Sign in with Facebook
Charlie's Reviews > Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
by
by
I approached this book with the highest expectation possible. Been looking for it for a while and eventually i was able to purchase the kindle edition. I am the archetypal Patagonia's customer: audacious mountaineer, climber, greenpeace activist, but also with an income that allows me to purchase a 500 usd jacket. To be honest, I'm not a fanboy of the brand and i don't own anything of them, but i just thought i would enjoy reading the book.
The story start from the early Yvon Chouinard's experiences, when he started to forge climbing pitons in a garage and almost dirbagging West outdoors. This part of the book is entertaining and helps to understand what shaped Yvon character. But it's, like, 12% of the whole book.
Suddendly, and I still don't know exacly how, his company, that probably worth some pennies, became one of the first outdoor selling brand in the US, and later in Europe too, earning trucks of dollars.
The whole book then revolve around the "I was just like a dirtbag and ...uhm....i randomly own a billionary company. But guys I still sleep in the wood, i ensure you". I'm not really buying this one (Chouinard's net worth in 2016 is like 200 usd millions), and the story slows we read about details of furnitures, storages, etc. A pretty few lines are for an objective view of the business, and, most important, this is not entertaining anymore.
Looks like a giant Patagonia Ads. We're so clean, so durable, so hot, such a big family (but as soon as the first troubles arised, they fired like 20% of the working force in a blink).
I appreciated the whole sustainability issue, but i can just read about it on the web. Plus, it's not just the story of a businessman, it's the story of a company.
I really expected more from a book.
The story start from the early Yvon Chouinard's experiences, when he started to forge climbing pitons in a garage and almost dirbagging West outdoors. This part of the book is entertaining and helps to understand what shaped Yvon character. But it's, like, 12% of the whole book.
Suddendly, and I still don't know exacly how, his company, that probably worth some pennies, became one of the first outdoor selling brand in the US, and later in Europe too, earning trucks of dollars.
The whole book then revolve around the "I was just like a dirtbag and ...uhm....i randomly own a billionary company. But guys I still sleep in the wood, i ensure you". I'm not really buying this one (Chouinard's net worth in 2016 is like 200 usd millions), and the story slows we read about details of furnitures, storages, etc. A pretty few lines are for an objective view of the business, and, most important, this is not entertaining anymore.
Looks like a giant Patagonia Ads. We're so clean, so durable, so hot, such a big family (but as soon as the first troubles arised, they fired like 20% of the working force in a blink).
I appreciated the whole sustainability issue, but i can just read about it on the web. Plus, it's not just the story of a businessman, it's the story of a company.
I really expected more from a book.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Let My People Go Surfing.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
October 1, 2016
–
Started Reading
October 8, 2016
– Shelved
October 8, 2016
–
Finished Reading
