Founder
CurrentEarlove was founded in 2004 by Carolynn Travis - musician, DJ, manager and popular fixture of Chicago’s many diverse music scenes - who’s personal experience with noise-induced hearing loss prompted her to take up the fight against this widespread yet preventable disability.Committed to remaining an active musician while eager to help friends and colleagues avoid unnecessary harm, Carolynn created Earlove as a friendly, nonjudgmental conversation starter and set about giving away as many pairs of earplugs as she could afford.Ten years ago, hearing protection was rarely discussed by concert goers or nightclub devotees. Information about dangerous noise exposure and how to prevent permanent hearing damage wasn’t readily available to the general public. When earplugs were available at clubs and gigs, typically the only option was cheap foam that muffles the music and degrades the sound quality.Carolynn’s near-deaf experience led her to the door of Etymotic Research and its founder Mead Killian, a pioneering audiologist who invented the original earphone technology and created a new product category of in-ear monitors for musicians and sound technicians. Earlove brings Etymotic’s professional grade noise reduction and unequaled fidelity preservation to music fans at an affordable price. Propelled by customers’ word-of-mouth enthusiasm and later through press and social media, Earlove is a respected nationally-known brand.In addition to Earlove, Carolynn has established herself as a leader in hearing protection education and marketing. As Etymotic’s Global Brand Advocate and Social Media Specialist for four years, she reached over 60,000 music students and educators through the “Adopt-A-Band” program. In 2008, she was awarded the Natalie Stukas Award for Hearing Conservation by the Illinois Academy of Audiology which acknowledges outstanding achievement in clinical practice, consumer education, research, or product development in the area of hearing conservation.
