Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

For the first time ever, Nike CEO and founder Phil Knight provides an intimate and captivating biography detailing the inner workings of the firm from its daring beginnings as a start-up to its development into one of the most recognisable, lucrative, and iconic companies in the world.

After graduating from business school in 1962, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father to start a firm whose only goal was to import Japanese sports shoes at competitive prices. In his first year, Knight made $8,000 selling the shoes from the trunk of his lime green Plymouth Valiant. Nike now has yearly sales of almost $30 billion. Nike is the unicorn of startups in this era of startups, and the swoosh has evolved into a revolutionary, global symbol that is among the most recognisable and commonplace in the world.

However, Knight—the person responsible for the swoosh—has never been fully revealed. He reveals his tale for the first time, starting with his crossroads moment, in an open, modest, brave, and witty memoir. After going on a global backpacking trip at the age of 24, he made the unorthodox choice to launch his own company, one that would be unique and vibrant.

Knight describes his early victories as well as the many dangers and intimidating obstacles that prevented him from realising his ambition. Above all, he remembers his early ties with his first employers and partners—a motley crew of outcasts and searchers who grew into a close-knit family. They created a brand that revolutionised the industry by uniting their profound conviction in the spirit of sport with the sublime force of a common cause.