Stephan Aarstol
Stephan Aarstol | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bellingham, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Internet entrepreneur, writer |
| Known for | Authoring The Five Hour Workday, founder of Tower Paddle Boards |
Stephan Aarstol is a U.S.-based internet entrepreneur and writer, known for authoring The Five Hour Workday.
Life and early career
Raised in Bellingham, Washington, Aarstol created a web platform for professionals in the medical imaging field in September 1999. In 2003, he initiated a business focused on manufacturing and marketing premium poker chips. By 2004, this venture was generating monthly revenues of $50,000, enabling him to leave his regular employment.
Tower Paddle Boards
In 2010, Aarstol established Tower Paddle Boards and presented the company on the television show Shark Tank in 2011. Mark Cuban contributed $150,000 in exchange for a 30% ownership share. Aarstol received recognition from People Magazine as one of the top success stories from Shark Tank in both 2013 and 2018. In addition to producing coastal gear, he holds the position of Editor-in-Chief for Tower Life Magazine, a biweekly publication dedicated to beach culture.
Tower Paddle Boards was acknowledged as San Diego's fastest expanding private enterprise in 2014. In his 2015 annual letter to shareholders, Jeff Bezos mentioned Aarstol and his company. Aarstol also featured on ABC's Beyond the Tank in January 2016. Later that year, in November 2016, Harvard Business School professor Thales S. Teixeira authored a case study entitled "Selling on Amazon at Tower Paddle Boards".
The Five Hour Workday
Aarstol released The Five Hour Workday in June 2016, which outlines his organization's transition to a reduced workday schedule and the improvements in efficiency that followed.