Business origin stories that'll make you want to run through a brick wall. Released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enjoy.
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The summer of 1999 the Pinholster brothers did what all of us Squeezers want to do. They gave corporate America the middle finger and “did their own thing”...  Like everything worth doing, it wasn’t easy. They had to fight. And so they did. They fought until they flew. And today, Eagle’s Nest Outfitters is still soaring. Don’t recognize the name? Yes you do. Eagle’s Nest Outfitters = ENO (Mind = Blown). The birthplace of the world’s first knotless hammock was a garage. But not just any garage. Their sister’s. Pete and Paul Pinholster spent weeks sewing until they had enough inventory to take on the world. When they were ready, they bought van, filled the back with hammocks, and hit every music festival across the southeast. That van was a “jack of all trades”. It was a store-front during the day and a bedroom at night. After a long day’s work selling hammocks to stoned hippies (happy 4/20), the brothers would “close up shop”, turn their night light on, and get some zzz’s without making a left turn. After a few years of grassroots hustling, they finally got an office. But just like your confidence on a night out, it didn’t last very long. A fire burned it to the ground. Adiós to the progress, the inventory, and the brother's spirits. They were tempted to quit, but like a true Squeezer, they tried again. They needed a new start, so they moved the headquarters to Asheville, NC: the spot where nature-lovers, beer-enthusiasts, and places to hang hammocks unite. The bros gave it one last push and that was enough to change the hammock game forever. As you go out and make today your inferior, remember what my girl Dory from Nemo would say, “Just keep trying, just kept trying…” **Read more FS Stories here. If you liked reading this article, you might also like The Wedge: a quick-to-read weekly e-mail newsletter with awesome business stories that'll increase your creativity and resourcefulness just by reading them. Learn more and sign up here. Comments are closed.
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