Shoe Dog Book Summary

Book Summary

15 min

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Brief Summary

"Shoe Dog" is a memoir written by Phil Knight, the co-founder and former CEO of Nike. The book chronicles Knight's entrepreneurial journey, from starting the company as a small distributor of Japanese sports shoes to building one of the most iconic and successful brands in the world. Knight shares his personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs along the way, offering valuable insights into the world of business and the determination required to achieve extraordinary success. The memoir captures the passion, risks, and relentless pursuit of innovation that drove Knight and his team to overcome obstacles and revolutionize the athletic footwear industry. "Shoe Dog" is a captivating story that provides inspiration and a firsthand account of the building of a global brand, making it a must-read for entrepreneurs, business enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the power of perseverance and following one's passion.

About the Author

Phil Knight is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He was born in Oregon. He is the co-founder and current chairmen emeritus of Nike, Inc. He was previously CEO and chairman of the company. As of 2019, he ranks as Forbes’ 26th richest person of the world. He graduated from the University of Oregon and Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has donated a significant amount of money to his alma maters, as well as to the Oregon Health and Science University.

Topics

Entrepreneurship Management & Leadership Biography & Memoir

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Key Insights

Just Do It.

That’s a phrase we’ve all heard before. And, it was made famous by Nike.

This catchy three-word phrase captures the ignitive fiery spirit of Phil Knight when he first founded Nike.

In “Shoe Dog” Knight shares his secrets for success through the telling of his untraditional business building.

“I’d tell men and women in their mid-twenties 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.”- Phil Knight

You’ll be inspired by Knight’s creativity and honesty as he points you in the direction of entrepreneurial success through his well-crafted memoir.

It All Starts With A “Crazy” Idea

Phil Knight graduated from business school in 1962. He was 24. At the time, he was not a people-person. In fact, he was terribly shy.

But, Knight had this concept of importing Japanese-style running shoes to America. The name-brand he had in mind was Tiger, which was a smaller part of the big-name Japanese brand Onitsuka.

“History is one long processional of crazy ideas.”- Phil Knight

Knight was so determined to snag this opportunity that despite his terrible sales skills, boarded a plane to Japan to pitch to a room of Japanese businessmen. Not only was the deal sealed, but Knight explains that traveling became one of the biggest inspirations for his future business projects.

When he shipped out to Japan, Knight was holding a loan from his Dad in order to extend his journey around the world. He traveled with a college-friend of his from Hawaii to Asia to the Middle East and Europe. He famously visited Greece where he beheld the Temple of Athena Nike. And, this was long before Nike was even a seed of a company!

His courageous leap landed him a deal and had him untraditionally selling Tiger shoes out of the trunk of his car while working as an accountant for half of a year.

An Inspiration

Knight argues that having inspiration in your life and a mentor can propel your dreams forward. Knight’s personal inspiration was his college track coach, Bill Bowerman.

Bill, like Knight, was a “shoe dog”. A “shoe dog”, in the industry, is a person who is literally shoe-obsessed and believes that the right shoe can lead a person confidently in the direction of their dreams.

Bowerman, as a coach, believed the shoe made the difference. And, he would have Knight try different footwear in order to observe his performance.

Bowerman always wanted to make shoes as light as possible for his athletes, so he would often tear shoes apart and put them back together. Bowerman was basically a footwear designer himself!

Knight secured a deal with Onitsuka for exclusive rights to distribute Tiger footwear in the US. Again, he did this with the financial help of his father and bank loans.

The Tiger shoes were sold at track meets and through word-of-mouth. Print advertisements were...