Who are you?
Eivind Lange
What is your business?
Paradigm Sports. We manufacture the ClubRunner and Lectronic Kaddy brands of walk behind, motorized golf carts.
Is there a story behind your business?
A business partner and I originally purchased the business from Minn Kota trolling motors in 1994. They decided to sell the business and focus on trolling motors and fishing. We operated
in Montgomery, Minnesota for 7 years until I bought my partner out and moved to Lawrence, MA at the end of 2001. It was right after 9/11 so the timing was good.
In 2007 we purchased the assets of our Canadian competitor in order to add a remote cart to our product line. After 17 years in Lawrence our building was converted to apartments and we had to relocate.
What problem(s) are you/your business trying to help solve?
We allow golfers to get exercise and walk the course without the stress and strain of carrying or pushing their golf bags.
How is your company changing the world?
We cannot claim we are changing the world. With the declining participation in golf, the world is changing us.
Why do you like being a part of the bigger CI Works puzzle?
After being in business for 25 years it is still something we are getting used to. We spent the first few weeks trying to keep our chocolate lab, Bauer, off of the comfortable rugs at Zanjeeri. We know that when the zombie apocalypse comes, with the selection of food and beverages, we will not have to leave the building.
What do you hope your company’s next milestone will be?
Retirement. We joke that for most of the people here CI works is an incubator, but for us it is hospice care!
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Our products last! We can still service most of the carts built since we first started. Our carts last longer than most cars do today. The carts are designed so that most people can service the carts themselves. All of the parts are either repairable or replaceable. We have also made sure that all of our carts pass UL and FCC requirements. We are now competing with many Chinese competitors, not one of which has passed the FCC regulations.
What is something most people don’t know about you/your brand?
Since we began, we have sold over 135,000 carts.