We recently sat down with Daniel (Mark Hubbard) to find out more about why he’s in the industry and his experience as an EDmarket member. His Hollywood character/actor persona was given to him by friends and acquaintances. “I’ve been told often that he and I look alike but, more importantly, he’s an extraordinary actor, so it’s a great compliment to be associated that way.” Friends at this year’s EDspaces Educational Distribution Symposium reception also shared that they refer to him as “rock star”, in reference to his longer hair and presentation capabilities.
This past year, EDmarket and Mark Hubbard have worked together on several initiatives, including the first-ever Education Market Furniture study currently underway, and EDspaces. Although Paragon was initiated in 1985, Mark and his business partner, Ricky Kassanoff, have owned and operated Paragon since October 2004.
As President and Co-Owner of Paragon, Inc., a furniture and design and manufacturing company for the educational space, his primary role focuses on building relationships. He frequently interacts with dealers, architects, designers, owner representatives and end-users in order to better understand how the instructional tools of education are transforming learning environments and the furnishings within – fitting, as Paragon was an exhibitor at EDspaces in Tampa, a few weeks ago. In his role as an EDmarket board member, he reflects on his experience, “One of the things EDmarket does best, is to provide access to people and data that contribute to my understanding of how Paragon is better able to serve our customers. The most valuable benefit of EDmarket membership is the opportunity to be personally engaged with an active and large network of suppliers, dealers, industry professionals and end-users. Paragon has been involved with EDmarket for 20-plus years. Our best EDmarket experience is EDspaces; it’s the single most efficient method to meet with the majority of our primary distribution channel partners.”
Mark on Motivation & Leadership:
“I very much identify with the author, Daniel Pink’s, position on intrinsic motivation: Autonomy, or the desire to be self-directed; Mastery, or the itch to keep improving at something that’s important to us; and Purpose, the sense that what we do produces something transcendent or serves something meaningful beyond than ourselves.”
Mark is thoughtful when responding to questions about business, ownership, and future success, with a nod to servant leadership, his advice encompasses his instinct about fostering good communication and building relationships. “First, enthusiastically embrace humility. Second, find a business mentor or two and listen to them…often. Third, serve your employees and your customers more than you serve yourself.”
We asked a couple more questions to get to know Mark apart from his serious business side and found a sense of humor that offsets his business drive.
What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?
“The most interesting fact that most people don’t know about Paragon is either A.) Everyone inside our factory formerly worked in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, or B.) Paragon’s original warehouse was a shared space with an entirely unrelated adult entertainment distributor.”
When you’re not working, where do you like to spend your time (place, location)?
“For years, my wife and our three kids have loved spending vacation time together during the first week of summer on the beach in Seaside, Florida. If given a choice, I’ll take the sun, sand and ocean!”
Asking about a member’s morning ritual reveals a lot about who they are, and how they visualize themselves, so Mark shared with us what’s in his “Headspace” as he starts each day.
- “My day starts around 5am regardless of when I go to sleep the night before; I have a stubborn circadian rhythm! When I am not on the road for work, the morning ritual almost always goes like this:
- Feed our two dogs, Remy and Dexy (our cat, Tabitha, usually coaxes me into giving her some of their food)
- Prepare coffee for me and my wife, Allie (we’re lately into the French press coffee making)
- Exercise for an hour
- Return home and spend 5 minutes writing in my journal. I write 3 things that I’m grateful for and 3 things that would make the day satisfying (I end the day the same way).
- Meditate 15 minutes using an app called Headspace. Most challenging thing I do all day because quieting the mind is so hard.
- Read NY Times daily news headlines
- Shower, dress and head to our office/factory
What was your childhood dream job?
“Growing up, I enjoyed playing and attending all types of sports (I still do). I was mesmerized by the competition, drama and scale of professional sporting events. So, I dreamed about working on the business side of professional sports, perhaps, as an agent, marketer or team general manager. “
What's your favorite moment of your career so far?
“It is impossible to distill all my career experiences down to a single most favorite, but the one that probably applied the most force to the journey I am still on happened in 2003. A year or so before purchasing Paragon, I was dissatisfied working for a global investment bank. I was successful by all traditional career metrics, however, I was personally, ethically hollowed out by the work. On a flight from New York to Dallas (home), I had this overwhelming sense of fear and confusion over what I really should be doing for a living. It occurred to me that I might be asking myself the wrong questions; I needed to try to think about the person I wanted to be rather than the job I wanted to have. So, I started writing a description of myself…what I was good at and what I wasn’t. I wrote down the things in my life that sparked my curiosity and the types of people I most enjoyed being around. What became clear as I wrote and reread was that I wanted to take more risk, to lead and learn from a small team of committed people and I wanted my work product to improve the lives of customers in an authentic and measurable way. By the time I landed at DFW Airport, I knew I was going to become a small business owner and that I was going to make it happen before January 2005. I had no idea as to what, who or how I was going to become an entrepreneur, but I was 100% sure that was my future self. In the span of a 3-hour flight, I went from feeling despondent and lost to confident and completely focused. It was the most transformational cognitive experience I have ever had.”
What was your first "real" job?
“My first job was awesome! At 14, I was a bag boy for a local country club in Midland, TX. I received $4 an hour to carry and clean members’ golf clubs during rounds. Most of the members were men that seemed so successful. They wore expensive clothes, smoked cigars, drank, cussed and told outrageous stories. I loved that for a few hours I was allowed into their fraternity. Another great part of the job: I was responsible for driving the tractor that picked up all the balls from the practice range. The members all liked me because I generously used words like “yes, sir” and “thank you, sir.” To show their affection, they would try to hit me with their practice shots while I drove the tractor over the range. It was hilarious!”
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
“Guilty pleasure is a pedicure. I had never had one until 10 years ago after my wife shamed me about the condition of my toenails. I don’t get pedicures often because it still seems utterly wasteful to spend money having someone else cut my toenails and rub my wheels. BUT, man they are nice! I can live without pedicures, though. What I cannot live without are books. I absolutely love reading non-fiction books. Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will say I start most conversations with “So, I was reading the other day, and I learned…” It can be annoying, I am sure!”
What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not in the office?
“My favorite hobby/pastime is physical exercise. I mix up my training methods frequently which keeps me from getting bored and my body from adapting to routine. My family thinks I’m nuts to push myself so hard physically, but I very much like the challenge and discipline required. I live in Dallas, TX with my wife and our 3 teenagers.”
One would think life with three teenagers is more than enough to manage, but EDmarket Board Member Mark Hubbard continues to challenge himself and others in his role at Paragon and work with EDmarket. Step up and say hello when you see him at EDmarket or other events.
Mark P. Hubbard, President
Paragon Furniture. Learning Made Different.
Arlington, TX
It was a good week for Hillsborough County public schools this November, as county voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a 10-year sales surtax that will pump $131 million annually into much-needed upgrades at hundreds of aging campuses across the county. And as an added bonus this week, vendors at EDspaces in Tampa have arranged to donate their furniture to the schools instead of shipping it back home. For the 23rd year at its conference site, exhibitors at EDspaces are donated truckloads of furniture to the host city's schools. It is a great example of the good that can come when people have civic spirit and realize that every bit counts.
