Chuinard Patagonia Essay

There is no denying the success of the company, Patagonia, since its opening approximately four decades ago. The length of time the company has been in business is a testament to its staying power in the business world, as well as proof that what the company is doing from a business standpoint is working. The company’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, is a very successful entrepreneur in every sense of the word. Although his methods of managing his business may draw intense criticism from others in the business world, Chouinard has held to his principles through the years which have helped him to lead a company with only a four percent turnover rate on an annual basis. Chouinard and his wife Malinda employ 1,300 employees and still manage to operate the business on their terms and have vowed to continue to do so to protect the environment (Ferrell, Hirt, & Ferrell, 2009). Yvon Chouinard started his entrepreneurial career as a self-taught blacksmith, in 1957. The only pitons available at the time were made of iron and had to be left in place once installed. The number of pitons required for longer climbs presented a problem for those like …show more content…
The company generates $275 million in annual sales which is due at least partially to the way it treats its employees. One of the key methods for maximizing employee potential and generating sales is to motivate a company’s employees which Patagonia has done very successfully. The significance which the Chouinards place on the treatment of their employees and the environment has created an atmosphere within the company where people strive to achieve employment and once there, work diligently to maintain their jobs. The positive behavior of this nature is a problem all companies should strive to achieve (Ferrell, Hirt, & Ferrell,