Lessons from Shoe Dog

I recently read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the memoir by Nike's founder and long-time CEO.

I'm not particularly interested in the details of the fitness or fashion industries, but this book came highly recommended and I always love origin stories. Especially about a brand I personally know and love.

Nike was of course, not always the giant recognizable brand it is today. This book is the story of Phil's life, but really that life is interwoven with the story of Nike. Starting from reselling Japanese sneakers at track meets, to dominating the running shoe and athleisure market.

Like many CEO stories, Phil started his journey in his early 20's, lost and without a clue as to what he wanted to devote his life to. But by combining business skills with his passion for and knowledge of running (then an activity reserved for eccentrics--West Coast hippies with too much time on their hands), he penetrated a market that was seemingly already covered by veteran brands (like Adidas).

Nike didn't just sell shoes to runners, it created new runners and helped push the sport to the mainstream pastime it is today.

So what lessons can we learn, to take an idea from inception to underdog status to a leading product line and brand?

• Focus on the expert customer base
• Don't ask for permission
• Continue investing in growth – even if you have to take risks to do so
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