In the hot summer of 2020 in Arizona amidst a global pandemic, Ishan Patel, CEO and Founder of Audien Hearing, created the company with just $500 and a bold vision: to disrupt the norms of the hearing aid industry and offer affordable solutions. Alongside his co-founder Zack, Patel built the foundations of his very impactful company in a garage in Tempe, Arizona. Little did the two know at the time, their startup would reshape the landscape of hearing healthcare and effectively change the lives of millions.
A Visionary Approach to Accessibility and Affordability
The beginnings of Audien Hearing began with Ishan Patel seeing his grandpa struggle with hearing loss and the ultimate goal of helping those who can’t experience and enjoy life the same way. Traditionally, hearing aids cost upwards of $4,600 per pair, making them prohibitively expensive for many individuals suffering from hearing loss. Patel saw this as a major opportunity to introduce an affordable hearing aid product directly to consumers. Within days of launching their first pair of hearing aids, the company was put to work fulfilling hundreds of orders. Within 50 days, Audien Hearing had over $1Million in sales and by day 90 they were generating $1Million per month.
Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Milestones
The initial success of Ishan Patel and Audien Hearing did incur its roadblocks, particularly from the onset of Covid-19. Supply chain disruptions threatened Audien’s operations as the company was growing with an overwhelming influx of orders. Inventory and staff shortages were a challenge at times early on. Ishan Patel did everything he had to as the CEO, from personally fulfilling orders in a garage to strategizing operational expansions in order to foster Audien Hearing’s immediate success.
In late 2022, the FDA released guidelines regulating over the counter (OTC) hearing aids, posing a major risk to Audien Hearing. They had to immediately begin engineering and drafting a whole new product that abided by the new regulations, competing with the likes of mega corporations like Bose doing the same thing. Ishan Patel and his Audien team had to review hundreds of pages of documentation and get to work with no precedent. Audien Hearing impressively invented a new hearing aid line that met all the regulations and launched it in August 2023. The product won the ECRM’s Buyer’s Choice Award and earned Patel a meeting with Walmart.
Walmart loved the pitch and the product. The only problem was they wanted the hearing aids under $100 and it was $189. So Audien Hearing sought to again create new hearing aids that were 50% the cost. With inflation this was nearly impossible, but soon enough Ishan Patel and his team of engineers across the globe developed what is known as the Atom One. The Atom One is now distributed nationwide in Walmart selling at a staggering price of only $98.
Human-Centric Impact
Beyond financial metrics, Ishan Patel measures Audien Hearing’s success in terms of human impact. Audien has impacted over 500,000 customers and has countless testimonials of the profound difference the company and their affordable hearing aids have made.
Terry’s story for example, a customer who unfortunately had his house and all of his belongings burned down. Audien’s hearing aids were so important to Terry’s quality of life that he called in wanting to get a new pair at a discount because he couldn’t afford it after the tragedy. Audien Hearing helped him out by raising $7,000 and Ishan Patel personally flew out to North Carolina to give Terry that $7,000 check and a pair of hearing aids. Such scenarios epitomize Audien Hearing’s ethos: to restore not just hearing but also dignity, connectivity, and quality of life.
The Future Of Audien Hearing: Setting New Standards and Paving the Way
Ishan Patel envisions Audien Hearing as more than just a company but a catalyst for change in global hearing healthcare. With plans to introduce cutting-edge technologies in the future, Audien aims to continue to address hearing loss and enhance the overall wellbeing of its customers.
Ishan Patel is not content with where Audien Hearing is at. His vision plans for international expansion to reach the 500+ million people worldwide suffering from hearing loss. Tapping into the global market will ensure individuals worldwide have access to affordable and high-quality hearing solutions. As Audien Hearing continues its trajectory of growth and impact, Ishan Patel remains pivotal in shaping the future of hearing healthcare across the globe.
Ishan Patel, mentioned as the “Steve Jobs of hearing aids” by Forbes, shows the transformative power of entrepreneurship driven by empathy and innovation. By democratizing access to hearing aids and prioritizing customer needs, Patel has not only disrupted an industry but also empowered millions. As Audien Hearing continues to innovate and expand under Ishan Patel’s leadership, their impact on healthcare accessibility and quality of life will undoubtedly resonate for years to come.
