Skip Yowell, co-founder of JanSport, said having passion for what you do is the key to success when starting a business.
"Then it's not work," he said. "It's more like fun."
Yowell will visit Penn State tonight at 7 as part of the Mountainfilm Festival, which features seven short independent documentary films, including one about Yowell's JanSport journey. Following the films, Yowell will speak about his career and then engage in a question-and-answer session with students.
The festival is free to students and faculty and is an offshoot of the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival, a four-day event that occurs yearly in Telluride, Colo.
After garnering success with the company, Yowell said he has been giving college lectures around the world and was then approached about the film.
"I can't be everywhere all the time," he said. "It was a way to broaden the JanSport story."
The 15-minute documentary discusses Yowell's youth in Kansas and future career, focusing on the different people and mentors he's met.
While his story may appeal to business students or outdoor enthusiasts, he said all kinds of people can take interest in it.
"I don't just say 'OK, here are the seven steps to success,'" he said. "It can appeal to any field and a wide variety of groups."
Erica Lorin, Penn State student ambassador for JanSport, said she saw the film and was amazed by Yowell's evolution from an everyday guy to a successful entrepreneur.
Lorin (junior-public relations) also had a chance to meet Yowell while on a trip to the West Coast and encourages students interested in business to attend the event and speak with him.
"He is an amazing guy," she said.
"It shows what one person can do with their life and how much they can accomplish. He made a huge success with his life, and it's inspiring to see someone who has given so much back to the community and the world."
Kristina Simpson, also an ambassador for JanSport, met Yowell and said the festival is a good opportunity for students to obtain business information.
"He's so down-to-earth for being a founder of such a huge corporation," Simpson (junior-marketing) said. "He's had such a rich life, and people can
pick his mind about business strategy."
Lorin also said students interested in film and environmental issues can enjoy the other films that will be screened, including movies about a burrowing owl, cooking and fishing.
"You can get insight into what is going on around the world," she said. "It's a fun taste of life."
