I just finished reading ‘Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike’ written by Phil Knight and here’s my review.
Shoe Dog is a really interesting read and it is a story about how the iconic shoe brand Nike was created. A journey through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, a collection of daring (and sometimes potentially reckless decisions).
The book talks about Phil Knight’s beginnings, his intense love and connection with his home state Oregon and how his mother encouraged him to get into running as an alternative when he got rejected from his baseball team. From the very beginning, it is interesting to see Phil’s intense interest with shoes and how they were made, the way they feel and how every run was extremely important part of his life.
The book also covers how his world tour in his twenties covering Greece, Paris, India, Japan and Vietnam influenced his life. It is also a delight to read the depth in which he covers the characters that are instrumental in the success of his company, whether it is Johnson and his letters to Phil Knight that went unanswered, or Phil’s coach, Bowerman and his endless experiments to perfect a shoe, it’s texture and material components. The author talks at length about his coach’s tough attitude to success and how this deeply influenced his management style.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book, since I found it inspiring and encourages an entrepreneurship mindset. This book highlights the importance of taking risks, having a great mentor and companions in your journey, who you can rely on in times of need.
Gopi Krishnan Nambiar 14 October 2017