Citation
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
TL;DR
Discontinued pitons (70% of revenue) due to environmental concerns
Chouinard's account of founding Chouinard Equipment and Patagonia. Details the 1972 decision to discontinue pitons despite comprising 70% of revenue, based on environmental concerns about rock damage.
Provides first-hand account of how small founding teams can make values-based decisions that would be impossible in larger organizations - a direct illustration of founder effects fixing organizational traits when effective population size is small.
Key Findings from Chouinard (2005)
- Discontinued pitons (70% of revenue) due to environmental concerns
- Small founding team enabled values to override profit motive
- Environmental activism established as core trait before growth