Jason Lucash and Mike Szymczak have gotten the band back together, but this is no mere reunion tour. It’s a bold step, they say, into the future of the promotional products industry.

The dynamic pair of Millennial entrepreneurs that disrupted promo with the company they founded and ultimately exited, Origaudio, have teamed up once more to launch an all-new supplier firm: Rupt (asi/84203).

As the name implies, Lucash and Szymczak aim to again disrupt the market with the venture that debuted this week at the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas.

Mike Szymczak and Jason Lucash, founders of Rupt (asi/84203).

How? Through what the enterprising executives – best friends who’ve worked together for nearly 20 years – described as groundbreaking advancements in sustainability, product design, and domestic and international fulfillment capabilities.

“Rupt is not just a response to existing gaps,” said Lucash, CEO of Rupt, who along with Szymczak came out of early retirement to establish the business. “It’s a deliberate stride toward a more dynamic, forward-thinking promotional products industry.”

ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo chats with Rupt founders Jason Lucash and Mike Szymczak about their new supplier venture.

‘A Profound Alignment With Impactful Values’

To wit, Rupt’s entire product line is made exclusively from recycled materials. The 30 different products the brand is launching in the technology, drinkware, and backpack categories will be created from post-consumer recycled materials, including recycled ABS, recycled stainless steel, recycled PC and recycled polyester.

It’s not just about green materials, though. Rupt ensures all of its products are carbon-neutral, providing what the founders described as full transparency to customers by publishing the CO₂ emissions at every stage of a product’s lifecycle. This delivers, they said, accountability from raw material extraction and manufacturing to packaging production, transportation and storage – the kind of visibility for which eco-conscious end-buyers could well be keen.

“Rupt will disclose the full build of materials and the total recycled percentage by weight for every product, becoming the first in the North American promotional products industry to do so,” the company noted.

Additionally, Rupt’s value offering is rooted in an international footprint whose goal is to make doing business in and across global markets much easier, as well as less expensive and time-consuming, for distributors. Particulars: Rupt will decorate and fulfill all orders on three different continents with a one-piece minimum order.

The launch video for Rupt.

Austin, TX, will serve as the base for USA orders, with a 48-hour turnaround. European orders will be fulfilled from Portugal, ensuring delivery within central Europe within a week. Rupt’s Hong Kong facility will cater to the Asia-Pacific region, providing quick delivery within a week. Having production centers on three continents will enable distributors that work with Rupt to deliver greater consistency in product and experience to end-users, the co-founders said.

Packaging hasn’t gone overlooked, either. Bearing the messaging “Packaging with Purpose,” Rupt’s packaging is designed for second-life use. That means the retail design-inspired package a branded product comes in can be turned into everything from a desk clock, bird feeder or spice rack to illuminated tables, greenhouses, cord organizers, night lights and more. In effect, the packaging is a second product/gift for the recipient.

Tech products, backpacks and drinkware are among the eco-friendly offerings from Rupt.

“Rupt is an investment in a future where innovation goes hand-in-hand with sustainability,” said Szymczak, who in addition to being co-founder is chief revenue officer. “Partnering with Rupt isn’t a transaction; it’s a profound alignment with impactful values. Each product we’ve built is a testament to the belief that we can disrupt the norm and redefine the standard.”

Catalysts For Change

Lucash and Szymczak were Counselor’s 2017 Supplier Entrepreneurs of the Year. It was a recognition for the deft work they did at Origaudio, the supplier business they founded in 2009.

With Origaudio, notable achievements included Time magazine naming the pair’s Fold n’ Play speakers one of the 50 best inventions of 2009. Origaudio earned multiple Counselor design awards, and Lucash and Szymczak even had a successful appearance on the popular reality show Shark Tank.

“We love this industry, and believe that change and innovation are crucial to empowering it to thrive. We want to be catalysts for that.”– Jason Lucash, Rupt

Most importantly, distributors dug Origaudio, impressed by its retail-like quality products, artful packaging and trend-setting service, such as no minimums.

In 2018, Top 40 supplier HPG (asi/61966) acquired Origaudio. Lucash and Szymczak went to work for HPG in leadership roles. Lucash stepped down as chief development officer in February 2022 and Szymczak left his role as vice president of business development in August 2023. Origaudio continues to operate as a vibrant brand in the HPG portfolio.

While they achieved an enviable early retirement, Lucash and Szymczak couldn’t shake the entrepreneurial itch; they felt they had more to offer in terms of trailblazing in the promotional products industry. The idea spark for a new business began with Lucash, and he soon went to his best friend with his vision and a question: “Are you in?” Szymczak was, and Rupt was on its way to becoming a marketplace reality.

“We’ve thrown a lot of our money and a lot of sleepless nights into making this happen,” Lucash told ASI Media. “We love this industry, and believe that change and innovation are crucial to empowering it to thrive. We want to be catalysts for that.”

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