Founder and CEO of American Sportswear Firm Under Armour Speaks to Cheung Kong MBA Students
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
Founder and CEO of American Sportswear Firm Under Armour Speaks to Cheung Kong MBA Students
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
Founder and CEO of American Sportswear Firm Under Armour Speaks to Cheung Kong MBA Students
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
Founder and CEO of American Sportswear Firm Under Armour Speaks to Cheung Kong MBA Students
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
Beijing, November 20, 2009 – "Because that's the way we've always done it." Never say this at Under Armour, the American sports apparel and footwear brand founded by Kevin Plank. If you do, Plank will fire you. He has no use for complacency.
Plank recently spoke to a packed audience of MBA students and guests at Cheung Kong GSB's Beijing campus, expounding on his business career and giving insights and advice to China's next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Under Armour, Plank said, he demands devotion to innovation within a culture of passion from himself and from every other employee. It is this mindset that enabled him to transform Under Amour from a one-man firm 15 years ago to one of America's most successful brands in a highly competitive industry. Through innovation and creative thinking, he added, Under Armour is able to see itself as "an entirely new company every six months."
Drawing on his personal experience, Plank recalled the challenges he faced as a young entrepreneur; finding people willing to try his product was the first one.
He recalled how, with a meager budget and limited resources, he travelled around the eastern United States pitching his first product -- an undershirt that breathed to allow sweat to pass through and evaporate, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable throughout a match or workout – to sports teams and individual athletes, asking them to tell their friends if they liked the product. Only after five years of struggle did this direct and word-of-mouth marketing campaign start to pay off and allow him to move into the mass-market retail with large-scale advertising. The lesson, Plank told the audience, is that there is no shortcut to success as an entrepreneur; no matter how revolutionary your product, no matter how large its potential customer base, you will go nowhere without a long-term commitment to your product and without putting in the effort to develop your company.
Plank also spoke of the importance of being guided by one's gut and one's instincts. He said that in retrospect, if he'd known more about the sportswear industry or had had more work experience when he founded Under Armour, he might have been too discouraged to even begin, overawed by the seeming impossibility of what he was setting out to do. This experience taught him that for a young entrepreneur, being "smart enough to be naïve enough about what you can't accomplish" is crucial.
After all, he said, nothing is guaranteed for any entrepreneur; but by getting rid of "loser talk," by focusing on what you can do rather than on what you can't, you can put yourself and your company on the right track.
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