Speedo is nearly 100 years old and was started in Sydney in 1918. The company has remained innovative and competitive over the past century. Its primary competitors are much younger: TYR Sport is not yet 30 years old and was started in Huntington Beach, California in 1985. Arena is a brand created by Adidas France that is now located in eastern Italy and is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013. And the new kid on the block is FINIS whose technical products stand out on pool decks around the world for its distinctive color of yellow.

FINIS’ yellow-colored plastic training gear, from snorkels and fins to paddles, kickboards and buoys, are developed with the grandiose vision to motivate every person in the world to swim better, swim often and train smarter. Co-founded by CEO John Mix and Olympic gold medalist Pablo Morales, some of FINIS’ original flagship products including its Monofin, Swimmer’s Snorkel and Tempo Trainer Pro.

Scientists state that only 6% of the population is really doing what they love in their lives. Mix is obviously one of those professionals and entrepreneurs in that 6%.

Mix reminisced, “Looking back from where it all started, I can say that I have truly enjoyed the past 20 years. When you are passionate about the cause, it’s hard to call it work. We have taken many risks and brought to market some crazy product ideas. But all the while, we felt that the products brought something different and positive to the swimming world. In the end, the remarkable growth and success of FINIS is the result of a dedicated staff. By sticking to our company vision, we have pushed our sport forward. With this great team, there is no doubt that the next 20 years will be even more exciting than the first 20.”

It is clear Mix enjoys life in the office and on the pool decks. He often smiles, laughs, and is constantly reaching out to others seeking opinions and sharing his experiences, knowledge and time. But hard work and risk-taking commitment to his original vision has also played into his success.

Here is to another 20 years.

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