The history of gear companies is often quite interesting. Thanks to the internet and various websites, including company sites, you can find some of the stories about the early days of companies like TNF, K2, Sierra Designs and Jansport. Many of the early companies are gone, like Moss, Frostline, the original Eddie Bauer, or have merged or been bought by conglomerates like TNF and Jansport, now owned by VF.
There is an interesting interview with the founder of Go-Lite online. He admits making a few fundamental mistakes that put the company under, such as expanding the product line too wide and opening up to many retail stores. Btw, there is a big TNF store on Beverly in Beverly Hills. No idea who came up with the idea to put it there, but it must be making money.