Real-life resilience - Patagonia

Welcome to the weekend edition of The Resilience Brief where we dive into a story of an individual, company or moment in history that has demonstrated resilience. Often these real-world examples can give us a bit of inspiration to help us handle hard better for the week ahead. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here.

I got my first piece of Patagonia gear last Christmas. It felt like the right time - after a few cheaply made sweaters had either shrunk or lost their shape, I was ready for something with greater quality that was longer-lasting.

I think it’s fair to say that, anyone who owns a piece of Patagonia clothing, is doing so because they align with the brand. Patagonia relies on this, and they’ve created a philosophy that expands beyond the actual products they produce.

“How to climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” - Yvon Chouinard.

Patagonia was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, a passionate climber who started out making excellent quality climbing equipment for himself and his friends.

The company grew and, in the 80s they expanded into outdoor apparel. At that time, it became one of the first companies to use recycled materials in clothing. The company started to see immense success, and with that came an opportunity to expand aggressively. They introduced more products, hired rapidly, and scaled operations at an incredible pace.

But then the economy shifted. A sudden downturn hit the retail sector, and Patagonia found that it had grown too fast without a solid financial foundation. Cash flow became a major issue, debt mounted, and the business was on the edge of collapse.

Chouinard had to make the painful decision to downsize to survive. In 1991, the company laid off 20% of its workforce which was a devastating blow to a brand that prided itself on its commitment to people and purpose. It was a humbling moment, forcing Chouinard to reflect on what had gone wrong.

And reflect he did - rather than chasing relentless growth like many other businesses, he decided to redefine success with a focus on sustainability, not just with products but also in the way the business operated.

The crisis led to two major adjustments. Firstly, it sparked a commitment to responsible growth, forcing the business to slow down, only expanding when it made sense financially and ethically. It introduced more durable, long-lasting products rather than relying on rapid product turnover.

Additionally, environmental activism became a core principal within the org. The company doubled down on environmental responsibility, pledging to donate 1% of sales to conservation efforts and later adopting more sustainable materials.

It was a painful transformation for Patagonia but the company used failure as fuel to build a stronger, more resilient future. It allowed them to blossom into one of the most respected and enduring brands in the world.

From there, the company took a bold stance against fast fashion, urging customers to buy less and repair their gear rather than replace it. And a defining moment of Chouinard’s commitment to the Patagonia mission came in 2022 when Chouinard and his family made the decision to give away the company. They transferred ownership to a trust and a nonprofit dedicated to fighting climate change and all future profits (estimated around $100 million a year) now go toward protecting the planet!

The take-aways from the Patagonia story.

Patagonia doesn’t chase short-term wins. Every major decision, from switching to organic cotton to donating company profits, is now made with a long-term vision in mind. They could try maximizing profits by cutting corners, but instead, the team invests in sustainable practices and ethical production, even when it’s costly.

Additionally, Patagonia focuses on building more than a customer base - it has built a movement. By consistently standing for something bigger, the company has turned buyers into believers who advocate for the brand. And, even though it has evolved over the years (expanding products, adopting new technologies etc) the mission has remained the same. And that is why it continues to succeed.

Here are a few concepts we can explore to apply Patagonia’s lessons in regular life:

• Remember the mission. Each morning, we can ask ourselves: "Am I working toward something meaningful, or just checking tasks off a list?" If our work doesn’t align with our values, we’ll struggle to build something that we’re prepared to go through hell for. Hell will be there regardless…. and so it comes down to whether have the desire to get through it. If we do, we’re naturally inclined to be more resilient.

• Make a small decision that has long-term impact. Abraham Lincoln once said that “discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” If we can practice giving up something that we really want today, to build a better tomorrow, we have a brilliant way to practice long-term thinking. Choose a healthier habit, invest in a relationship, or learn a new skill.

• Remember our community. Friends and mentors are everything when it comes to staying on track. A coach, mentor, colleague, or friend can be someone to help us remember our professional values. We can reach out to someone who shares our values today.

Patagonia demonstrates that resilience comes from purpose, community, and long-term thinking. In a world that constantly pushes for quick wins and instant gratification, the real strength lies in building something that lasts…. just like my new sweater.

Until next time friends, stay resilient!

Carre @ Resilient Minds

PS - Interested in a resilience workshop for your team? Check out what a recent participant thought of one of my sessions here.