Shoe Dog

I started my own business a year ago, and that has opened up a new genre of books for me to devour: founder stories. This is one of the best out there, I believe. I had no idea that Nike was born from one man's passion for shoes. I never even thought about how Nike began.
Learning about Phil Knight's love of running and shoes and how tiny Nike was when he first started it was inspiring. I loved how his team stayed with him over the years and were a collection of eccentric shoe dogs. It also taught me… show more.

I am a firm believer that you never stop learning, and you learn from everybody.

I was very impressed by Nike. As a young athlete in the 60s, I sometimes had to run barefoot because I could not afford shoes, and I was a keen athlete. Phil Knight’s remarkable book was first published in 2016. I thought it was fascinating because he talked all about the tenacity, determination and commitment and the fact that you have to stand up to people because 99% of people will tell you you will never get there. He got there brilliantly, and, of course,… show more.

If you want to understand what it’s like to start and run a business–the uncertainty, the sweat, the stress, the self-doubt–I’d recommend picking up this book.

It’s a memoir, so you’re certainly getting just one side of the story. But Knight doesn’t hesitate to flog himself throughout the book–he comes off as energetic, hardworking, risk-taking, and willing to enter a moral gray area to make Nike a success.

A captivating read for anyone interested in the world of business through a different lens.

This captivating autobiography explains why there is no such thing as an overnight success.

Nike founder Phil Knight provides a startingly honest portrait of what the path to business success really looks like. Knight and his scrappy colleagues faced a relentless series of challenges, setbacks that inevitably accompany an entrepreneur’s journey. 

For decades Knight and his oddball crew confronted obstacles and failures that required persistence, creativity, and a deep dedication to a dream. This book showed me that adversity is an inevitable part of life, and it can take many forms.

Shoe Dog taught me that the most captivating stories… show more.

I would recommend this book over a Zoom class I teach and over a coffee with a fellow entrepreneur looking to learn about growing a business. I personally loved this book as I love learning about how someone has built a business and in this case Nike!

I loved learning how like me you start somewhere and normally an entrepreneur does not have access to tons of money or connections so the building process of building such a huge brand is fascinating and it taught me that hard work and tenacity can get you places but also with this… show more.

Phil’s book offers valuable business and personal growth lessons: Shoe Dog is not just a story about shoes; it's about the importance of taking risks, building relationships, and staying true to your values.

Knight's insights and experiences apply to anyone wanting to succeed in business or life. Knight's journey to build Nike into one of the world's most successful companies is a testament to the power of determination and hard work.

He faced numerous setbacks and challenges along the way, but he never gave up on his dream.

I highly recommend the book Shoe Dog by Nike founder Phil Knight. It's an inspiring story of how he built one of the world's most successful companies from scratch. His leadership style was particularly interesting (and not always optimal, as he would admit!) and his ability to persevere in the face of doubt and reluctance from suppliers and investors was inspiring. I especially liked how Phil was underestimated time and time again, yet he kept fighting and pushing forward with something he knew could be a success. This is a must-read for any entrepreneur looking for a story of true… show more.

I’m not a runner, but I like to listen to books as I “power walk.” (The faster you walk, apparently, the longer you live.) This was a GREAT listen. Because at the end of the day, the really exciting investing isn’t betting on which stock may go up or down but funding an actual start-up to try to build something great. Few succeed – and few tell a more exciting story than Knight.

Let’s face it; most business books are like medicine, we read them because we think they’ll make us better, but we really don’t enjoy them. Not the case with Shoe Dog. Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, spent serious time learning how to write from a fictional author. The book reads like a novel you can’t put down, you feel like you’re right there with Phil in the sweltering heat, selling sneakers out of the trunk of his car.  This book inspired me to write my book with the guiding principle that it “not taste like medicine.”