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Shoe Dog cover art

Shoe Dog

Written by: Phil Knight
Narrated by: Norbert Leo Butz, Phil Knight - introduction
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Publisher's Summary

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company's early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world's most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars 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 trunk of his lime-green Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed $8,000 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 recognizable symbols in the world today.

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, in a memoir that is candid, humble, gutsy, and wry, he tells his story, beginning with his crossroads moment. At 24, after backpacking around the world, he decided to take the unconventional path to start his own business - a business that would be dynamic, different.

Knight details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream - along with his early triumphs. Above all, he recalls the formative relationships with his first partners and employees, a ragtag group of misfits and seekers who 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.

©2016 Phil Knight. All rights reserved. (P)2016 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

What the critics say

"Narrator Norbert Leo Butz...infuses his delivery with drama and suspense, keeping the listener engaged with each chapter. Knight claims to be a shy introvert, but Butz isn't fooled, portraying the chairman as a straight-shooting, no-nonsense leader who keeps winning because he's relentless in his pursuit of success...." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Shoe Dog

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Brilliantly written book, a must read for all !

Loved this book from start to finish! I felt like I was with the author alongside, the whole time , through the decades I felt the passion, the struggles, all the highs and lows, the never give up attitude...felt it all!

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Must read for entrepreneurs

Such an inspiring journey together with Nike founding fathers. The author shares many insights of what to expect on the path of entrepreneur, illustrates in details a constant struggle for success and never ending challenges.
PS. Audible version is a pleasure to listen.

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Great insight, surprisingly honest

The story of Buck Knight is impressive. I was surprised how honest he was about the adversary Nike faced and how we was a less than perfect leader. Narrator was solid, but some of the “voices” he did were a little off putting. Overall well worth the read/listen! #Audible1

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amazing

loved it! could not stop listening to it. favourite book of the year, so far

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Amazing memoir told in a very personable manner

Loved the story and narration, very relatable and inspiring. lots to learn and appreciate about his story

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Fantastic story! Would highly recommend!

Loved this story! Will listen again!
So many blatant and inferred lessons. Lessons for a lifetime of value.

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Incredible

One of the best books I’ve ever listened to. Great story telling, incredibly narratives. Love it!

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Absolutely brilliant

The detail and way this is written is absolutely brilliant and is a must read for all

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What a life!

Really enjoyed this book, well written and read, you feel the journey!! This is a great read for entrepreneurs and anyone who lives a good true story.

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one of the greatest teachers of out time

I absolutely loved his book. Learning about the 40 year history of Nike the company, it's founder Phil Knight and it's founding team of "misfits" is deeply inspiring. Many precious business lessons to be learned from this book. Thank you Phil Knight for sharing your life's work with us. Clearly you didn't need to write this memoire to earn a few extra dollars ... so what motivated you to undertake this not unsignificant effort at this stage of your life?

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