It’s been a while since I last read any fiction books, and I don’t feel sorry at all. This time around I’m feeling more curious about businesses, science, memoirs or other topics that I find interesting on the spot. I came across Shoe Dog by Phil Knight after visiting Bill Gates’s blog searching for the next good material to read.
So far, many books I’ve read about success in business or entrepreneurship followed, in my opinion and very superficial and misleading storyline. Most of the time you get the “how to” or the “7 steps program” books that will lead you to be a more productive, successful, or financially independent individual, without actually knowing, what stays behind this overnight success. This is just fluff with no essence.
Shoe Dog proved to be a very honest memoir about what it takes to build an empire like Nike, and not only that. Probably everyone had, has, or most certainly knows someone who owns a pair of Nikes, but I’m convinced that almost no one has a vague idea where the name NIKE comes from, or what stands behind that swoosh. A very risky and full of sacrifices journey, setbacks, and sometimes no money to pay your rent.
This is the story of a man who started his company with $50 he borrowed from his father having a simple goal: to import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan and sell them. In the meantime, he managed to create a revolution in the shoe sport’s world, bringing Nike’s annual sales to $30 billion.
Shoe Dog is definitely a very fascinating memoir, one of the best books I’ve read, even though the author is at his first writing experience, a book that makes you laugh, gives you power to follow your dreams, but gets you emotional as well. What you won’t find in this memoir are tips and hints, or checklists on how to build your own business around your dreams. It’s just Phil Kinight’s honest, real and amazing story.
Just read it,
Cori
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