Bill Gates named Shoe Dog one of his five favorite books of the year and called it “an amazing tale, a refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like. It’s a messy, perilous, and chaotic journey, riddled with mistakes, endless struggles, and sacrifice. Phil Knight opens up in ways few CEOs are willing to do.”

Fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his car in 1963, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight’s Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world.

Shoe Dog is a memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The memoir chronicles the history of Nike from its founding as Blue Ribbon Sports and its early challenges to its evolution into one of the world’s most recognized and profitable companies. It also highlights certain parts of Phil Knight’s life

“The only time you must not fail is the last time you try” Phil Knight’s quote was spot on, and I truly love this book and it easily got 5 stars from me! 

1. If you are young and believe in what you are doing, go for broke!
2. Get a mentor in a partner that believes in you and compliments your skills
3. Don’t tell people how to do things. Hire great people and let them do their thing! 

You only get a few chances to start something crazy. Phil believes to go for broke and do everything that is required to make it work.  Phil made a fateful stop in Japan, visiting Puma and COLD CALLED the CEO. Imagine that, right out of college and he strikes up a deal to carry the Puma brand in the US.  

I would say this was one of the best reads I have had this year. I was glued to the text till the end, the inspiring story of Phil Knight and team raising their child Nike. I felt I was with Phil for those 18 years of his life.   A perfect book for someone in late teens or early twenties, who thinks their dreams are too big to achieve.  I can’t recommend this book enough.  If you are an entrepreneur and people look at you strange when you have that idea that not only do you NOT want to play it safe, you want to invest more, work more, or make the idea even more grand of an idea. Then you must read this book!   THERE IS NO FINISH LINE.