Like so many South Florida entrepreneurs, Luke Freeman faced a daunting challenge when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and froze the region’s economy. His company, Wizard Creations, supplied branded and promotional items for cruise companies, hotels, sports teams, trade show exhibitors and many other clients that largely halted their operations.

A rapid pivot within his own companies and the launch of a brand new pandemic-related venture has led to “meteoric” success, according to his peers and partners at Entrepreneurs’ Organization South Florida (EO SOFLO).

With Wizard Creations, he’s developed and boosted big sales of branded “stay at home” and “safe at home” kits that companies are sending to their employees and customers. With in-person contact and events drastically cut, Freeman has shown companies how they can stay in touch and keep their brand top of mind with unique gifts and materials delivered to the home. In this current holiday season, many corporate clients will be skipping their traditional office parties, but instead will ship employees branded gift packs. Wizard Creations will be providing thousands of these themed holiday boxes and gifts adorned with company logos, slogans and other messaging.

Freeman also is a partner with fellow EO SOFLO member Seth Rand in the Wizard Digital marketing agency, and they’ve found a profitable pandemic-related niche, as well. Large numbers of people now working and spending much more time at home are looking to build home offices, expand their houses or renovate for greater comfort. Wizard Digital has successfully targeted the real estate and construction sector, including home services such as pool builders, contractors, electrical and plumbing companies and others, to more than double overall revenues this year.

One of the most successful and biggest pandemic pivots for Freeman has been his launch of the Confide PPE (personal protective equipment) company. Bottles of hand sanitizer have been top sellers in the promotional premium industry for many years, so when Covid-19 hit Freeman had a special knowledge of the product. However, most of it was made in China and elsewhere overseas, resulting in critical supply and quality concerns when the pandemic created unprecedented demand. Using all of his “life savings,” Freeman invested in existing manufacturing companies here in the United States and helped rapidly ramp up production. Confide is a reliable and safe domestic supply of an important product to American healthcare, hospitality and other companies at a time of critical need. But as well, Freeman has created his own manufacturing and supply chain of a staple promotional product for Wizard Creations for many years to come.

“Luke is smart, driven, creative and very quick react to any challenge,” said Rand, co-founder of Wizard Digital and an EO member for almost four years. “Every entrepreneur must have some of these traits, but Luke’s are special.”

Freeman will be sharing some of his secrets to success in a book scheduled for release in 2021. With a working title of “Uplift CEO,” he’s written about building “eight-figure” companies from the ground up, and how entrepreneurs of all stages need to master many qualities, including confidence, financial literacy and branding.

The book also will reflect on the lessons he’s learned this year, such as the ability to adapt, stay aware and conduct real-time analysis, all of which are “more important than making traditional one-, three- or five-year business plans. You need to stay incredibly nimble to survive and thrive in business today.”

Freeman attributes much of this knowledge and success to his EO SOFLO experience. He joined the organization 2011. EO SOFLO is one of the world’s largest EO chapters, with more than 200 members who run businesses with 10,000 employees and more than $2 billion in annual revenue in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

“The relationships, the peer-to-peer comradery and learning is so valuable mentally, emotionally and financially,” Freeman said. “All of it keeps us grounded and prepared to act decisively, especially in unprecedented challenges like we’ve all faced this year. I feel very fortunate to have this support.” 

For more information on EO SOFLO, visit www.eosoflo.com.