#129: Steve Irby is the founder and CEO of KICKER/Stillwater Designs. 

In 1973, KICKER's Livin' Loud legacy began as a two-man operation, hand-building professional-speaker systems in a narrow one-car garage. With very few resources and an intense love for music Steve invented the mobile-stereo enclosure market from his Stillwater, Oklahoma community, when he developed the Original KICKER. It was the first full frequency-range speaker box designed specifically for cars and trucks. From that historic moment, delivering concert-like audio quality across a wide volume range with renowned bass and accurate sound has always been the KICKER way.

The Original KICKER was made for use behind the seat in pickup trucks, and at the time thousands of the vehicles rolled along Oklahoma roads due to a recent oil boom. Because Steve had already been making a living designing and building the larger P.A. speakers, he literally overdesigned the much smaller Original KICKER. It produced a ton of bass, and when customers had it installed, heard it, and felt the enormous rumble through their truck seat, they said it “really kicked.”

Today KICKER products are currently sold by approximately 1,200 authorized dealers in the United States, and export sales are managed through a network of distributors serving over 2,000 dealers in approximately 50 countries. 

On the show Steve shares the inside story of just how KICKER came to be, lessons growing up, never quitting, the power of the 3P’s passion, perseverance, & prayer, faith, family, and much more. 

To find out more about Steve and KICKER be sure to check out their website at KICKER.com

Enjoy the show!