Business Book Review: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog is the chance to learn how a household name and global empire is created from scratch with just a ‘Crazy Idea’.

My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 399 pages
Publisher: Scribner
Released: 2016

Key Takeaways for Personal Branding

Shoe Dog is a behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s most iconic brands was created — told from the perspective of its founder, Phil Knight.

Dedication

The words that stuck with me throughout the whole book came from the first page — the dedication:

For my grandchildren, so they will know.

From the man who created a global empire from nothing, in a few words it speaks volumes. In personal branding, I often advocate for creating content from the lens of storytelling to help pave the way for others. Knight also shares touching stories of his mother’s and father’s part in his journey.

In a heartbreaking story, he also recalls the sudden death of his oldest son, Matthew. A son who was also a father. Knight’s story, as all personal branding has the potential to do, is more than a branding exercise. It’s for those whom the stories can one day help. With Matthew’s death in mind, the dedication becomes even more poignant.

A Crazy Idea

Knight’s idea for importing shoes from Japan came from a college project in which he found himself obsessed. He believed he could make it into a business — what he called the ‘Crazy Idea’.

Knight began as a track star and fantasised about becoming a great athlete. But, he says, fate made him good, not great. It’s from this pivot of his dreams that the Crazy Idea developed. From a personal brand perspective, he demonstrated how your ‘why’ can be found on the periphery of your original dreams and skills:

“What if there were a way, without being an athlete, to feel what athletes feel? To play all the time, instead of working? Or else to enjoy work so much that it becomes essentially the same thing.”

It led him to what he believes half a century later is the best advice. Perhaps even the only advice anyone should ever give. It’s what he told himself one morning in 1962:

“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.”

Branding

The book shares, in more detail, the famous story of the creation of one of the world’s most recognised names and logos.

As the team struggled against the clock to get a name into production, ‘Nike’ — the Goddess of Victory — came to a team member in a dream. While Knight had the final say, choosing Nike was forced by time running out. He wasn’t convinced, but shared that he hoped it might “grow on us”.

Some deciding factors were that it had what the team had identified would make a name stand out. This included:

• A short name

• A name that included a ‘K’ or ‘X’

The now iconic Nike swoosh was designed for the cost of $35 based on the brief of creating something that felt like ‘motion’. It slowly emerged among other failed attempts. Again, Knight wasn’t in love, but was encouraged by others. Knight’s humility in not taking credit for Nike’s branding roots is an amusing read.

At the time, shoe box packaging in the industry was mostly blue and white. Knight opted for neon orange. He figured that orange was the brightest colour in the rainbow and would stand out amongst the competition in stores.

Shoe Dog was ghostwritten by J. R. Moehringer. From the quality of the writing, the ghostwriting is evident from the get-go. Still, Knight’s ability to relay memories of his journey in vivid detail is extraordinary. As the reader, you’re transported into each iconic moment. And the book captures Knight’s wit and wry sense of humour.

Whether you’re a Nike fanatic or not, the book is a touching tale of how a boy from humble roots rose to achieve the American dream and — some might say — victory.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight: Available on Amazon.