 1998 – 1999. Recoton, Lake Mary, Florida. Vice President of Marketing. The brands and product groups I ran were, Ambico (video and camcorder related products), Dishwasher (CD and Audio maintenance products and Headphones), Cellular and Mobility products. The largest accessory company in the world at that time. When I joined the company, they just announced that they bought the Jensen Car business and all their Home speaker brands. Bob’s goal was to become a Billion $ company. Growth through acquisition was his strategy.
During my time there I was able to
* Rebuild Ambico from an old down trending and worn brand into the #1 brand in the category with #1 market share within 12 months. It required open heart surgery across the entire line. Goal accomplished.
* Increased revenue, gross & net profit margin.
*Became the largest brand and product group within the accessory group. including, revenue, gross profit margin.
* Developed the LiIon battery charging platform and chargers. Within 1-year we had 70% market share with all the top retailer’s industry-wide. We also had similar market share with camcorder luggage line.
* Reduced the cost and SKU count across the entire Cellular product line by over 50% within 6 months. This was across over 100 items. It allowed us to position the division to better compete, win and gain market share. Which we did. The biggest win was securing the Best Buy business and growing it through 2003.
* Oversaw the development of the Jensen headphone line by my product team. It became the #3 headphone brand behind Sony and Koss within 12 months of launch.
During my time at Recoton, I was home on average 4 days a month. My wife was dealing with 3 kids, 15, 8 and 1. We bought a big house in Scottsdale and no one wanted to move to Florida. The misery and pressure were unbearable at times. The strength of our marriage and commitment to the family helped pull us through those tough times. One night, Patti and I were on the phone discussing all of this. She asked me if we are going to be miserable there and you are miserable at work, what are we doing?????? That was my “DING DING DING”. I set our future in motion.
While my success had a direct impact on the business and the company, I hated the corporate ass kissing and backstabbing. My family did not want to be here. Recoton bought me to take me to the top. It was up to me to really commit and then climb the latter into the C-Suite. I did not want it. I gave my resignation. Bob Borchardt the CEO and Chairman almost had a heart attack when I told him. He looked me in the eye and told me I was crazy. I gave a 2-month notice. I wanted to make sure everything was clean and tight when I left. Best prepare the team for when I leave and how to best handle the market, competitors etc. I walked out with my head held high and my integrity and credibility in place.
Always treat people the way you wanted to be treated! This is not a professional way of doing things, it is a human way of doing things.
I first left Recoton in May 1997 to start GD. Bob called me a year later, he asked me to come back. His words were, “They screwed up everything that you did. I need you to come back.” It is a long story. I went back for 1 year while still owning GD. I did what he asked and was gone the next summer in 1999. Honestly, when he called, I needed him as much as he needed me. We helped each other.
1997- Grand Destiny Group, Scottsdale, Arizona & Hong Kong. President, CEO, Chairman and Founder. NXe is the Brand and division of GDGNXe EarGo – 2002-2004 NXe Paintball- 2004 – 2010 NXE Products – 2011 – 2014
My dream was always to own my own company. With a wife, 3 kids after quitting my big corporate job, I borrowed $100k from a few friends in Asia. I had many opportunities for investors to fund a newco and I run it. This was not what I was looking for. I saw a big opportunity for a company that understood Asia and product development and that same understanding of the sales, marketing and what works for Western companies & markets. I founded the company both here and in Hong Kong. I had a Global vision and Hong Kong was the perfect base for the global supply chain. I opened the company 2 months before the handover of Hong Kong back to China on July 1, 1997.
* Our business model was to work with manufacturers and importers. We would offer design, development, and manufacturing. We shipped globally from Hong Kong and China.
* We designed, developed and manufactured well over 400- 500 products and product lines for our customer’s brands and our own brand. We were honored to work with some of the top Consumer Technology Brands and companies. Grand Destiny was also one of the first companies to offer these full-service options and unique products to the major Retailers in their private label and brand programs.
* Over the years the Grand Destiny Group manufactured and shipped millions upon millions of products across the world. GDs core categories were across these key product groups.
Power Management systems, home, auto, portable chargers and
charging systems & devices. Batteries, all chemistries used over the past
50 years.
Consumer, Industrial Carry & Storage Solutions & Systems, all
types, all materials, mobile phone, tablet, video, photo, GPS, sports, extreme
sports, music, briefcases, backpacks. Commercial Targets for professional use. It
has been said that I have a Ph.D. in “Bagology.”
* From 1999-2010 GD was the exclusive supplier to Samsung Telecommunications NA for their carry solutions, Cases and Holsters.
* 10 Patents. 8 in Consumer Electronics & Mobility & 2 in Extreme Sports.
* Some of our customers over the years. Samsung, Best Buy, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Wal-Mart, RCA, Philips, Columbia Sports Wear, Radio Shack, Maxell, Recoton, Gemini, Axon (Taser), Fender Music, Hama Germany, and the list goes on.
* Grand Destiny had 65% market share in North America on the camcorder and digital camera battery chargers from 2000 – 2008.
* In 2003, Recoton my old employer and now my largest customer files for Chapter 11 Protection and onto Chapter 7. We were the #2 Unsecured Creditor. It nearly killed us and should have. We lost so much, not the will to live! We had no choice but to fight to survive.
* We started NXe Paintball in 2004. We focused on soft goods, accessories and protective products. We uprooted and changed the industry with our innovative and high-quality products as well as go to market strategies and ethical business practices. Within 2 years, we had global distribution around the world and controlled 65% market share in those categories. We opened sales offices in Hong Kong and Frankfurt, Germany. We also sponsored over 150 teams around the World. Including 75% of all Pro teams and Players. The 2008 downturn really hurt the industry and our business. We sold it in 2010.
* 2011- We continued the NXE brand with a line of unique Smart Phone, Tablet, Photo, & Active carry & protective solutions and products. While it was successful, it did not perform up to our expectations. The NXE Active products performed very well at all retail partners and online. It was not enough to build off of in those categories. After 2008 the business climate and markets changed. Our overall Business became more challenging and difficult.
*In April of 2014, I had a heart attack. It made things much more difficult than they already had been. In September of 2014, we felt it would be best to close the physical US operation. That was one of the most difficult, depressing and humiliating periods in my life. These feelings took a lot longer to dissipate than you would think!
As I always taught and preached to my sales teams, Today may be the best or worst day that you have had! Tomorrow is a new day, treat it that way!
I try to give back when possible.
I have been an active member of the Consumer Technology Association since 2003. CTA Executive Board.
2014. CTA Board of Industry Leaders.
2012 – 2018. CTA Division Executive Board.
2011- 2016. CTA Accessory Board
2003- Present. CTA Accessory Board Chairman.
2014 – 2016. CTA Accessory Board Vice – Chair.
2011 – 2013. Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Board of Directors-
Extreme Sports Development Board. 2006 – 2009.
The Journey Continues!
