Mark W. Richards

Mark W. Richards is a seasoned serial entrepreneur with over three decades of experience in building successful businesses and iconic brands.1 He is the founder and CEO of Alphidia, LLC, a dynamic product development company specializing in bringing niche-focused brands to market.12

Professional Background

Entrepreneurial Experience:: Mark has founded multiple companies over his career, with Alphidia being one of his current ventures.2 He has a track record of starting and growing successful businesses, having launched at least a dozen companies since graduating from college.2

Product Development Expertise:: With a passion for invention and product development, Mark has spearheaded the creation of over 400 innovative products.1 His expertise lies in:

• Identifying lucrative business opportunities
• Rapidly launching products
• Optimizing product presence across major online marketplaces (e.g., Amazon.com, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart)1

Other Ventures:: In addition to Alphidia, Mark owns PolyClean USA, a plastics company that supports major petrochemical companies by optically scanning and sifting out defective resin pellets.2

Education and Philosophy

Mark graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science.3 Despite his unconventional major for a business career, he has leveraged his education to become a successful entrepreneur.2

Philanthropy and Mentorship

Mark is actively involved in supporting entrepreneurship education:

• He has donated to the College of Charleston's School of Business
• Helped raise over $750,000 for experiential education in entrepreneurship and the ImpactX program
• Made a $50,000 pledge to the Center for Entrepreneurship
• Contributed $10,000 to the School of Business Dean's Excellence Fund2

Additionally, Mark serves as a guest speaker for students, covering topics from starting new ventures to introducing technology trends shaping the entrepreneurial future.2

Current Focus

At Alphidia, Mark's current strategy involves partnering with influencers who have large audiences to develop and market products.1 He leverages his product development and manufacturing expertise to create brands in collaboration with these influencers, aiming to monetize their audiences authentically.45