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The Hippie Guide

About Me


From Publishers Weekly:
With contagious enthusiasm, droll photographs and '60s lingo, Yowell tells the breezy story of JanSport, maker of Trail Dome tents and ubiquitous day packs. One of the company's cofounders—"three long-haired hippies with little more to their names than a thirst for high adventure and a love for the outdoors"—Yowell chronicles JanSport's "forty years of innovation, adventure, and general outdoor grooviness." While offering an inside look at some specific corporate decisions and initiatives, he keeps the focus on incorporating "the spirit of freedom" in everyday business life. But if the author's voice weren't so engaging, some sections, like the multiple chapters on JanSport mountain-climbing events, would feel off-target. Yowell seems amused by the whole idea of writing a business book—he follows a long tale about yaks and a Mount Everest climb with "I'm sure there's a business principle somewhere in that experience." Yet he does offer some feel-good ideas that may resonate with readers, such as nurturing and speaking well of others and being "glad when things don't work out as planned. You might just discover the next great invention." Right on, brother.
*Fact: JanSport sells 34,000+ packs a day, all over the globe.

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"I wish this enlightening book had been available 30 years ago. The inspiration I have derived from it now would have been welcomed then. Like a new band without a 'label' (either style or record company), with originality and dedication it shows how JanSport forged their own way and set the high marks for others to strive for. This 'how it was done' book should be read by all aspiring musicians, for the principles of success are universal and are defined within."- John McEuen, Founding Member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

“Skip's account of the founding of JanSport wreaks of honesty, humor, and enough anecdotes to stir a memory in almost anyone who has spent time outside. His tale takes you from a small room above a transmission shop to a global enterprise and packs enough adventures to keep the fire stoked and the beer on ice for hours.”- Larry Burke, Editor-in-Chief, Outside Magazine

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