There’s just something special about the way Zesto Audio products look compared to other electronic gear. That unique look, reminiscent of the curves of a grand piano, is in large part thanks to Carolyn Counnas, artist, businesswoman, and co-founder with her husband George of Zesto Audio. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit with Carolyn at the California Audio Show.
So, the first thing I asked about was the sinuous curves that are the trademark look of Zesto Audio products? “When we started the business in 2010, I asked George why there was such a disconnect between how beautiful the music is and the aesthetics of the equipment? What’s with this black box thing?” Now, almost 10 years later, Carolyn says she has a 5-star WAF rating, that’s Wife Approval Factor. And, she’s right when she says that in today’s homes, audio equipment is no longer just in the man cave. “Wives always love the way our products look in comparison to a lot of other gear, and I hear, ‘OK, honey, I’ll let you buy that one.’”
And once you get past the curves, you’ll notice the matt and shiny finishes Carolyn likes to play with. But it’s not all about looks, as Carolyn says, “The speakers get all of the credit, but the electronics are what does the heavy lifting. If you don’t have good electronics, I don’t care what your speakers are like.”
Artist and Designer
Carolyn has been an artist her entire life and goes to Malibu about once a month to paint Plein-air. Everything is online these days, so I looked her up and was blown away by the pictures of her work on her website Carolyn Counnas Fine Art. She says her formal training was about one semester of graphic arts. In the South, an old-timer would say, “She didn’t get enough schoolin’ to ruin her.” She says, “I would go [to school] and somebody would hire me. Then, I would think why do I need to go to school if I’ve already got the job I went back to school for.”
She also worked in commercial interiors for about 15 years dealing with high-end design and architects where the fit and finish of products was everything. At Zesto, “I sit with the engineers when we all meet designing the circuit boards. They all value my input on how it will impact the aesthetics.” While George gets the freedom to design the piece however he wants, Carolyn says she comes in after him, and it takes her about six months to complete the final design. “I am a pure analog designer. Other people do the CAD drawings. I have my pencil and paper and my T-square, and I pretty much get the sketch. I am also a draftsman and was trained in drafting before computers.”
Designing Audio Equipment
Carolyn always creates a cardboard box model of a new Zesto design. “When I’m designing, I’m cutting out silver paper and pasting it on. I even know how to simulate tubes. I can model it enough to be able to see how the piece will look and how it will fit on an equipment rack with other Zesto gear.”
She also designs and orders all of the packaging paying close attention to what the customer experience will be like when they unpack their new Zesto piece. Thinking through the shipping is critical, she says. “I don’t want to design something that I have to order new foam for.”
Business Woman
Carolyn also has a really strong background in business and sales. “I was a senior account manager in a corporate role managing multi-million dollar jobs for furniture and stuff like that, and I would have to deal with an amazing amount of detail. If you are doing 1,000 desks, you had better make sure all of them have the exact parts and pieces. You could transpose one little number, and you’d have two-drawer cabinets when the client ordered three-drawer cabinets. So I was very good with the details.”
That attention to detail translates these days to doing all of the ordering and invoicing for parts for Zesto. She also takes care of the logistics for the audio shows they attend. “I have dealt with truckers and shippers and crews. One of my advantages is that I grew up with brothers, and I have always had jobs where I dealt with men as their boss. I always fit in and know what they need, how they work and how to make them work,” she says.
Details, Details, Details
Carolyn says she prepares a detailed six-page Excel spreadsheet that goes with her to every audio show. “By detailed, I mean if I need to have superglue in my room, it goes on my spreadsheet. And I pack equipment with everything in the box that’s needed to sell it.” She says handling details for the audio shows is one of the things that both she and George are good at.
For years, she explained, George had a career as an audio engineer doing lots of live concerts, which taught him to be very detail conscious. “We don’t partner with anyone whose gear we don’t have in our possession three weeks before the show. We test every piece of gear with everything, so we know everything is working. The only thing I have to deal with when I hit a show is the room itself, and every showroom is different.”
“When you walk into our room,” Carolyn says her number one thought is, “I want it to be your own experience. I’ve taken care of a zillion details people don’t see or don’t know. I’ve got one minute with you, customer, and I want my system to sound as good as it can.” And this says a lot about why it’s a treat at a show to spend some time in the Zesto Audio room.
About the Business
The audio world strikes me as a tough place to make a living, so I wanted to know what Carolyn enjoys about the business. “I enjoy that it’s a passion-driven industry,” she said. “Everyone involved in it is insanely passionate about one aspect or another. That’s good for some people, and that’s bad for some people. Some people don’t make great decisions when they are driven by passion.”
Speaking of passion, I asked Carolyn what she’s most passionate about. “The thing I love the most is my customers. The fact that you are making something that brings so much joy to people – it’s incredible. The letters and comments we get from our customers are mind-blowing! Somebody just brought me a bottle of gin today because they know I love gin.”
“The fact that it’s a male-dominated industry actually has been to my advantage. Pretty much any guy will take my phone call. I’ve never had a business like that before. I’ve been doing it long enough that I can hold my own pretty well. Obviously, I didn’t know the business when I started out. Now, I know enough to know what I don’t know. I know when it’s over my pay grade, and I can say here, this is for George. Fortunately, George is a very good teacher, so I’ve had the benefit of someone who can really explain the technology, as well as how to set up a room and what’s involved with that.”
Listening to Music
Usually, I wrap up an interview by asking, “What do you listen to at home?” Carolyn says for her and George, they are listening to jazz, classical and rock and roll. “We have a wonderful cocktail happy hour pretty much every night, so we are cooking while we are listening.” Now, that sounds like an excellent way to relax after work!
