Thomas Condon walks into the SUPe Store. Among the aisles of textbooks, Nike shirts and Apple products, he can also find a pair of earphones that he developed himself.

For Condon, a sophomore majoring in marketing, a typical day consists of attending classes, studying for tests, going to hockey practice and working on new products for his company Boston SoundworX, which developed the earphones that are now being sold at the SUPe Store.

“I wanted to break into a market where there are not a lot of competitors, and I love music,” he said. “I’m an athlete, so I listen to music probably more often than not. Whether I’m on the bus or before a game, it’s something that really helps me get in the zone and focus. I wanted to create a product that could not only help me, but also help others.”

Condon came up with the idea for developing his earphones last summer when he was interning for his family’s company, Poly Products Co., in Hong Kong. He said the motivation he observed of the people there inspired him to develop a product of his own.

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“It’s one of those things where once you go there, it’s night–and–day different than being in the States,” Condon said. “Everyone there is so business–oriented and so receptive to new ideas. Everyone wants to succeed, because everyone wants to be the top dog, and I really like that ambition.”

Condon spent his time in Hong Kong going to electronic fairs and meeting with more than 20 factories, searching for the perfect one to develop his product. He found his manufacturer in July and worked until November to design the product. Because he had to return to Tuscaloosa for classes in the fall, Condon had to continue working to finish his product thousands of miles away from his manufacturer.

“I was staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning Skyping and designing things with their engineers to try to create the final product,” Condon said.

Condon’s main goal for developing his earphones was to create a product that was durable and affordable and had great sound quality. He said he wanted to make a product that college kids could afford, so Boston SoundworX earphones cost only $30. Condon thought there would be no better target audience than his fellow college students, so he set up a meeting with David Cowdery, assistant director of general merchandise at the SUPe Store.

“I thought it was a win-win because I think it’s a great product, so it’s good for them because they’re selling a quality product, but they’re also helping a UA student who really wants to succeed,” Condon said.

Cowdery said he was extremely impressed with the professionalism and enthusiasm Condon brought to the meeting, but he needed to be sold on the value of the product. A few days later, Condon brought in a couple of samples of the earphones, and Cowdery was sold.

“I feel Thomas has the initiative to do whatever he sets his mind to,” Cowdery said. “He seems very smart and focused for someone who is only a sophomore in college, and he understands the strong work ethic that it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.”

Joey Rohm, a junior majoring in criminal justice, bought the Boston SoundworX earphones from the SUPe Store and said he has been impressed with their innovative design, quality and price.

“The fact that they have three different earbud sizes to find your own proper fit, a flat wire which makes them hard to tangle and also really durable is great,” he said. “I like them because you don’t have to worry about the sound quality nor do you have to spend $200 to enjoy your music.”

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Since Condon’s earphones launched just after Christmas of last year, he has sold almost 1,000 pairs through Boston SoundworX’s Amazon account and the SUPe Store.

Condon’s love for music and, consequently, his decision to develop his own brand of earphones stemmed from playing hockey since he was 2 or 3 years old, always listening to music before games and during practice. He played for a professional team in Canada at 16 years old and received offers to play professionally in Europe. However, after an injury, his focus moved away from hockey.

“By the time I was 18, I realized that what I wanted to do was get a great education and play some hockey along the way,” Condon said.

So after spending his freshman year of college playing hockey at Saint Anslem College in New Hampshire, Condon transferred to The University of Alabama.

Now, more than a semester in, Condon is thriving in multiple areas at the University, including his new company. He is currently working on an application that links multiple Bluetooth speakers to create a surround-sound effect. He also has plans to add over-the-ear headphones to Boston SoundworX’s list of products.

Condon said, while he has big dreams for the future of his company, right now he is focused on continuing to get people interested in Boston SoundworX earphones as well as its new products.

“What I would love to do is to have this blow up,” he said. “I’d love to take the company to the next level where it could be the size of a Beats by Dr. Dre or Solo Republic. Obviously that’s a few years down the line, but that would be the goal.”

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