Podcast
GoPro- The Billion Dollar Wipeout | Crash Landing | 2
Business Wars
- Celebration at the IPO With an Unquiet Feeling
- Nick Woodman rings the NYSE bell at GoPro’s 2014 IPO while filming with a Hero 3 Plus to celebrate the company’s rise.
- Despite near-billion revenue, Woodman privately fears smartphones will soon undercut GoPro’s camera market. (Time 0:00:20)
- GoPro Hires Hollywood To Build A Media Arm
- GoPro hires Hollywood exec Charlotte Coe in July 2015 and staffs a 100-person entertainment division to make original series and documentaries.
- The move signals Nick Woodman’s plan to pivot GoPro from cameras to a full media company. (Time 0:07:00)
- Hero4 Session Intended As The Pure GoPro
- Woodman champions the tiny Hero4 Session as the (Time 0:10:11)
- Pricing Mistake Turned A Good Design Into A Disaster
- The Session’s $399 launch and later price cuts to $300 then $200 highlight a mismatch between product positioning and buyer expectations.
- Reviewers compared it unfavorably to the Hero4 Silver at the same price, triggering reputational damage. (Time 0:12:35)
- Spending Big On Media While The Core Business Slips
- GoPro doubles down across hardware, partnerships, apps, and media while sales slide and stock drops over 70% in 2016.
- The entertainment division produces 30 series but struggles to convert content into the virtuous camera-buying cycle. (Time 0:18:53)
- Karma Drone Crashes And A Costly Recall
- GoPro launches the Karma drone in Sept 2016, then recalls it after users post videos of drones unexpectedly falling from the sky.
- Engineers find a plastic latch allowing the battery to detach midflight, causing total power loss and a full recall after 16 days. (Time 0:25:09)
- Multiple Product Failures Trigger Mass Layoffs
- While Karma is recalled, the Hero5 Black leaks underwater and misses the holiday launch window, compounding GoPro’s product troubles.
- The company lays off 15%, Charlotte Coe resigns, and the entertainment division is shut down. (Time 0:29:29)
- Refocus On Core Customers And Flatten Silos
- GoPro restructures in 2017 to return to its pre-IPO, cross-functional structure and refocus on core cameras.
- CJ Prober and Nick Woodman cut silos, reduce headcount, and prioritize products for core high-use customers. (Time 0:32:22)
- Growth Came From Making The Product Easier To Use
- GoPro finds clearer traction by improving post-sale user experience with a subscription cloud service for storing and editing footage.
- The service bolsters camera sales and becomes increasingly profitable without introducing risky new hardware. (Time 0:35:08)
- Timing Made GoPro A Phenomenon And Also Its Vulnerability
- GoPro’s rise was tied to a unique moment before smartphone and wearable advances made standalone action cams less essential.
- By 2026 the company is struggling with competition from phones, AI glasses, and specialists like DJI and Insta360. (Time 0:39:15)