Silicon Valley, CA – November 2019… When your ideas and opinions are your product, the ability to convey information in an articulate manner is paramount. Such is the case with Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist of Canva, an online graphic design tool, brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz, and an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Kawasaki is also the author of Wise Guy, The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and eleven other books. He holds a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College. When Kawasaki speaks, people listen—and to ensure the utmost clarity of message, he relies on microphones from Menlo Park, CA-based Countryman Associates.
Kawasaki is a big fan of the Countryman E6 Earset microphone. “I carry the E6 with me,” he reports, “however, I don’t have to use my Countryman mics more than a few times a year because many venues already have Countrymans. I carry my Countryman knowing that I won’t have to use it because of the Countryman Effect: showing up with your own Countryman impresses the AV crew. I am convinced this gives me cred with the crew and increases the likelihood of quality results.”
“I started podcasting today—it’s called Remarkable People,” he added. “I use the E6 on my side of the interview and a B3 Omnidirectional Lavalier for my guest. I dislike the bulk of handheld mics and their cables and stands. Plus, making an interviewee hold a mic cramps the eloquence of responses because many people like to use their hands to express themselves. Spontaneity and naturalness are keys to an effective podcast.”
When asked about those attributes that make Countryman microphones so well-suited to his types of activities, Kawasaki offered the following thoughts, “I only care about the quality of sound and comfort when I’m speaking. In that regard, Countryman’s audio performance is exceptional—and there are never any issues getting a suitable amount of gain. Equally important, the fit is terrific, so the mic is never distracting, which enables me to focus on what’s important as opposed to worrying about the microphone.”
For anyone involved in public speaking, capable and responsive customer and technical support services from their equipment providers is crucial. Here, too, Kawasaki offered a very upbeat assessment of his experience with Countryman Associates. “I love the support Countryman provides,” he explained. “I don’t know of many companies that you can call and quickly get connected to someone who is knowledgeable and caring. I love companies that do one thing well instead of many things in a mediocre manner.”
Before shifting his focus back to the business of the day, Kawasaki offered these closing thoughts regarding his Countryman microphones. “As a Mercedes Benz brand ambassador, chief evangelist of Canva, author of fifteen books, and someone who gives 50 – 75 keynote speeches a year, sounding good is a serious business for me. My Countrymans are key components of a bag of tricks that help me rise above the noise.”
To learn more about Guy Kawasaki, visit his website at www.guykawasaki.com.
About Countryman Associates
For more than 40 years, Countryman has focused on developing microphones and accessories that deliver maximum gain before feedback, with the highest possible rejection of wind, vibration, interference, and other unwanted sounds. The result is warm, clear vocals in speaking and singing applications, delivering natural audio reinforcement that requires almost no attention from the sound engineer or the performer. For additional information about Countryman Associates, visit the company online at www.countryman.com.
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