Flying back from a whirlwind trip that has taken me all over the United States, to London, and back home to Toronto, I’ve had some time to reflect on this company that we’ve built, founded by my grandfather Sam Tick in 1957. So much has changed in the past 60 years, and even in the last 20 since I began my own journey at Canada Goose – a journey that has taken me around the world many times over, and has given me the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most interesting and influential people alive. What a trip it has been! The micro: five cities in five days. The macro: from a niche, utilitarian, expedition clothier, to an iconic global brand that lives at the intersection of performance and luxury – the only one of its kind to come out of Canada.
I’m always grateful when I can spend time with my friends and peers around the world who are generous enough to share their experiences in business, sports, and life in general. One of the most consistent themes I hear is “never forget what got you here.” For some that means maintaining an underdog personality, for others it means finding strength in details, and for some it’s as simple as remembering your roots. These are powerful business lessons that apply equally to life outside the office. The moment you start thinking that you are untouchable or too good, or maybe even the best, the moment that gets to your head is the moment when you start to lose your edge.
So that’s what we must take with us on this next leg of our journey. We are a much bigger company now, and while we are taking our place among the world’s most admired brands, we are also committed to continuing the little things right too, the little things that will help us maintain our edge for the next 20 years and more.
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When I started, I couldn’t see our future as clearly as I can today. I’ve always believed that context and perspective are everything, and what you don’t realise (or at least I didn’t) when you’re small, is that it is a big market out there, and if you thread the needle just right, the opportunities can be mind-blowing. I now know that winning means not just taking the big swings, but also doing all the small things right. It means knowing not only that the devil is in the details… but knowing which details.
I am so excited about this company and what we do, because in addition to making amazing products, in addition to rebuilding an apparel-manufacturing sector that had been decimated in Canada, in addition to being an ambassador for our country around the world, we are an authentic company that believes in things that are bigger than ourselves, and one that is fundamentally built for purpose. People value real and authentic things. Among these lessons, I’ve learned that our commitment to integrity and authenticity is matched by our customers’ loyalty. Our customers are from all corners of the world – people who use our products in the far North where temperatures can be bone chilling, and those who wear our products in the great and small cities of the world. People love and trust us for our commitment to quality and lasting performance, a commitment that has made us renowned for warmth. Today that same commitment extends beyond the parka to breathability and protection from wind and rain. Now people trust us not just in winter but also in spring and fall.
We also believe in making a positive impact for our communities and for the world. We don’t just keep people warm in the coldest places on Earth, but we build bridges with Northern Canada through our Resource Centres programme, and we are deeply connected to Polar Bears International, which, through research and education, hopes to save the polar bear – the great icon of the North. We will do more of these things as we grow. Companies of the future have to be good for the world too. We have already taken a stand and used our voice in many ways. We believed that we could make the best parkas in the world, in Canada, and because of our commitment, we have created thousands of jobs here at home, as well as internationally.
In our book, Greatness Is Out There, you will read a selection of stories of some people, Goose People, who embody our spirit of exploration, and who are united by their passion for what they do. People who took big swings (literally, in the case of baseball players Jose Bautista and Joe Carter) and who changed things. We will continue to take our own big swings – not only by innovating through exciting new products and product categories, and by how we connect with customers around the globe – but through continuing to be unconventional in our thinking and execution. We will always deliver best in class no matter what we do; we will never compromise on that.
We don’t just want to be one of the greatest global brands to come out of Canada – we want to be one of the world’s greatest brands and most enduring companies.
Canada Goose: Greatness is Out There is published by Assouline, £135; assouline.com; canadagoose.com
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