Shoe Dog
Page turning
Fascinating
Inspirational

Shoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Phil Knight2016
'A refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like ... It's an amazing tale' Bill Gates 'The best book I read last year was Shoe Dog, by Nike's Phil Knight. Phil is a very wise, intelligent and competitive fellow who is also a gifted storyteller' Warren Buffett In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the boot of his Plymouth, Knight grossed $8000 in his first year. Today, Nike's annual sales top $30 billion. In an age of start-ups, Nike is the ne plus ultra of all start-ups, and the swoosh has become a revolutionary, globe-spanning icon, one of the most ubiquitous and recognisable symbols in the world today. But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, he tells his story. Candid, humble, wry and gutsy, he begins with his crossroads moment when at 24 he decided to start his own business. He details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream - along with his early triumphs. Above all, he recalls how his first band of partners and employees soon became a tight-knit band of brothers. Together, harnessing the transcendent power of a shared mission, and a deep belief in the spirit of sport, they built a brand that changed everything. A memoir rich with insight, humour and hard-won wisdom, this book is also studded with lessons - about building something from scratch, overcoming adversity, and ultimately leaving your mark on the world.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
4 stars
Jul 10, 2025
Fascinating
Page turning
Inspirational
Photo of Suvrat Jain
Suvrat Jain@simplysuvi
4 stars
Apr 3, 2024
Photo of Aamna
Aamna@aamnakhan
4 stars
Dec 20, 2023
Photo of Eddie
Eddie@eddie
5 stars
Nov 9, 2023
Powerful
Creative
Artistic
Timeless
Photo of Leland Foster
Leland Foster@snacks
4.5 stars
Sep 9, 2023
Photo of JC
JC@tbg
5 stars
Sep 3, 2023
Pure
Candid
Powerful
Profound
Emotional
Compelling
Meaningful
Intelligent
Page turning
Unforgettable
Photo of Sarah Schumacher
Sarah Schumacher@smschumacher
5 stars
Jun 25, 2023
Photo of Erwin Lemuel Oliva
Erwin Lemuel Oliva@erwinoliva
5 stars
Jun 19, 2023
Clever
Unique
Offbeat
Charming
Easy read
Hilarious
Fascinating
Heartwarming
Photo of Xin Ma
Xin Ma@xym
3.5 stars
May 22, 2023
Photo of Steve
Steve@imwiththou
5 stars
Apr 16, 2023
Photo of Tharun Reddy
Tharun Reddy@inerexpert2911
5 stars
Mar 19, 2023
Unique
Honest
Charming
Delightful
Expressive
Intelligent
Page turning
Photo of Vishwa
Vishwa@vishwa
4 stars
Mar 15, 2023
Honest
Photo of Bouke van der Bijl
Bouke van der Bijl@bouk
5 stars
Mar 1, 2023
Photo of Daniel Toke Hansen
Daniel Toke Hansen@danieltoke
5 stars
Feb 13, 2023
Photo of Cristian Garcia
Cristian Garcia@cristian
5 stars
Feb 5, 2023
Photo of Keven Wang
Keven Wang@kevenwang
3 stars
Feb 4, 2023
Photo of Martin
Martin@martin_dasso
5 stars
Jan 29, 2023
Photo of Mitul Shah
Mitul Shah@ms
4 stars
Jan 28, 2023
Daring
Visionary
Photo of Simao Freitas
Simao Freitas@simao
5 stars
Jan 19, 2023
Photo of poprika
poprika@poprika
5 stars
Jan 15, 2023
Photo of Mudita
Mudita@muditasis
3 stars
Dec 28, 2022
Photo of Alexandra Sklar
Alexandra Sklar@alexandrasklar
5 stars
Dec 17, 2022
Photo of Neil Murray
Neil Murray@neilswmurray
5 stars
Oct 6, 2022
Photo of Jonas Derz
Jonas Derz@parrawestend
4 stars
Sep 10, 2022

Highlights

Photo of Kay so Queso
Kay so Queso@kisoh
Page 61
Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
Photo of Cassandra Tang
Cassandra Tang@tangaroo
Photo of Kay so Queso
Kay so Queso@kisoh
Page 28
Photo of Manasi Gajjalapurna
Manasi Gajjalapurna@manasigajjalapurna
Photo of Manasi Gajjalapurna
Manasi Gajjalapurna@manasigajjalapurna
Photo of JC
JC@tbg
Photo of Piet Terheyden
Piet Terheyden@piet
Photo of Piet Terheyden
Piet Terheyden@piet
Photo of Piet Terheyden
Piet Terheyden@piet