27A - Reading Reflection No. 3
I read Shoe Dog, the biography of Nike founder Bill Knight. I decided to read this book because I am a big fan of the Nike brand and, as one of the most successful businesses in the world, its story interests me.
1. I think what surprised me most about this story, funny enough, was that Nike was originally named "Blue Ribbon." I think what i admired most about Phil Knight is his ability to manage people. Throughout the book, his value of individuality and creativity in people has contributed to Nike's great success. It seemed that Phil lacked strong planning ability. Granted, when he started the business he was a young college student who stumbled upon an international opportunity, but it seems like a lot of his success can be attributed to sheer luck at times. He failed at times, but not incredibly often, it seems. One occasion where Nike failed was when attempting to secure capital from two Oregon banks that denied Knight because his firm was "too levered."
2. Phil K night is a strong networker as exemplified by his finding a competent mentor/partner in his former Oregon coach. In addition, he is proficient at managing people (especially creative types) as evidenced by his advice to simply tell employees what you want done, and let them determine how it should be done.
3.I was slightly confused how Phil proceeded after securing his first contract with Japanese manufacturer, Onitsuka. How did he manage the distribution channels? Did the Japanese company handle the shipping?
4. I would ask Phil his advice for Networking with people and I would ask his advice for developing a meaningful life/ I would ask the first for obvious reasons. I would ask the second because I am especially curious about individuals with the commercial success of Phil Knight and whether they feel they have achieved fulfillment or if they feel that their work required them to sacrifice things that they regret.
5. It seems that Phil Knight feels that hard work is necessary to succeed. You should expect to fail at times and be willing to wake up and grind everyday as an entrepreneur. Phil, it seems, feels that it is more important to develop a strong network/team than to work hard. I think I would agree with this perspective, but typically, to gain success, one needs a strong network in addition to serious intelligence and perseverance.
1. I think what surprised me most about this story, funny enough, was that Nike was originally named "Blue Ribbon." I think what i admired most about Phil Knight is his ability to manage people. Throughout the book, his value of individuality and creativity in people has contributed to Nike's great success. It seemed that Phil lacked strong planning ability. Granted, when he started the business he was a young college student who stumbled upon an international opportunity, but it seems like a lot of his success can be attributed to sheer luck at times. He failed at times, but not incredibly often, it seems. One occasion where Nike failed was when attempting to secure capital from two Oregon banks that denied Knight because his firm was "too levered."
2. Phil K night is a strong networker as exemplified by his finding a competent mentor/partner in his former Oregon coach. In addition, he is proficient at managing people (especially creative types) as evidenced by his advice to simply tell employees what you want done, and let them determine how it should be done.
3.I was slightly confused how Phil proceeded after securing his first contract with Japanese manufacturer, Onitsuka. How did he manage the distribution channels? Did the Japanese company handle the shipping?
4. I would ask Phil his advice for Networking with people and I would ask his advice for developing a meaningful life/ I would ask the first for obvious reasons. I would ask the second because I am especially curious about individuals with the commercial success of Phil Knight and whether they feel they have achieved fulfillment or if they feel that their work required them to sacrifice things that they regret.
5. It seems that Phil Knight feels that hard work is necessary to succeed. You should expect to fail at times and be willing to wake up and grind everyday as an entrepreneur. Phil, it seems, feels that it is more important to develop a strong network/team than to work hard. I think I would agree with this perspective, but typically, to gain success, one needs a strong network in addition to serious intelligence and perseverance.
Johnathan,
ReplyDeleteShoe dog sounds like an interesting read, as I had little knowledge about the history of Nike. Had no idea that it was originally called Blue Ribbon either, I doubt that would have been as popular as the brand we know and love today. I feel like any advice from Phil Knight, especially in regards to how to network proficiently, would be invaluable. On top of having a strong network, I agree that having a strong team is one of the most essential qualities of a successful business.
Johnathon,
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy Nike and their products as well. I have owned over 20 pairs of their shoes, still have many pairs of their shorts, and also like to have some of their dry fit shirts for working out. Since reading your post it has made me want to take a look at what shoe dog is about. I would love to read articles that give you insight on the book. I work hard to network with others because connections can get you places in life as Phil knight has shown us all.
Hey there Johnathan, overall, very nice job with this blog post. I did not choose Shoe Dog, so I knew close to nothing about the founder of Nike, Bill Knight. Thank you for choosing this and informing me more on the topic. It is crazy to me that it was originally called Blue Ribbon. That is so different from "Nike" and I do not think it would have been as successful.
ReplyDeleteExcellent job on analyzing the key points in Shoe Dog. I was always fascinated with Nike, knowing probably a little more information than some people. Things like the early name of Nike being Blue Ribbon. Like you, I noticed that Knight did run into some obstacles along his path to success, and I believe that his ability to push through these obstacles and keep his eye on the main goal of creating a massive athletic company helped him overcome these obstacles. I also agree that it was kind of weird to see that the two Oregon banks that he went to for capital denied him for being too levered. If projected growth is supposed to double, I would've counted that as a win for not only the bank but also Knight.
ReplyDelete