BUS 206
Since 1972, Yvon Chouinard has built Patagonia into one if the most successful outdoor
companies in the world. He’s done so by always being committed to helping the environment
and taking risks. Yvon had a vision and that was to “Build the best product, cause no
unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
Because he was not afraid of the risks, his company has generated an annual income of $800
million in retail revenue. He believed that it was good business to make a great product and to
do it with the least amount of damage to the planet. Chouinard was all about strategy. He did
not cheapen his brand when his competitors/industry began to mimic one another. Instead he left
his products and prices the same. He said, “the less you do then the more provocative and truer
leader you are”, and he was correct. Consequently, Patagonia has become the Rolls-Royce of its
product category. This rings true because A Rolls Royce is one of the most luxurious and
