Matzner has always been eager to learn from others and discovered that successful individuals were eager to assist him if he showed an interest in their business. He readily struck up conversations with businesspeople and asked several questions to learn more about their companies. Matzner met the guy who pioneered cooperative supermarkets, a membership of privately owned and run stores united under the name ShopRite, in 1958, when he was 21 years old. Matzner was tasked with devising a strategy for providing tailored advertising to the retailers.
Matzner came up with the notion of sending free weekly advertising publications to every home in a given region. When the concept proved successful, he became the owner and major seller of the paper, which grew into CBA Industries, Inc. Matzner grew his newspaper’s weekly circulation to 250,000 by combining multiple mastheads to form a free newspaper group with distribution in three New Jersey counties. His publications were extremely popular, and they gave rise to the notions of shared mail and private saturation distribution. This accomplishment enabled him to enter other markets, the first of which being 8 million residences in California with pooled mail and private saturation distribution. CBA eventually become the country’s most successful private delivery provider. Let’s see more on Harold Matzner.
More about his life
Matzner’s life motto has always been “never give up, never quit.” He worked tirelessly to create a product that met the demands of both advertising and customers with distinction. He defines success as: “Setting an ambitious goal, achieving it, and feeling good about how you did it is what it means to me. And I aim to be fair, courteous, and devoted to my staff and clients.”
Matzner, a firm believer in the American Dream, says, “I don’t think I could have done as much in any other nation except America. There are always chances for entrepreneurs with a decent product who are ready to work. It requires determination, but it is really possible.”
“Nothing is more important than assisting young people who are struggling financially to acquire an education because they are the future of our country,” Matzner says, honoured and humbled by his Horatio Alger Award.
Matzner became one of Palm Springs’ most prominent donors. Since 1997, he has donated more than $60 million to local NGOs, with a focus on the visual and performing arts, education, and health and wellness.