“Go to bed early, get up early, work like hell and advertise” - Gert Boyle, President of Columbia SportswearColumbia Sportswear Company (Columbia) is a leader in competitive active outdoor clothing industry. A company powered by its differentiation strategy, leveraging innovation, brand equity and strong marketing in the design, manufacturing and distribution of outerwear. Columbia's product lines include everything from outerwear and footwear to camping gear and ski clothing. It has grown from a small hat company in the 1930s to a company with a global strategy and a physical and online presence spanning Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe. To fully appreciate Columbia's evolution from a "company that was a niche manufacturer of outdoor clothing aimed at anglers...into an international brand and publicly traded powerhouse", (1) one must understand the level of perseverance, of work ethic, dedication and attitude of a certain Gertrude Boyle: now 87 years old, but still “a bad mother”. .” (Exhibit 1) Gert Boyle took over the family business in the 1970s after the sudden death of her husband. A frank and honest person, Boyle often admitted that, having never worked a day in her life, she did not know what to do when she began running the company. (2) Despite his lack of experience, Boyle helped transform Columbia from a near-bankruptcy and collapsing company to a billion-dollar publicly traded organization. Throughout her journey, she relied on her natural business acumen and perseverance, overcoming trials such as a family tragedy and even an attempted kidnapping. Columbia's corporate culture and business personality reflect many of the ideals that Gert Boyle's leadership had instilled in the company. ...... middle of paper ......loomberg.com/news/2012-02-07/collective-brands-said-to-pare-pool-of-bidders-to-10-ahead-of -second-round.html?cmpid=yhoo.41. Regenold, Stephen. Addicted to equipment. Columbia calls the outdoor industry “BS.” [Online] November 10, 2010. [Cited: April 20, 2012.] http://gearjunkie.com/columbia-sportswear-2011-electric-heated-jackets.42. Larson, Erik. Columbia Sportswear files European antitrust complaint WL Gore. Bloomburg LP [Online] June 13, 2011. [Cited: April 20, 2012.] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-13/columbia-sportswear-files-european-antitrust-complaint-wl - gore.html.43. REI. Management Report 2009. REI Inc. [Online] 2010. [Cited: April 19, 2012.] http://www.rei.com/stewardship.html.44. Columbia Sportswear Company. Colombia. About Us. [Online] April 18, 2012. [Cited: April 23, 2012.] http://www.columbia.com/About-Us/About_Us_Landing,default,pg.html.