BOOKS THAT EMPOWER – 2025
DIRTBAG BILLIONAIRE
By David Gelles
Each year, SouthCol Advisors chooses a book that it believes is both inspirational and empowering; a book that broadens perspectives and challenges its reader to expand their understanding of what’s possible.
This year, SouthCol is excited to announce Dirtbag Billionaire as its “Books That Empower” selection for 2025.
“Through innovation and sheer determination, Yvon Chouinard found a way to leverage his love of climbing into a company that helps protect what he loves – the environment”, explained SouthCol founder James Lumberg. “SouthCol is proud to be a member of the B-Corp movement that Patagonia helped inspire.”
Every year, SouthCol donates copies of its “Books That Empower” selection to a local community organization.
2025 – Dirtbag Billionaire, by David Gelles
2024 – Leave Only Footprints, by Conor Knighton
2023 – Once Upon a Town, by Bob Greene
2022 – Endurance, by Alfred Lansing
2021 – Call Us What We Carry, by Amanda Gorman
2020 – March, by John Lewis
If you have a book you would like to suggest, we would love to hear from you!
Dirtbag Billionaire
Before founding Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard was a “dirtbag’ – an endearing term for outdoorsmen so uninterested in material possessions that they sleep in the dirt.
Dirtbag Billionaire tells the story of Chouinard, the legendary rock climber who inspired a new corporate standard for environmental responsibility.
New York Times reporter David Gelles reveals the inside story of Patagonia, the rare company that is driven by environmental activism. At the heart of the story is Chouinard, who is guided by his anti-authoritarian streak and unwavering commitment to preserving the natural world he loves.
Exerting its passion and influence on other companies, Patagonia helped pave the way for the B-Corp movement and a new era of social and environmental responsibility.
In the twilight of his career, Chouinard gave away Patagonia, renouncing his wealth and committing all future profits to fighting the climate crisis.
David Gelles
David Gelles is an award-winning reporter for the New York Times and a best-selling author. He currently writes for the Climate desk and previously wrote for the business section and was the Corner Office columnist.
Gelles’ reporting has won Gerald Loeb and SABEW awards, and he was part of the team that made Boeing’s Fatal Flaw, a documentary film that won the News and Documentary Emmy for outstanding business coverage.
Gelles also spent five years with the Financial Times, where he covered tech, media, and M&A in San Francisco and New York. In 2011, he conducted an exclusive jailhouse interview with Bernie Madoff, shedding new light on the $65 billion ponzi scheme.