One Tough Mother

I happened across this book somehow and picked it up because I love Columbia Sportswear.

Gert Boyle is the 85+year old chairman of Columbia Sportswear. Boyle's Jewish parents escaped Nazi Germany in 1938, just in time. Her paternal grandmother and uncle had emigrated years earlier and sponsored them but the paperwork wouldn't go through until her dad ran into someone he had served with in World War I who worked for immigration. Her dad was a successful businessman and Germany wouldn't allow anyone to leave with any money. So he purchased all the furniture and other goods he could and shipped them to the U.S. Gert's family arrived without jobs and started over in a new land. She talks often of how she loves this land and when people felt she should be bitter at the curfews and surveillance her family experienced as German natives during World War II, she always responded that if she'd stay in Germany, it would have been much worse.

Boyle's life changed suddenly when her 47-year old husband died suddenly of a heart attack when she was in her mid-40s. She set about to run the company her parents had started and her husband was president of upon his death. Her 21-year old son left school and came to help her. She learned a lot about business fast. One employee told her she would do year-end inventory for a 25% pay increase. She gave it to her, let her finish payroll and then fired her. She said you figure out who is loyal to your company and who is not and you cut loose those you can't trust to do the best thing for your business. She never remarried saying that you only achieve perfection once.

In the 80s, the One Tough Mother campaign was born. Gert's deadpan humor and looks were put to good use in an ongoing series of ads that featured her with tattoos ("not real" she says), football pads, Jesse Ventura, etc....

Gert still goes to work each morning and still signs reimbursement checks personally. She says she trusts her employees to use company money wisely but she also knows they will think about their travel expenses differently knowing she will see the receipts.

Gert gives great business advice and writes an autobiography that reminds us all to be grateful for what we have and keep moving forward. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Gert has made it well, and has numerous awards for business, philanthropy, and motherhood. Long may she live!