1988 Forbes – Workings of an entrepreneurial economy
Greg Hind, founder of HIND, appeared in Forbes in 1988. The description, “Something sleeker than baggy old sweatpants,” accompanied this photo.
During his interview, Forbes photographer asked Greg what he would like to do for the picture. Greg suggested he gather up various HIND products and toss them into the air. The photo made the magazine and was a great symbol for the creativity and innovation which was the hallmark of Hind Performance.
In the article, Author Dyan Machan poses the question: “Where are the economy’s needed new jobs coming from?” And then answered with foresight, “Not from government, but from the wonderful and often strange workings of an entrepreneurial economy.”
Always driven by his entrepreneurial spirit, it’s no wonder to us that Greg was highlighted as a transformative thinker during that time.
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Greg Hind was featured with the following:
“Gregory Hind, 42, a California athlete, and his friend Guy Wells, a teacher, built a flourishing business marketing earguards for water polo caps. Hind, who competed in the Pan American games in 1968, broke his own eardrum playing water polo.
Hind-Wells, a San Luis Obispo company, didn’t stop with making and selling earguards. “I mean, how many water polo players do you know?” asks Hinds. The company moved to swimming goggles and bathing suits.
In 1979 sales were $2.3 million. Wells wanted to do more contract work, but Hind, the son of Harry Hind, founder of contact lens solution /maker Barnes-Hind, wanted to expand the line.
Hind bought out Wells with $20,000 of his own money. On his own and into hock, Hind had to hit on something fast. A few years earlier a local runner had approached him and Wells, asking for something sleeker than baggy old sweatpants to run in. Hind fashioned the first pairs of nylon running tights and sold them locally. Then track star Willie Gault wore Hind’s tights in a Sports Illustrated photograph, and the product took off. With earnings of $2.5 million on $21.3 million last year, Hind’s next challenge is maintaining market share and coming up with the next big seller to keep his 400 employees busy when the fad cools off.”
In this same 7-page article Gus Blythe, founder and now President & Managing Member of Drymax, was highlighted as well. His story is shared at the introduction of the article – which you can download here: Forbes-1988
What we appreciate is how Forbes looked ahead to see the future of our economy. Machan writes “…that’s the way the new economy is: incredibly complex, making goods and services that previously did not exist arid that no group of central planners, no matter how smart, could possibly engineer. In this thriving, brawling, ever changing service economy, people are also doing the more conventional things. Opening restaurants, publishing magazines, providing new services in important areas like child care, information services, convenience foods and even eye care.”
The Full Article can be downloaded here and read here >>> Forbes-1988
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Additional national stories sharing HIND History can be found here: HIND In The News
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GH Sports is Formerly HIND Performance and is proud to continue the tradition of manufacturing high-quality run, cycle, swim and fitness apparel in San Luis Obispo, California.
GH Sport’s history can be explored here.
If you have a HIND or GH Sports story to share, we would love to hear from you.
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