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December 14, 2018

My Rating - 5 out of 5 stars
Publisher - Simon and Schuster
Genre - Autobiography
Publishing Year - 2016
Language - English
ISBN - 978-1-4711-4671-8
Pages - 386
Buy now - Amazon IN


My Review -

Wow! What a delightful read it was. Shoe Dog was on my reading list for quite a long time, but I never managed time to read it. But now I am glad that I read this stunning memoir. We have all heard about the NIKE brand, a shoe company. But we don't know about the journey of NIKE's founders, Philip Knight and Bowerman. We definitely Google some facts, but Google will not connect us to their story emotionally. 

In his autobiography, Phil talks about his personal and professional life in a very subtle manner. If you think about shoes all the time, even at the time of your children's birth too, that will make you a Shoe Dog. The title goes perfectly with the storyline. The cover page is artless and precise, with a monogram of NIKE. 

Phil Knight dedicates this book to his grandchildren so they will learn about him and his company. He was born in Oregon and earned a master's degree from Stanford University. In his college time, he made a paper regarding shoes that stuck with him for a long time. Phil travels the whole world at the age of 24. After coming home, he started his own company named Blue Ribbon, which sells Japanese shoes in the USA. 

Like it or not, Life is a game. The journey he embarks on is breathtaking. He made some very consequential decisions in his professional life. Like others, he was also afraid, but he never stopped believing in his dreams. There was more than one moment when he nearly lost his business, but his employees' determination and hard work paid him well. He describes every employee of his in detail who works their ass off to make Blue Ribbon into NIKE. He talks about the athletes of his time, the ones who became a part of his company.

Knight's wife, Penny, was his backbone. Phil talks about his relationship with his parents and with his sons Matthew and Travis. I like the love story of Phil and Penny, the way they meet made me chuckle. When you see only problems, you do not see clearly. Phil is an introvert. He appreciates the people around him but cannot encourage them, which bothers some of his employees. Few incidents make me laugh. There are so many things that I didn't know about NIKE, like the logo of NIKE being created by a struggling artist or Phil working as a teacher and sales agent. 

If you want to know how and when Blue Ribbon became NIKE. What is the story behind this name NIKE, and why are all the letters written in caps? Phil's pain when he lost his son when he lost his contract. The media constantly questions NIKE's future and the poor condition of the company. 

How Phil Knight uses his knowledge, changes his perspective about advertisements, and going public, all the answers are in this book. The business started at $50 in 1963 and now becomes a $30 billion company. The brand gives competition to Adidas, Puma, and many more. I love this book.

The language is imposing. Phil's a gifted storyteller. The end of the book makes me pensive about destiny. It is way too perfect. The story inspires readers. This book is for a specific genre of people: those who love memoirs and those interested in business, accounting, or economics lovers. But still, I recommend this book to all the readers. It inspires me and expands my knowledge. 

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