‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight
‘Shoe Dog’ is the best book I’ve read all year. So well written, fun, and full of incredible story telling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️—Shawn Blanc (fearless editor-in-chief, Tools & Toys)
Everyone knows about Nike, the company. Their "swoosh" logo is one of the most recognized symbols in the world, one that's become emblematic of athleticism itself. But perhaps not many of them know the real story of how the company came to be the corporate giant it is today. The tale has humbler beginnings and more dramatic turns than you might expect.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike is...well, exactly what the title says. It's written by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, the "man behind the swoosh", as it were. He covers the early years of Nike in superb detail, from its beginnings as Blue Ribbon Sports — a company that couldn't even support Knight's family at first — all the way to a behemoth generating $30 billion in annual sales.
From the book's description:
It all begins with a classic crossroads moment. Twenty-four years old, backpacking through Asia and Europe and Africa, wrestling with life’s Great Questions, Knight decides the unconventional path is the only one for him. Rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, something new, dynamic, different. Knight details the many terrifying risks he encountered along the way, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors, the countless doubters and haters and hostile bankers—as well as his many thrilling triumphs and narrow escapes.
This is one of the best business memoirs you'll ever read. Get the book in these formats:
There is also an abridged young reader's edition that just came out yesterday.