Shoe Dog

by Phil Knight

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5 Stars
My Read Time: 8 days
Originally published: April 26, 2016
Author: Phil Knight
Page Count: 386
Genres: Biography, Autobiography, Memoir

Who I Would Recommend This Book to: Entrepreneurs

I’ve worn Nike shoes my entire life, and like most people, I never knew the history behind the company. Before I decided to read this book, I didn’t even know who Phil Knight was. After reading this book, I now know the history behind the infamous swoosh and the truth about the man who made it all happen.

An intimate and personal memoir written by Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike shares the most challenging and profound moments of his life as he fought to make his “Crazy Idea” the billion dollar company it is today.

From 1962 to 1980 we read how Knight allowed his passion for running and winning to change his life. Knight honestly shares the good, the bad, the ugly, and his many mistakes of what it is really like to run a business in America. A true story of working hard and overcoming challenges, this book is perfect to ignite the fire in aspiring entrepreneurs, sports fans, and anyone who wants to reach a greater goal in life.

From one man’s idea to a team of over 60,000 people, the history of Nike was founded on teamwork. Knight shares in depth the intricate details of how he met and formed relationships with the important people who shape his life and helped build the Nike empire. From his parents and college coaches to celebrity friends and athletes, the characters from Knight’s stories seem to come alive as he shares how the company became what we know it to be today.

The book reads so smoothly, it felt as if I was reading a well well-written fiction novel. Fascinating from start to finish, this book is a page-turner that will keep you guessing about what will come next.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Let everyone else call your idea crazy.. just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where “there” is. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.”
“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.”
“Like books, sports give people a sense of having lived other lives, of taking part in other people’s victories. And defeats. When sports are at their best, the spirit of the fan merges with the spirit of the athlete.”
“War is the most extreme of conditions. But business has its warlike parallels. Someone somewhere once said that business is a war without bullets, and I tend to agree.”
“Like it or not, life is a game. Whoever denies that truth, whoever simply refuses to play, gets left on the sidelines, and I didn’t want that. More than anything, that was the one thing I didn’t want.”