Paul Akers

Paul Akers Speaker Biography

Paul Akers is an entrepreneur, business owner, author, speaker, Lean maniac! He is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company with distribution in over 40 countries. FastCap, based in Ferndale, Washington, launches 30+ new innovative products each year and is regarded as a model Lean manufacturer. The grandchild of Greek immigrants, Paul was born and raised in Southern California. At the age 14 he became an Eagle Scout, at 16 he built his own guitar and earned the attention of guitar builder Bob Taylor, who mentored and eventually put Paul to work for Taylor Guitars. Paul graduated with honors from Biola University and then went to work in Pasadena restoring historic homes and teaching High school industrial arts. In 2000, Paul discovered Lean manufacturing or Toyota Production System (TPS). This newfound knowledge helped him and his wife Leanne take FastCap from a small start up in their garage into the successful product development company it is today. In 2010 Paul ran for the US Senate in Washington State on a Lean platform of transforming government by developing Lean thinking as a key strategy for all government organizations. Paul is an avid outdoorsman and 2 time ironman that surfs, runs, swims, bikes, and has summited many 14,000 foot mountains, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, and trekking to Everest Base Camp. He is also an instrument-rated pilot and has flown his plane all over the world, including 3 North Atlantic crossings in a single engine aircraft. Paul is an energetic speaker whose core passion is helping people discover their full potential and showing others how to implement Lean in their business and personal life. Paul’s passion for Lean has taken him around the world to over 70 countries to work and speak. Paul has written four books: 2 Second Lean, Lean Health, Lean Travel, Lean Life, and Banish Sloppiness.