Overview
Bill Gates named Shoe Dog one of his five favorite books of 2016 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.
This article is an excerpt from the Shortform summary of 'Shoe Dog' by Phil Knight. Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading.
Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here.
Shoe dog-A Memoir by the Creator of Nike. By Phil Knight In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the 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. Support Eudaimonia: Phil Knight's book 'Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike' describes in great detail how he b. Shoe Dog is a first-person memoir written by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. It was published in 2016. Shoe Dog primarily recounts the events from 1962, the year Knight traveled around the world as a young man, to 1980, the year Nike went public and Knight became a multimillionaire.
Eleven Rings By Phil Jackson & Shoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE By Phil Knight 2 Books Collection Set. 5.0 out of 5 stars 2. Paperback $37.99 $ 37. Get it as soon as Wed, Apr 7. FREE Shipping by Amazon. Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
How did Nike gets its name? It’s not what you expect. Founder Phil Knight didn’t come up with the name. In fact, when he first heard the name “Nike,” he didn’t like it!
Learn the origin of Nike’s name here, as well as the names that came before.
The Very Beginning: 1962
Young Phil Knight hasn’t started Nike yet. He knows he wants to do something in the shoe business, but for now he’s traveling. He routes through Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Vietnam, and India, noting the poverty throughout the region. He wanders through Egypt, Jerusalem, and Rome, admiring the remains of the past.
Of all his travels, he considers Greece his highlight – in particular, the Temple of Athena, the goddess thought to bring victory, or “nike.” While in stupor by the grandness of the place, he notices a carving of Athena – bending down to adjust her shoe.
Before Nike, there was Blue Ribbon.
At a meeting with Japanese shoe executives, the Onitsuka staff ask him what company he’s with. He has no company and no name, but he thinks back to his childhood wall, decorated with blue ribbons from track. “Blue Ribbon Sports of Portland, Oregon,” he says. He launches into his presentation of his paper from Stanford business school, describing the size of the market and the vast opportunity there would be for a Japanese shoe manufacturer to enter America. They could undercut Adidas, the dominant brand at the time.
Nike is Named: 1971
Fast forward 9 years. Blue Ribbon’s relationship with Onitsuka has soured considerably. Phil Knight knows he needs to start his own shoe manufacturing.
They need to come up with a name. Phil proposes Dimension Six, which everyone hates.
Others propose animal names, like Bengal or Falcon.
Salesman Jeff Johnson has a flash of inspiration and proposes Nike. It has good properties – iconic brands are usually short and often have a strong sound, like Clorox, Kleenex. And Nike is the goddess of victory. So they move forward with their new name and logo.
(Shortform note: To Phil Knight’s credit, he’s honest in the book about not being the originator of these ideas, nor falling in love with them at first sight. It’s common for business titans to present themselves as unconquerable geniuses in growing their company, which is why this book is refreshing.)
Shoe Dog Nike Movie
The rest is history. Nike rises to become the top athletics goods company worldwide.
———End of Preview———
Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best summary of 'Shoe Dog' at Shortform. Learn the book's critical concepts in 20 minutes or less.
Boots For Dogs
Here's what you'll find in our full Shoe Dog summary:
Shoe Dog Free Book
- How Phil Knight started Nike when he was just 24 years old
- The lawsuit that almost ended Nike
- The ups and downs of Nike over 20 years of business