WED, 8 MAY 2024
I'M JASON HARMAN
Today, I applied for the position of Enviro and Marketing Lead at Patagonia Aotearoa.
For years, I have felt an affinity for the Patagonia brand. It began when I first read Yvon’s book, Let My People Go Surfing, the pages of which are now dog-eared and water-damaged. I read it in my tent on a foggy mountaintop in British Columbia, waiting for a rainstorm to blow through.
As an avid outdoors person, I have always longed for the wild. I have rambled my way across oceans and continents, seeking wilderness and adventure, always with a Patagonia logo proudly displayed (the more worn the better). I found what I was looking for on horseback in the Northern Rockies, in a swag in the Australian desert, and at the stern of a canoe on Vancouver Island. I have seen what others struggle to see: a planet worth protecting.
What I witnessed in those wild spaces cannot be easily put into words, and yet that is exactly what I have attempted to do – I am a writer, after all. I can’t help it. The echoes of those experiences reverberate in the pages of North and South magazine, British Columbia Magazine, Explore, Pacific Yachting, and Fly Fusion. As a wise old blacksmith once said, “How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” Storytelling is my passion, our home planet is the subject, and Patagonia has been with me on every adventure for the past decade.
WHY ME?
Synergy #1: "We want the best person for the job."
I’m a super fan*, wilderness enthusiast, and adventure collector. I am a writer, photographer, flyfisher, surfer, freediver, and rock climber. I have built and cultivated relationships all over the world, both personally and professionally. I’m autonomous and collaborative and I thrive on connection, building community, and engaging with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
* a superfan is a customer or stakeholder who is so delighted by their experience with a brand, product, or service that they become an enthusiastic advocate.
Synergy #2: “People who love to spend as much time as possible in the mountains, ocean, and wild nature.”
"The world's big and I want to get a good look at it before it's dark."
I live by this quote from the grandfather of conservation, John Muir. Life is short and it's easy to waste time on things that don't matter. Nature matters. People matter.
I subscribe to the YC notion that less is more; simpler is better. Nothing is simpler and more raw than our home planet, and I want to keep it that way. Mō tātou, ā, mo kā uri a muri ake nei (for us and our children after us).
I seek to follow the path of curiosity and creativity, into the wildest spaces, and come out with stories that inspire others to care and protect the wild that remains.
You can read a selection of my stories here.
Synergy #3: “Strong connection with the Patagonia brand, business and mission.”
I've attended Patagonia in-store events, read books from Patagonia Publishing, watched Patagonia films, and built friendships with my local Patagonia staff and ambassadors. I've tested my Patagonia products in some of the harshest conditions on earth (Los Andes, Fiordland, Muskwa Kechika, Great Bear Rainforest), and I've immersed myself in the lore of Yosemite Valley and the 1968 road trip to the Mountain of Storms.
After all this, I've developed a deep admiration and affinity for what the Patagonia brand represents: the unwavering commitment to saving our home planet, innovation, responsible manufacturing, and sustainable business practices. Like many others across the world, I've connected with the brand on a personal level and am genuinely committed to its mission.
An email conversation with Riverhorse Nakadate, Patagonia flyfishing ambassador:
18 November 2022
Hey Riverhorse!
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. You are a legend!
Your integrity, strong values, and commitment to Mother Nature are incredibly inspiring. It's great to get a reminder that the opportunity to write, to travel, to live – it's the ultimate reward. The path is the goal, and simpler is always better.
It's that perspective that first resonated with me when I found your work, and it's also what attracts me to working with Patagonia. I want to be at the forefront of positive change, to give back to the waters and soil that have given me everything.
I truly appreciate your kind words and support. It's not often that people of your stature agree to share a little of their spark with a stranger.
Hopefully our paths cross again sometime soon. If you're ever in Aotearoa, don't hesitate to send me a message!
Cheers,
Jason
16 November 2022
Heya Jason!!
You have some great questions....some I don't have answers to, as not everything in life can be put into words.
I am here to make the most difference for the earth while I am on it. I don't pay attention to the other stuff. Am happy to sleep in my canoe and eat almond butter sandwiches.
Patagonia, we are focused on saving the earth, so any and all of our projects, like you know, are topics or endeavors that can be changed, helped, and saved, etc. WE ARE IN BUSINESS TO SAVE THE PLANET. Simple as that.
As for my ride, how did I get where I seem to be? I guess I just poured my heart into writing these stories for the earth, and running wild alone all over the world all these decades. In my own voice. My own style. Living in the dirt for the right reasons. Everything on the line.
Patagonia ethos aligns perfectly with mine, so they are always who I have dreamed of working with. Slowly but surely through my words being in magazines, and writing/reading tours, the films, we realized we are a powerful match. So my dream to work with them happened. It can take decades. It is worth it. I got lucky. It is the honor of my life.
Another tip I have, is that any work you do, try to make it world class. One of a kind and words that set the bar. Highest quality means everything.
All my gear is Patagonia, and would be no matter if I knew them or not. It is amazing. All I have used long before my teamwork. So good!
So, all that said, you are obviously someone who can do this, and the world needs you to do this.
Wishing you well my brutha, and I am proud of you for asking these questions, seeking to make a difference for the earth.
Power to the people.
Let me know when you have something amazing to share...I will be here!
Riverhorse~
Synergy #4: "We seek core Patagonia product users."
Ask anyone, I'm rough on my stuff. Especially my cherished, overworn Patagonia products. But they do not give up; they keep on giving, day after day, on and on. Raindrops and sunbleach and saltwater and bramble bushes until...the occasional tear. But it's no problem. I just patch it up and they're back – with a cool-looking scar and another core memory added to their life story.
Wearing Patagonia for me is a symbol: of my love for our home planet, of activism for climate and social justice, and of a future that I believe in.
Synergy #5 “Passionate about the environment and have a demonstrated passion for saving our home planet.”
Working for an environmental consultancy, I have been part of numerous environmental projects and initiatives in Te Waipounamu including Fish Futures, Predator Free Rakiura, and Punanga Manu Bird Sanctuary. I have also volunteered with local community organisations such as Wai Wānaka, WAO, and Lake Hāwea Station. Native planting, trapping, and freshwater ecology fieldwork are some of my favourite ways to contribute to improving improved biodiversity outcomes locally in our region.
Writing and storytelling are also tools I use to promote action and inspire change. Recently, I've contributed environmentally-focused stories to British Columbia magazine, North & South magazine, and 1964 mag.
Synergy#6: “Passionate about their communities and caring for others."
I grew up in a family of third-generation surf lifesavers where the norm was to head to the beach every weekend and volunteer to protect others in our oceans. This self-sacrifice and community spirit has stayed with me and manifested in many other facets of my life. Genuine compassion and caring for others, particularly for marginalised communities, has driven much of my career to date and continues to be one of my core values.
