Osprey Packs: Mike Pfotenhauer

Osprey Packs: Mike Pfotenhauer

With a passion for design and a skill for sewing, Mike Pfotenhauer grew a bespoke backpack business into one of the world’s most popular outdoor brands. He got his start in the 1970’s, when it was hard to find a pack that wasn’t clunky and uncomfortable. Operating out of a little shop in Santa Cruz, California, Mike started making better-fitting packs for hikers, and—with no advertising except for a sign out front—began to get noticed. As demand for the packs grew, Mike was forced to shift production twice: first to a tiny town in Colorado, where Navajo craftsmen helped with the sewing; then, to a sprawling city in South East Asia, where Mike moved his family so he could stay close to the design process. It took more than 25 years, but Osprey eventually grew into a massive global brand, which was sold in 2021 for over 400 million dollars.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(816)

Dell Computers: Michael Dell

Dell Computers: Michael Dell

Before it became fashionable to start a tech company in your dorm room, Michael Dell did exactly that. In 1983, he began selling upgrade kits for PC's out of his dorm at UT Austin. A few months later ...

29 Jan 201848min

Serial Entrepreneur: Marcia Kilgore

Serial Entrepreneur: Marcia Kilgore

After high school, Marcia Kilgore moved to New York City with $300 in her pocket and no real plan. One step at a time, she became a successful serial entrepreneur. First, she used her high school body...

22 Jan 201852min

LinkedIn: Reid Hoffman

LinkedIn: Reid Hoffman

In the early 1990s, Reid Hoffman had a vision for the future of the Internet: people would connect through social networks using their real names, and their online lives would be completely merged wit...

15 Jan 201841min

Kate Spade: Kate & Andy Spade (2017)

Kate Spade: Kate & Andy Spade (2017)

We're hard at work planning our next live show, so we bring you this favorite from the last year: Kate Spade. A 1991 conversation at a Mexican restaurant led Kate & Andy Spade to ask, "What's missing ...

8 Jan 201839min

Clif Bar: Gary Erickson (2018)

Clif Bar: Gary Erickson (2018)

We're taking a break for the holidays, so we bring you this favorite from the last year: Clif Bar. Gary Erickson asked his mom, "Can you make a cookie without butter, sugar or oil?" The result was an ...

1 Jan 201830min

Live Episode! The Home Depot: Arthur Blank

Live Episode! The Home Depot: Arthur Blank

In 1978, Arthur Blank and his business partner Bernie Marcus were running a successful chain of hardware stores called Handy Dan – but then, they were unexpectedly fired. The next year, they conceived...

28 Des 201732min

Patagonia: Yvon Chouinard (2016)

Patagonia: Yvon Chouinard (2016)

We're taking a break for the holidays, so we bring you this favorite from the last year: Patagonia. In 1973, Yvon Chouinard started the company to make climbing gear he couldn't find elsewhere. Over d...

25 Des 201726min

LearnVest: Alexa von Tobel

LearnVest: Alexa von Tobel

When Alexa von Tobel was just 14, her father passed away unexpectedly, leaving her mother to manage the family's finances. The tragedy made Alexa determined to understand money – and help others plan ...

18 Des 201739min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
dine-penger-pengeradet
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
finansredaksjonen
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
pengepodden-2
utbytte
rss-sunn-okonomi
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
pengesnakk
lederpodden
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
liberal-halvtime
lederskap-nhhs-podkast-om-ledelse
rss-politisk-preik
rss-markedspuls-2