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“A riveting behind-the-scenes look at Patagonia—and how the trailblazing company redefined business and purpose. With vivid storytelling, Gelles reveals how Patagonia blended environmentalism and entrepreneurial savvy to create a billion-dollar brand rooted in the belief that capitalism can be a force for good. If you like business, or care about the world, this story of how a dirtbag climber became a billionaire without selling out is essential reading.” — Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit
"This revelatory biography of Yvon Chouinard presents a polar opposite to Gelles’ last subject, GE’s Jack Welch. Chouinard’s fascinating, daring and contradictory lifeis unique in the annals of modern business, and Gelles shows us why in vivid, sympathetic detail." — John Vaillant, bestselling author of Fire Weather
“Dirtbag Billionaire shares the magic of what happens when visionary business leaders commit to doing well by doing good. Read it if you are interested in reforming capitalism—and especially if you think capitalism is irredeemable.” — Lynn Forester de Rothschild, founder and CEO of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism
“A rebel’s guide to giving a damn. Brilliant and real. Excellently written. A must-must read!” — Nick Bilton, bestselling author of American Kingping
“In Dirtbag Billionaire, David Gelles chronicles the life of Yvon Chouinard in a manner that is as spirited and unflinching as his subject. By telling the story of Chouinard’s life and work, Gelles provides critical insight into how humanity can begin to reconcile the clash between our current form of capitalism and our urgent need to protect our planet and its people.” - Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
COMING SEPTEMBER 9
DIRTBAG BILLIONAIRE How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away
New York Times reporter and bestselling author David Gelles reveals how Patagonia became a global leader in doing well by doing good and how other companies are adopting its principles.
This is the inside story of one of the most extraordinary brands in the corporate world, the rare company that is driven by environmental activism instead of cutthroat capitalism. Founded in 1973, Patagonia has grown into a wildly popular producer of jackets, hats, and fleece vests, with a cultlike following among hardcore alpinists and Wall Street traders alike, posting sales of more than $1 billion a year.
But it’s not just the clothes that make Patagonia so unique. For decades, the company has distinguished itself as a singular beacon for socially responsible business, the rare company that can legitimately claim to be doing its damnedest to make the world a better place, while also making a profit. From its early efforts to take exemplary care of its employees, to its extensive work trying to clean up its supply chain, to its controversial activism, Patagonia has set itself apart from its peers with one unorthodox decision after another, proving that there is another way to do capitalism.
At the heart of the story is Patagonia’s founder, the legendary rock climber Yvon Chouinard. A perennial outsider who forged one of the most impressive resumes in the outdoor world with his first ascents of sheer rock walls and his daring adventures to Earth’s most remote locales, Chouinard also established himself as a pivotal figure in the history of American business. Guided by his anti-authoritarian streak and his unwavering commitment to preserving the natural world, Patagonia came to exert a powerful influence on other companies, paving the way for a new era of social and environmental responsibility. He started out as a dirtbag – a term affectionately bestowed on poor, itinerant outdoorsmen so uninterested in material possessions they are happy to sleep in the dirt – and he became a billionaire.
Chouinard also proved that there was another way to be a philanthropist. In the twilight of his career, he gave away Patagonia, renouncing his wealth and committing all its future profits to efforts to fight the climate crisis.
Drawing on exclusive access and extensive interviews with Chouinard and the Patagonia team, Dirtbag Billionaire offers new insights into the key moments that informed their priorities, shaped the company, and sent ripples across the corporate world.