A Year in Review with JLab Audio
This year was a BIG one for JLab, and we're GOing (wink wink) even bigger in 2017! This year won awards, gave awards, launched new products, were featured in top magazines and websites, expanded our team and are excited for what's GOing to happen next.
Here's a full round-up of all the exciting things 2016 gave us....
Company Wide
We launched our very own JLab Audio App where users can easily shop their favorite products and burn-in their headphones for prime use. Find it in your app store!
Get the iOS app |Get the Android app
We partnered with our local San Diego State University. If you're at a Men's Basketball or Football game, look for JLab helping you GET LOUD on the big screen! SDSU Football also won their Mountain West Conference AND The Las Vegas Bowl!
We also partnered with the Batcole Foundation, which honors the memory of Cole who suffered from pediatric cancer. 50% of proceeds of our Batcole Foundation JBuddies Folding Headphones go to the foundation.
JLab also attended events and marathons all around the country this year including, CES, Outdoor Retailer, Rock N Roll Marathons, LA Marathon, Supergirl Pro (and hosted Sound Sessions, a DJ competition), CE Week in New York and more!
Products
JLab launched our most award-winning product ever Epic2 Bluetooth Wireless Sports Earbuds, which received countless awards and recognition. Acknowledged countless times as awesome fitness earbuds!
The Flex Bluetooth Active Noise Canceling Headphones were launched and turned heads with their sleek design and welcoming comfort.
The Crasher XL Splashproof Bluetooth Speaker also made a big splash (pun intended) with it's sturdy metal build and IPX6 rating, that could withstand any crazy outdoor adventure.
Last, but not least, our big launch of the Epic Air True Wireless Earbuds got everyone talking. JLab will enter the true wireless game in 2017 with the best Bluetooth connection yet.
Awards and Recognition
JLab Audio (and CEO Win Cramer) won a few awards this year...
- Made the Inc 5000 list for the third time
- CEO Win Cramer was named "40 under 40" by Dealerscope
- JLab was voted "Best Places to Work in San Diego" by the San Diego Business Journal
- Won the SDX B2C Brand of the Year Award (second straight year!)
- Won a 2017 CES Innovation Award for our new Party Series Wireless Multiroom Speakers (coming soon!) and another award we can't specifically mention.
We also gave a few awards at our company holiday party. Congrats to Rachael Hall, Customer Service Logistics Supervisor, who won the Team Member of the Year award. Mike Nolan, our Director of Sales, won the Newcomer of the Year award. To add to these awards, #TeamJLab also grew this year bringing on new talent: Lacy Ottensen, Staci Zaffuto, Pat Weathers, Mike Nolan, Juli Gary, Alex Steel and Justin Liu.
JLab loves when magazines and sites want to feature or review our products (cause why wouldn't we?!), and this year was filled with them. From special segments on TV, to GQ loving our Epic2 Bluetooth Earbuds, to The Wirecutter putting our JBuddies Studio Headphones to the test (and passing), here's our favorites from this year!
- CBS's The Talk featured JLab more than once this year with audience giveaways.
- Alessandra Ambrosio chose our Epic2 as a great beach item in Maxim Magazine.
- The Wirecutter re-selected the second generation Epic2 Wireless Earbuds as the Best Wireless Exercise Headphones.
- GQ picked our Epic2 as their favorite wireless workout earbud AND included us in their Holiday Gift Guide for Picky Tech Guys.
- Women's Running featured our Epic2 with JLab Ambassador Nadia Ruiz.
- The Verge named the Epic2 "Best Wireless Headphones for Running" in an in-depth video.
- The Wirecutter tested our JBuddies Studio Folding Headphones at safe volumes for kids and they passed with flying colors, and were picked as the top corded Big Kids Headphones.
- Reviewed.com picked JLab's Epic Bluetooth Earbuds as the Editor's Choice for Best Wireless Earbuds.
- Our local news station Fox 5 San Diego featured JLab Audio and CEO Win in their "Made in San Diego" morning segment.
- KTLA's Rich DeMuro segmented the "Best Wireless Earbuds for Your Smartphone" and included our Epic2.
- Katie Linendoll talked about the Batcole Foundation on the Weather Channel and social media featuring our specific JBuddies Folding Headphones, which 50% or proceeds go to the foundation.
Ambassadors
Finally, our Ambassador list has grown and we couldn't be happier to have such great athletes, musicians, and inspirations as part of our team to help spread teh JLab love! We also had FOUR of our athletes compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio (with Brittney Reese taking home a silver medal!).
Here's who jumped on board this year, be sure to give them all a follow and send some love:
- Dave Aude - Grammy Award Winning Producer and DJ
- Blizzy - The Freshest Drummer Alive
- Noah Wallace - Freestyle Skier
- Betsi Flint- Pro Beach Volleyballer
- Kelley Larsen - Pro Beach Volleyballer
- Jamel Herring - Boxer
- Justin Ferrerira - Triathlete
- DJ Dopamine - DJ repping Canada
- DJ Lauren - DJ repping San Diego
- Will Holt - USA Field Hockey
- Michael Barminski - USA Field Hockey
- Jason Rodie - Paralympic Athlete
- Lauren Barnes - Pro Soccer Player for Seattle Reign
- Kayla Coscino - Surfer
JLab is excited for what 2017 will bring! Keep shopping and following along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for a New Year of surprises...hint: we're no longer rocking it out, we're GOing big instead.