Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Phil Knight

Apr 2016 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

In this instant and tenacious New York Times bestseller, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight “offers a rare and revealing look at the notoriously media-shy man behind the swoosh” (Booklist, starred review), illuminating his company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

Bill Gates named Shoe Dog one of his five favorite books of the year and called it “an amazing tale, a refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like. It’s a messy, perilous, and chaotic journey, riddled with mistakes, endless struggles, and sacrifice. Phil Knight opens up in ways few CEOs are willing to do.”

Fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his car in 1963, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight’s Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world.

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been a mystery. In Shoe Dog, he tells his story at last. At twenty-four, Knight decides that rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, new, dynamic, different. He details the many risks he encountered, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors and hostile bankers—as well as his many thrilling triumphs. Above all, he recalls the relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers.

Together, harnessing the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the transformative power of sports, they created a brand—and a culture—that changed everything.

Ratings and reviews

Forget the MBA folks! If there is one business book you ever read... this is it. I cannot recommend it highly enough!! Phil's unique voice rings true on every page. For me the message is...be a good human being first and the rest will follow. You will make mistakes. It's how you accept them and move forward. A team is much greater than the sum of it's parts. From Nike's first employee to the 68,000 strong fortress... Phil's philosophy shines through. He is not afraid to say "I don't know.". That's the true secret of his and his team's success ! I just finished a cover to cover first reading. I am certain I will keep going back to this book for advice and keep learning from Phil's voice of sanity. Thank you Phil.

Incredible book! Thoroughly enjoyed reading about the journey, struggles and eventual success. One of my favorite quotes from the book - I’d tell men and women in their midtwenties not to settle for a job or a profession or even a career. Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what that means, seek it. If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.

It's a heartwarming and insightful look into not only the man, but the man and a team coming together to build one of the largest (I think most popular) sports apparel companies in the world. If his story doesn't inspire you to seek out your dream or calling and make you understand that hard work and perseverance can pay off, nothing ever could.

About the author

One of the world’s most influential business executives, Phil Knight is the founder of Nike, Inc. He served as CEO of the company from 1964 to 2004, as board chairman through 2016, and he is currently Chairman Emeritus. He lives in Oregon with his wife, Penny.