Brian Adam is the owner and President of Milwaukee-based Olympus Group, a 120-year-old company that started as an American flag manufacturer and over the years has expanded to become a world-class custom printing business and the largest mascot manufacturer in the U.S.
In this episode, Brian shares how his father bought Olympus when it was on the brink of bankruptcy and later sold the company to Brian. Under Brian’s leadership, Olympus Group has continued to grow, and along the way Brian has built a framework with his father and brother for working together to expand the family’s investments into other start-up businesses in the spirit of building a “family enterprise”.
In the episode we will learn:
- (2:09) - How did Brian get started with Olympus Group?
- (3:56) – What did the deal between Brian and his father for the company look like?
- (6:44) – How did the sale of the business play into the family’s overall wealth strategy?
- (8:14) – What shaped Brian’s advisory board?
- (9:51) – What kind of people are on Brian’s advisory board?
- (11:17) – What is the why that keeps Brian working hard at Olympus Group?
- (13:53) - How does Brian incentivize his workforce?
- (16:37) – What are some key takeaways from Brian’s book, ‘Rules of Engagement’?
- (18:39) – What are the core values Brian is trying to instill in his own children?
- (20:53) – How did Brian get into the mascot manufacturing game?
- (22:50) – What was Brian’s first mascot-related claim to fame?
- (25:06) – What advice does Brian have for any young entrepreneurs listening?
- (27:28) – How do you cultivate a healthy work culture?
What is The Road to Why?
From start-up entrepreneurs to multi-generational family business owners, most founders are driven to succeed for reasons well beyond making money. Whether it’s a passion for reshaping their industry, building a family legacy or advancing the causes they care most about — or, in many cases, all of the above — exploring the larger “why” of their life’s work offers insights into how successful leaders operate and what is really important to them.
On The Road to Why, host Eric Czepyha, Director of Business Services at Northern Trust, speaks with business owners, entrepreneurs and visionaries about business, family, wealth and legacy and shares advice and life lessons from those who have found success in ways expected and unexpected.