The Early Story of AGORA

In 1985, I was out of a job.

I looked for work locally. I looked for work anywhere I could. But nothing worked out.

That difficult time forced me to make a decision. If I could not find the right opportunity, maybe I had to create one.

That is when I decided to start AGORA.

With help from an SBA loan, a City of St. Petersburg loan, and support from family and friends, we raised about $165,000 in seed money. We used that money to purchase a soft goods manufacturing company in New Jersey that was going out of business.

It was not a glamorous beginning.

We moved six trailer loads of old machinery, raw materials, a few unfinished customer jobs, and whatever production opportunities we could keep alive. We also accepted some low-bid volume production work just to get started.

At the beginning, we had one designer, one hands-on plant manager, five plant employees, and a lot of uncertainty.

But we were in business.

AGORA Leather Products

The company was originally called AGORA Leather Products. The word “Leather” represented quality, and at that time we were also manufacturing leather products. Our goal was simple: stay in business, serve customers, and grow slowly.

We worked seven days a week.

At the time, I did not think of it as hard work. It was simply what had to be done.

Looking back now, I realize those early days taught me something I would use for the rest of my life: Keep going, even when no one is watching.

There were no shortcuts. There was no big announcement. There was no perfect plan. We had to earn each order, solve each problem, and make each dollar count.

We knew the business had to become profitable within a couple of years. Once we became profitable, we were careful with money. We spent wisely, reinvested carefully, and focused on building a company that could survive through good times and difficult times.

That Mindset Shaped AGORA

Over time, AGORA grew from a small soft goods manufacturer into a company serving customers in medical and healthcare, enterprise mobility, Auto ID, POS, fire and industrial safety, and other demanding markets.

Today, AGORA continues to grow through focused brands.

UltimaCase by AGORA serves enterprise mobility, Auto ID, POS, mobile computing, and device protection applications.

Vistari by AGORA is focused on medical demo cases, medical device protection, custom carrying systems, and specialized soft goods for healthcare-related applications.

The brands have evolved, the markets have changed, and the products have become more specialized. But the foundation is still the same:

 

Listen to the customer.

Solve the problem.

Proudly Made in the USA

Agora has been designing and manufacturing custom soft goods solutions for over 40 years. We support customers who need quality, flexibility, faster response, and reliable manufacturing support across demanding industries, including medical, fire and industrial safety, Auto ID, POS, mobile computing, and other specialized applications. Today, that experience matters more than ever.

For years, many U.S. companies moved manufacturing overseas in search of lower pricing and higher-volume production capacity. At the time, overseas manufacturing often appeared to be the most practical option, especially when U.S. pricing was high, lead times were long, and response times were slow. But the manufacturing landscape has changed.

Tariffs, higher shipping costs, longer lead times, supply chain uncertainty, rising overseas labor costs, communication challenges, and quality concerns are causing many companies to look again at the true total cost of offshore manufacturing.

At the same time, U.S. manufacturers have not stood still. Many have become stronger, faster, and more efficient through better production fixtures, automation, lean principles, cell manufacturing, improved training, stronger supervision, and better process control.

Companies like Agora have continued to invest in equipment, automation, trained staff, improved processes, and new capabilities. We are continuously working to reduce labor content, improve efficiency, and strengthen our manufacturing methods.

A New Opportunity for Domestic Manufacturing

Over the past several decades, many U.S. companies moved manufacturing overseas for two main reasons: price and capacity.

For large companies producing high-volume products, overseas manufacturing offered lower unit costs. During the 1990s through roughly 2018, many smaller U.S. manufacturers struggled to compete. Some reduced operations, and many went out of business.

As China and other overseas manufacturing regions became stronger in high-volume production, they also began offering attractive pricing for smaller-volume products, including items purchased only once or twice a year. Many U.S. companies took advantage of those lower prices.

But those advantages are not as clear as they once were.

Products manufactured overseas may still appear inexpensive at first glance, but once freight, duties, inventory carrying costs, delays, communication challenges, quality risks, and supply chain uncertainty are included, the total cost can look very different.

Lead time is also a major factor. Waiting weeks or months for products to arrive from overseas can create problems for companies that need faster response, smaller production runs, design changes, lower inventory, or closer engineering support.

For products that require customization, flexibility, and dependable support, U.S. manufacturing is becoming attractive again. Agora is well positioned for this shift.

We are not trying to compete only on the lowest quoted unit price. We are focused on delivering better total value.

That means faster response, shorter lead times, better communication, flexible production quantities, stronger design support, improved quality control, reduced supply chain risk, lower hidden costs, and domestic manufacturing support.

For many companies, the question is no longer simply, “Where is the cheapest place to make this?”

The better question is, “Where can we get the best total value, fastest response, and most reliable long-term support?”

For many products, especially custom soft goods for medical, fire and industrial safety, Auto ID, POS, mobile computing, and other demanding industries, U.S. manufacturing is becoming competitive again.

Agora is Ready for the Opportunity

At Agora, we co-develop soft goods by integrating textiles, molded components, and electronics into high-performance solutions for demanding applications. Our team understands both design and production, which allows us to support customers from concept through finished product. Whether the need is a custom case, holster, strap, pouch, harness, wearable system, protective solution, or intelligent integrated soft goods product, Agora brings practical design thinking and manufacturing experience together. Agora is ready to compete with overseas manufacturing.

We have the experience, equipment, people, and continuous improvement mindset needed to support customers who want a stronger, faster, and more reliable manufacturing partner. The global manufacturing landscape has changed. U.S. manufacturing has changed too.

And Agora is ready for the opportunity.

Cross Team Collaboration Restored

PART 3

We are continuing to make progress on collaboration—and now we are starting to see real, measurable changes.

What once felt somewhat fragmented is becoming more connected. Teams are communicating better, supporting each other more naturally, and working together more effectively.

So, what sparked this change?

One of the drivers behind this progress has been the addition of younger associates over the past couple of years. They are more accustomed to working in groups, sharing ideas, and helping each other. That mindset has had a positive influence on the broader team.

To build on this, I started meeting with them briefly at the end of each day. These are short, informal check-ins where each person shares what they worked on.

Over time, this created visibility.

People now have a better understanding of what others are working on—and that awareness is leading to action.

We are starting to see associates step in to help each other without being asked. Communication is improving, and teams are becoming more aligned. Collaboration is becoming more natural.

As this approach spreads across the organization, we are seeing:

  1. Better teamwork
  2. We meet together and resolve any issues
  3. More focus on meeting customer expectations

We still have work to do, but the direction is clear.

This experience continues to reinforce an important point: When people are informed, connected, and encouraged to contribute, collaboration begins to happen naturally.

  • Part 1 - How do we fix collaboration issues?
  • Part 2 - Need to improve culture for collaboration to result.

Leadership Lesson Learned

I thought I was a good leader—until a couple of our key associates left the company, started a competing business, and took others with them.

That forced me to do some serious soul-searching. I realized an uncomfortable truth: I wasn’t doing enough to help our employees truly excel at what they do. So, I changed.

I began spending more intentional time with our associates—talking with them, understanding their strengths, and helping them get better at what they are naturally good at. Some were self-starters who simply needed opportunities. Others didn’t yet recognize their own strengths and needed guidance to discover them.

I had to be persistent. Sometimes I’m sure I annoyed them. But I kept working with them until things clicked.

Eventually, they saw where they could truly excel. Now they’re actively developing those strengths and honing their skills—and the results show.

Most importantly, I feel better as a leader. I’m learning that leadership isn’t about managing people—it’s about helping them grow.

AGORA Culture Update

AGORA’s culture has undergone a meaningful transformation. Over the past period, we deliberately emphasized the importance of collaboration—first within individual teams, and then across teams. This was not an overnight change. It required patience, consistency, and continuous guidance. We had to regularly remind teams when to collaborate, how to collaborate, and why it mattered.

Gradually, this effort paid off. Teams began to recognize the real potential of collaboration: better solutions, faster problem-solving, and outcomes that are far stronger than working in silos. What has emerged is a more agile AGORA—one where teams move quicker, support one another, and think beyond their own boundaries.

Today, teams genuinely appreciate how collaboration has made their work easier and more effective, while also helping them meet broader company goals. There is a growing sense of ownership and alignment across the organization. People are not just doing their jobs—they are learning new skills, expanding their perspectives, and taking pride in being part of something larger.

I am confident that AGORA will continue this path. The culture of collaboration is no longer something we need to push; it is becoming part of who we are. Teams are embracing the mindset of Team AGORA, and that shared commitment is setting us up for sustained success.

Choosing a Life Without Problems

From engineering school in India to building a business in the United States, my life has taught me many things—but one lesson rises above all others.

 

Life Is Finite—How We Live It Is a Choice

Life has a fixed span. We cannot change its length, but we can choose how we live it.

Problems are inevitable. They appear in every stage of life, in every profession, and in every relationship. What truly matters is not whether problems arise—but how we deal with them.

 

Life with Problems

We can choose to walk through life with problems constantly weighing on our minds, turning them into burdens. When we do this, life feels heavy, stressful, and difficult.

Or we can choose the other path.

 

Life without Problems

We can face problems when they arise, work through them, and resolve them as quickly as possible. Once a problem is addressed, it no longer occupies our thoughts. Life, then becomes lighter, clearer and more peaceful.

 

My Practice

Since problems cannot be avoided, I have made a conscious choice: I choose to live life without problems in my head.

This does not mean a life without challenges. It means a life where:

  • Challenges are addressed, not carried
  • Problems are handled, not allowed to define our mental space. 

 

This mindset has given me clarity, resilience, and peace—far more valuable than any professional achievement.

From a Small Company to a Trusted Manufacturing Partner

AGORA began with a simple observation: custom manufacturing was broken.

To make one product, companies had to coordinate multiple suppliers — designers, engineers, and manufacturers — each working in isolation. The process was slow, expensive, and unreliable.

As and Engineer, I saw the opportunity to fix it. Instead of patching the system, I reimagined it. By combining design, engineering, and manufacturing under one roof, we created a seamless process that could bring products to life faster, at a lower cost, and with consistent quality.

The early days were anything but easy. The AGORA team worked seven days a week, driven by a shared belief that innovation and integrity could overcome any obstacle. Our first major break came through a partnership — working with Mr. Blackburn, a veteran craftsman, to redesign a pharmacy chain’s shopping baskets. By switching to polyethylene and molding the logo directly into the design, we delivered a stronger, more affordable product. That single 50,000-piece order became the foundation on which AGORA was built.

As the company grew, so did our reputation for trust and reliability. Customers, employees, and suppliers became long-term collaborators — many staying with AGORA for over 40 years. The same hands-on spirit that defined the early days still drives the company today.

AGORA remains what it has always been — a place where engineering meets craftsmanship, and where relationships matter as much as results.

From concept to completion, we build more than products — we build trust.

How Companies Big & Small Approach Change

One of the striking differences between large and small companies is how they approach new projects and change.

Large companies often take a significant amount of time before making a decision. Projects typically involve multiple departments and require extensive planning and approvals. While this can be frustrating for project leaders and teams, the benefit is that once a solution is implemented, it tends to be well-supported and remains in place for the long term.

In contrast, smaller companies can make decisions and implement projects quickly—sometimes with input from only a few people. While this speed can be an advantage, it often comes at the cost of long-term planning.

Smaller companies may not consider how the change will be sustained or who will be responsible for its success over time. If the effort fails, there’s often little support to recover or adapt. Small businesses can benefit by improving their implementation strategies—thinking more critically about execution, support, and long-term viability. Meanwhile, the lengthy decision-making process in larger companies can give smaller, more agile competitors an edge. They’re able to enter the market sooner, which can cost big companies opportunities and market share.

Ultimately, while large companies prioritize stability and sustainability, small companies thrive on agility and innovation. The key is finding the balance between speed and strategy.

Agora Celebrates 40 Years in Business

As we celebrate Agora’s 40th anniversary in 2025, we reflect on our journey from a pioneering soft goods design and manufacturing startup to becoming a global leader in our industry. Our achievements over these four decades have been a testament to the dedication, innovation, and hard work of our associates worldwide.

These accomplishments are a direct result of our associates’ unwavering commitment to excellence. Their passion and resilience have driven our innovation and sustained our growth. As we commemorate this milestone, we express our deepest gratitude to each team member for their invaluable contributions.

I would like to recognize Nam Chau, our first designer. His innovative designs, commitment to providing quality prototypes that exceeded customer requirements and expectations, and dedication to delivering them on time were instrumental to our success.

Janie Dave, our first plant manager, played a crucial role in building a team of skilled and loyal employees, fostering a ‘we can do it, give us more work’ attitude. She also hired many team members who are still with us today. As a matter of fact, 15% of our workforce has been with us for over 20 years.

Here’s to all our associates – the ones that persevered with us all these years as well as the ones that joined us during our journey. You are the heart of Agora’s success. Together, we look forward to many more years of innovation, growth, and real-time engagement excellence.

Need Collaboration for Improved Culture to Show Results – Part 2

We are making progress…
I have been working to improve team collaboration, by showing teams how to collaborate.

When a project is successfully completed, I meet with the team that worked on the project.

Here are some questions that I ask the team:

  1. Did you have more than one option to solve the issue?
  2. Did you have to weigh options, to determine how to proceed?
  3. Did you have to go back because you needed one more associate’s input to complete or revise the option?

We then discuss a better way to collaborate by:

  1. Identifying associates who need to be involved to solve the issue
  2. Holding preliminary meetings to discuss the project and required output
  3. Discussing options
  4. Selecting the best solution with a potential second option if required
  5. Holding periodic meetings until the project is completed

I also have been discussing the automation of processes, and learnt that many associates are capable of working on solutions. We have a very talented group of associates but have not gotten far, yet.

At the forefront of my list to improve/automate, is the ability to speedily create new prototypes. I often thought that there must be a better way to quickly create new prototypes based on similar product designs. Designs are usually done in SolidWorks.

I challenged one of the associates to see if he could find a better way – and he did, resulting in very fast new product designs. During a meeting of the minds, everyone was impressed by the new design solution. Associates are now starting to constructively challenge each other so they can come up with the best possible solution – with everyone’s buy in.

Instances such as these lead me to believe that we are making progress.