Company Overview
Cycling Apparel · Activewear · Sports Performance Equipment
1950
Product Innovation · Performance Apparel Design · Athlete Experience
A purpose-driven biotech, scaling at investor pace.
PEARL iZUMi USA is a leading provider of cycling and outdoor soft goods with a compelling historical brand and strong legacy around performance.
Founded in 1950, PEARL iZUMi has been crafting cycling essentials and footwear for athletes on two wheels for over 65 years.
Introduction
When purpose became the strategy.
In 2017, PEARL iZUMi USA President Chris Sword recognized an opportunity to strengthen the organization’s future by creating greater clarity around its mission, values, and vision. While these elements already existed, they were not consistently integrated into daily operations or decision-making processes.
To help reposition the company for long-term success and industry leadership, Chris partnered with FMG Leading to guide a comprehensive strategy and culture alignment initiative. The goal was clear: create a shared sense of purpose, strengthen organizational alignment, and establish a foundation for sustainable growth.
Partnership
Aligning people around a common purpose.
FMG Leading began with an extensive discovery process designed to understand how teammates, customers, distributors, brand ambassadors, and senior leaders viewed the organization’s mission, values, and future direction.
Through surveys, interviews, and collaborative workshops, FMG Leading identified opportunities to strengthen alignment and create a clearer connection between PEARL iZUMi’s purpose and its everyday operations.
Working alongside a cross-functional teammate advisory group and the leadership team, FMG Leading facilitated the development of a refined mission, values, and vision framework. The process focused on defining why the company exists, the behaviors that support its success, and the long-term future it sought to create.
- Organization-wide stakeholder assessment
- Leadership team alignment workshops
- Customer and distributor feedback process
- Cross-functional working group development
- Mission refinement and integration
- Values clarification and behavioral alignment
Outcomes
Alignment, turned into action.
After six months of collaboration, PEARL iZUMi launched its newly refined mission, values, and vision through a company-wide event that connected teammates to the purpose, meaning, and future direction of the organization.
The initiative created stronger alignment across teams, established a common language for decision-making, and provided a framework for integrating culture into everyday business practices. The organization has since embedded these principles into talent management, performance development, and goal-setting processes.
6 Months
TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
A comprehensive organization-wide initiative to redefine mission, values, and vision.
Cross Functional
TEAM ENGAGEMENT
Working groups and leadership teams collaborated throughout the design process.
Company Wide
VALUES INTEGRATION
Mission and values embedded into talent and performance management systems.
Stronger
TEAMMATE ENGAGEMENT
Improved alignment, accountability, and connection to organizational purpose.
Ongoing Success
The vision continues to guide the journey.
Following the launch of its refined mission, values, and vision, PEARL iZUMi began integrating these principles into key operational areas throughout the organization. The result has been greater consistency in decision-making, philosophically aligned goal setting, and stronger engagement among teammates at every level.
What started as a strategy clarification effort has evolved into an ongoing commitment to culture, accountability, and performance. The mission, values, and vision continue to serve as guiding principles for how PEARL iZUMi develops talent, supports its teams, and delivers value to customers and communities.
2017
Strategic Alignment Initiative Begins
Chris Sword partners with FMG Leading to clarify organizational purpose and direction.
Discovery Phase
Stakeholder Voices Captured
Surveys and interviews gather insights from teammates, customers, distributors, ambassadors, and leaders.
Mission, Values & Vision Launch
Organization-Wide Rollout
The refined framework is introduced through a company-wide launch event.
Today
Culture Integrated Into Operations
Mission and values continue to guide talent management, performance development, and goal-setting processes.
In Their Words
“With a focus on results, FMG Leading brings a unique perspective to designing key elements of culture. Our partnership with FMG Leading resulted in an outcome that exceeded our expectations, and set the tone for how we will operate and grow in the years to come.”
Chris Sword, former President
PEARL iZUMi USA
