The IPO train - next stop...

...Under Armour! It appears more and more often Wall Street is meeting Pearl Street and the result as of late has been positive. So Under Armour is the next industry company to toss lots in the financial fire with the hopes of bringing in nearly $100M.

Is there a dream out there among outdoor and action sports industry entrepreneurs that ends with a successful IPO and the preverbal sun setting on a nice Fijian beach sipping a fruity beverage with a kick? This conclusion would not be a stretch of the imagination. Consider the cost of filing an IPO, which would make most trustafarians do a triple take. Once the stock is sold the stockholders can become a most ferocious taskmaster, peering into all aspects of the business thus possibly altering the core business.

What happened to good ol' fashioned frugality in business, dedicated and focuses work with management and sales that leads to success and growth? Clif Bar - there's a great story there that should be studied by the young and ambitious in the industry.

I recently overheard around our office..."if we were a public company we would not be able to change that but we're not a public company so we can do whatever the hell we want..." Exactly.

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