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If you've ridden a mountain bike in the last 25 years, chances are you've rolled on Kenda — whether you knew it or not. The Taiwanese tire maker produces close to 70% of the aftermarket tubes sold in the US.
This week I'm joined by Eric Yang, VP of Business Development at Kenda USA and grandson of the company's founder. Born and raised in Ohio after his father moved to open Kenda's US headquarters, Eric spent five years in the family business before walking away for a decade — Silicon Valley startups, a Wharton MBA, and angel investing — until he decided it was time to come home.
We dig into Kenda's 64-year history, the humility baked into Taiwanese manufacturing culture, the tightrope walk between being a B2B powerhouse and a consumer brand, and what it really means to step into a company with nine board members, a global footprint, and a DNA rooted firmly in the factory floor.
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