Book Review: Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard

Let my people go surfing is part autobiography of Yvon Chouinard the outdoorsman, businessman, founder of Patagonia, and part handbook for Patagonia employees to understand what the company stands for. In both parts it works as a book which pushes Chouinard’s very strong view of living life and doing business the right way.

Much of the book covers the history of Patagonia, from its early years as a metal work business creating pitons and carabiners for climbers through to its current re-incarnation as a global outdoor clothing company. Throughout that time, Chouinard has maintained his view of hiring good people then leaving them to get on and do their jobs, and this is where the title comes from. Giving people the opportunity to make decisions about their lives, whilst knowing that they still need to deliver at work. In return for that performance they gain the right to not be in the office when the surf is good.

The crux of Chouinard’s vision is to limit the harm that its manufacturing processes does to the environment, as well as understanding that harm and ensuring that it does everything that it can to make up for that harm. In fact, Patagonia’s unwritten rule is leave the environment better than it found it. There is also focus on supporting local environmental issues and addressing global issues, whilstlooking closely at its manufacturing processes. Use less cotton (it takes 2,700 litres of water to grow enough cotton to make a T-shirt — the data is also shared by the WWF here), which also requires finding an alternative. Either use organic cottons that are sustainably produced or look for other fabrics. Drive the industry to create new fabrics that are stronger, less damaging to the environment and even in some cases beneficial to the environment like the fabric they use that is made of waste plastic bottles. One of the other takeaways from the book was that making the perfect product is not about adding every feature possible to it, but rather stripping it down to the bare essentials and ensuring that those are absolutely perfect for the job. Then, if it gets damaged, fix it. Since reading the book I have visited a number of Patagonia retail stores and have seen that they really do reflect the vision as outlined in the book — wherever possible they have recycled furniture, they have used an old building and have made only small changes to it, and they are supporting local environmental issues right in the entrance to the store with advertising and ways to support.

Despite the environmental vision, the clear business accumen and the attitude towards its staff that Patagonia has, its real skill lies in marketing. There is a very short chapter devoted to marketing, but in essence the whole book is a marketing manefesto for the business, as well as a fantastic piece of self-promotion.

I read this book with care and attention, and I still do not feel that I got as much out of it as I could. I will certainly be reading it again and would recommend it to anyone who runs a business, is interested in the environment or the outdoors.