Listen to “#757 How Hap Klopp Built The North Face” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
What is it like to start one of the greatest outdoor companies in the history of the world?
Hap Klopp is the founder and 20-year CEO of The North Face. Subsequently, he has managed his global consulting company, with clients from startups to billion-dollar corporations, and teaches entrepreneurship. He is here to share his entrepreneurial journey and the business lessons you don’t get with an MBA.
- Your first paying job is a very interesting part of your story – tell us about it!
- Hap’s founder’s story, beginning in 1968 when he acquired The North Face. What caught your eye about these stores?
- Hap’s big idea was to apply technology to a commoditized field and revolutionize an industry – The North Face did this many times, beginning with camping.
- You did content marketing early on at The North Face. What did that help you accomplish?
- The best advice Hap received that helped him build The North Face
- Why the most difficult lesson Hap learned is that “90% of the responsibility is mine and 10% is theirs. If you think it’s 50/50, you will be let down more often than not.”
- You actually worked with Buckminster Fuller, American architect, systems theorist, designer, and famous inventor of the Geodesic Dome, to make tents. Tell us about that.
- Why entrepreneurs shouldn’t expect an “overnight success.”
Hap Klopp is active on LinkedIn. He teaches classes on “What you Don’t Get with a $200,00 MBA” through 3 Amigos. He is the author of “Conquering The North Face: An Adventure In Leadership” and “Almost: 12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream.”
