For the third reading, I read Shoe Dog about Phil Knight.
1) As a big Nike fan, I was surprised by a lot about Phil Knight. I did not realize that early in his life he was always a big runner, often running 7 miles to his workplace. What I admired most about him was his own self-drive. While my parents have always pushed me to succeed, his father forced him to find success on his own. There's little to not admire about the creator of one of the largest and most successful sports and shoe brands in the world. Knight certainly faced adversity, having to support himself by working for a newspaper and as an accountant, until he could solely pursue developing shoes.
2) The biggest thing I noticed about Phil Knight was his clear concept and drive. He knew exactly what he wanted to pursue, and did whatever it took to make it possible, like as I said working as an accountant while he waited for the product to develop. Further proving his own motivation, he sought to meet with a large Japanese shoe company's owner all on his own, and made his dream a reality.
3) While I thought it was interesting, I was somewhat confused about his role in Vinton Studios, but understand it brought him more success and revenue.
4) I would like to ask Phil Knight when he knew that shoes would be his future and how hard it was to commit to that concept. I would also like to ask him more about his relationship with Tinker Hatfield, as I find his design career fascinating.
5) I think Phil Knight's idea of hard work is being able to clearly identify your goals and make them realities. I do share this belief, but it is of course not always as easy as it sounds.
Steven,
ReplyDeleteI did not read this book but it seems as if it was a really interesting read! I didn't know much about Phil Knight either (until I read your blog post) and I am amazed to hear that he was very passionate about running and that that passion led to his company being created. Nike shoes changed the shoe game worldwide.
Hello Steven,
ReplyDeleteI honestly had no idea who Phil Knight even was before this. Seems as though this book was a good read. This class and these books have proven that hard work is the key to a successful entrepreneur.
Hi Steven,
ReplyDeleteI am a huge Nike fan so I really enjoyed reading your reflection about this book. I also did not know that he was an avid runner and that is what drove him to start the company. I couldn't imagine someone being as successful as he is and him not have an incredible amount of self-drive.