Let my People go Surfing

I had a YPO meeting tonight. I always get things into prospective at these meetings.

I read an interesting book called, " Let my people go surfing - the education of a reluctant businessman" by Yvon Chouinard who is the founder and owner of Patagonia. The surfing in the book refers to real surfing (in waves) unlike the surfing that most of readers coming to this blog are doing. The book is an interesting and farily easy read. Because his original start was a love of outdoor adventure and what they primarily sell is outdoor wear, his employees and his culture centre around the outdoors and the cool factor around outdoor adventuring.

He has created a perception that Patagonia is a "good for the world" company and much of the book centres around the good works that Patagonia does.

I am always inspired to read success and trials and tribulations of other business people and that is why I enjoyed the book.

This all ties back to my thoughts on branding. Patagonia has created a brand. The book is even part of it. The brand is the culture. Interesting.