Let My People Go Surfing: A Reluctant Businessman's Journey to Business Success

Ken Kadz: Overall pretty good and an interesting story. I understand his passion on the environment, but maybe I am not a pessimistic about humanity’s chances of survival as he is. Just think he went over the top so much it detracted from his message.

United States on Oct 12, 2023

Gary E. Davis: No clearer description of the planet’s plight, the measures needed to respond, and the assurances that changes can improve the situation exists today. This is the Earth’s operating manual we all need to read.

United States on Oct 02, 2023

Siva Mandadi: Book was in great condition as described. Great seller, highly recommend.

United States on Sep 23, 2023

Marie: war ein Geschenk

Germany on Aug 04, 2023

Steph: A must-read for anyone interested in marketing, branding, or business. Our team selected this for a book club and we all gained major insights! I will say that some sections are more entertaining than others - there are parts that are a bit dull - but the book overall was a good read!

United States on Jul 21, 2023

josh o regan: As some others have pointed out, the sanctimony in the second half of the book was honestly difficult to read through.

Granted, there are many corporations who could be doing a whole lot more on the CSR side, but this paints them all (except for the Patagonia C-Suite execs of course) with the same brush. Its also full of contradictions and 'facts' that are not referenced.

I also found it quite ironic as to the amount of preaching from a guy who has jetted across the globe his entire life to tell us all we're 'polluting consumers' who should be doing more to help.

Lots of knowledge gained from the book in any case (even in parts of the second half) and worth a read if you can cope with the self-professed Demigod rhetoric.

United Kingdom on Apr 16, 2023

schwob: If you don't like your job or company and you are searching for something better? This book will give you very good ideas. And also the hope that there are good people out there who can see what we do with our planet. And they start to chance something and don't waite for the others to do so.

Germany on Mar 26, 2023

Bianca: L’ho apprezzato in quanto molto profondo e fa capire come il viaggio verso il successo sia più naturale e semplice nel momento in cui si crede in ciò che si sta facendo e l’obiettivo non sono i soldi e il successo.

Bello, ha tanto da insegnare. L’unica critica è che perde molto tempo sulla biografia personale che , per quanto importante, avrei preferito fosse più corta

Italy on Nov 04, 2022

@Timothy_Hughes: “Let my people go surfing” is the story of Yvon Chouinard and his philosophy of why he set up the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. It was meant as a company handbook, explaining the company story and ethos and then was turned into a book and has become a bestseller.

In a way it is a bit like “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight the guy who started Nike. That said, I found “Shoe Dog” to be page turner, whereas “let my people go surfing” was a little drier.

Yvon, walks you through eight philosophies; product design, production, distribution, marketing, financial, human resources, management and environmental. Yvon does not share any of the detail of the real hardships of the business and growing pains, like Phil Knight does in “Shoe Dog”.

If you are looking to run a modern ethical company, (like I am) then this should certainly be on your reading list. Like “Shoe Dog” I walked away a fan of Nike, this book will certainly mean you walk away a fan of Patagonia.

United Kingdom on Jan 06, 2022

Cristian Guajardo Garcia: Esto va más o menos así.

Hace ya varios meses, me invitaron a la premiere del Adventure Film Festival. Allí, se estreno el documental "180º al sur"; la historia estaba protagonizada por dos personajes a esta altura míticos: Douglas Tompinks (Dueño de "The North Face" y "Espirit") e Yvon Chouinard (dueño de Patagonia y Black Diamond). La historia relatada fue sencillamente apasionante y épica; para coronar la noche, los organizadores lograron que el mismísimo Yvon se apersonara y conversará un rato con nosotros.

Esa noche quede bastante prendado a la historia y el personaje que realizó tamaño viaje. Fue así como me empecé a interiorizar con Yvon y las cosas que ha hecho. El hito más grande que tiene como empresario, es la marca Patagonia, especialista en ropa y accesorios para practicar deportes al aire libre. Sin embargo Patagonia no hace "sólo productos", sino que se especializa en confeccionar los mejores productos que a su vez, causen el menor daño al medio ambiente.

Así pues, me compré uno de sus libros (tiene otro sobre escalada en hielo) el cual habla de su atípica formación en el mundo de los negocios y cómo en varios años,...

United States on Sep 12, 2011