A Conversation with Tim Leatherman, Inventor of the Leatherman Multi-Tool

Tim Leatherman, creator of the Leatherman Pocket Survival Tool and cofounder of the iconic Portland company, presents his inspiring personal story as a practical how-to guide for entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and creatives of all kinds who want to pursue their own big ideas.
On a budget trip to Europe in 1975, Tim started making a list of ideas for what to do with the rest of his life. After months of fixing the plumbing in cheap hotels and toiling on his temperamental Fiat, he added to his list of ideas: “Add pliers to pocketknife.” Little did he know he would spend the following four decades building an iconic American company that would go on to manufacture more than 90 million multi-tools in its Portland, Oregon factory.
His latest multi-tool is a book. In The Leatherman Book (Ballantine), Tim uses the pieces of his story as tools to help dreamers, entrepreneurs, inventors, and creatives of all kinds build their own big ideas. Each chapter shares valuable insight into how Tim built his invention and his company — and the lessons he’s learned doing it — including:

• You don’t have to be "qualified" to pursue your big idea.

• If you’re serious about your principles, they become your competitive advantage.

• Your most important tool is a willingness to figure things out as you go along.

Weaving storytelling, advice, and never-before-seen photos, The Leatherman Book is a visionary and intimate look at a true American icon, meant to inspire and enable dreamers to bring their ideas to life.
Leatherman will be joined in conversation by Chris Kornelis, The Leatherman Book co-author, and The Wall Street Journal reporter, and moderated by Bill Monroe, longtime outdoor writer for The Oregonian/OregonLive — and the first journalist to write about the Leatherman multi-tool!
Please note: This is a ticketed event. Tickets include admission, as well as one hardcover copy of The Leatherman Book. Books distributed at event.
Additional note: Refunds are available up to 5 days before this event (Eventbrite fees are non-refundable). After the refund period has expired, all ticket sales are final. If you are not able to attend the event, your book will be held at the store where the event took place for 14 days afterwards, unless you reach out to our Contact Center via email at [email protected] to make other arrangements. After that time, your book is considered abandoned and we will restock the item to our inventory.