There is a beginning and end to all life - and to all human endeavors. Species evolve and die off. Empires rise, then break apart. Businesses grow, then fold. There are no exceptions. I'm OK with all that. Yet it pains me to bear witness to the sixth great extinction, where we humans are directly responsible for the extirpation of so many wonderful creatures and invaluable indigenous cultures. It saddens me to observe the plight of our own species; we appear to be incapable of solving our problems.
Yvon ChouinardThe future of Yosemite climbing lies not in Yosemite, but in using the new techniques in the great granite ranges of the world.
Yvon Chouinard...it's the same with business. If you focus on the goal and not the process, you inevitably compromise. Businessmen who focus on profits wind up in the hole. For me, profit is what happens when you do everything else right.
Yvon ChouinardEverything we personally own thatโs made, sold, shipped, stored, cleaned, and ultimately thrown away does some environmental harm every step of the way, harm that weโre either directly responsible for or is done on our behalf.
Yvon ChouinardWhen I die and go to hell, the devil is going to make me the marketing director for a cola company. Iโll be in charge of trying to sell a product that no one needs, is identical to its competition, and canโt be sold on its merits. Iโd be competing head-on in the cola wars, on price, distribution, advertising, and promotion, which would indeed be hell for me. Remember, Iโm the kid who couldnโt play competitive games. Iโd much rather design and sell products so good and unique that they have no competition.
Yvon Chouinard