So he goes into the meeting with Onitsuka and sits down with several Japanese people in business suits. Then in Japan, Phil set up a business meeting with a shoe company named Onitsuka because they made shoes he liked under the brand Tiger.And even stopped by Greece to admire the Temple of Athena Nike, the goddess of victory.

For a few months, he surfed Hawaiian beaches, admired classic European cities, experienced Asian cultures….

And he planned to stop by Japan so he could try to make his crazy idea into a reality. But they only reacted with yawns and bored looks.Īfter graduating in 1962, Phil wanted to travel the world. Finally, he presented the project to his classmates, filled with passion and enthusiasm. He really began to believe his idea could change the sports world forever. Phil spent weeks in the library, learning everything about importing and trade laws. Phil believed that Japanese shoes could become more popular than European shoes in America, just as Japanese cameras had overtaken German ones recently. And he had a simple idea, which he called his ‘Crazy Idea’: Phil was finishing university and needed to do a project for his entrepreneurship class. Nike, the most valuable sportswear brand in the world, started as a school project. Start Before You’re Ready: The founder of Nike ‘faked it until he made it’ According to Forbes, in 2020 his net worth was over $50 billion, making him the 24th richest person in the world.ġ. Phil Knight (wiki) was the co-founder and CEO of Nike for 40 years, from 1964 to 2004. Whether you dream of being an entrepreneur, athlete or artist, I think these lessons can guide you in the right direction. Right here, I’ve summarized some of the key lessons from the book. He wants to inspire other young people to chase their own ‘crazy ideas’ too, just like he did. Phil wrote Shoe Dog to share with us how he built Nike. In fact, you probably have a pair of Nikes in your closet right now! And so do hundreds of millions of other customers. When Phil started, he was selling shoes from the back of his car! But today, sports icons like Michael Jordon and Tiger Woods proudly wear Nike shoes. But did you know the founder of Nike was NOT some billionaire investor, but just a kid who loved running? A kid with ZERO business experience named Phil Knight. We all know Nike-it’s one of the biggest brands in the world.

Phil knight book shoe dog