Yvonne Schanard's Journey from Craftsman to Founder of Patagonia

Yvonne Schanard, the founder of Patagonia, started his journey as a craftsman, making climbing gear such as pitons and carabiners. Unsatisfied with the available gear quality, he taught himself blacksmithing and began creating better gear. The climbing community embraced his products, leading to significant market share. Schanard's focus wasn't on building a business or making money, but on improving gear for himself and fellow outdoor enthusiasts. However, Patagonia's success grew, and they expanded into clothing, starting with colorful rugby shirts that Schanard discovered in Scotland. Despite not being knowledgeable about clothing design, he followed his intuition and feedback from fellow climbers to create products that no one else was offering.