logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2017
19m 39s

Nike’s Co-founder on Innovation, Culture...

Harvard Business Review
About this episode
Phil Knight, former chair and CEO of Nike, tells the story of starting the sports apparel and equipment giant after taking an entrepreneurship class at Stanford and teaming up with his former track coach, Bill Bowerman. Together (and with the help of a waffle iron) they changed how running shoes are designed and made. Knight discusses the company's enduring ... Show More
Up next
Oct 7
The Trouble with Tech Companies (and Their Strategies)
Cory Doctorow, author and digital rights advocate, argues that big tech companies from Facebook to Google and beyond have evolved - or devolved - in a disappointing way. He says that many large tech companies begin with a good product, but that over time they prioritize first bus ... Show More
26m 30s
Sep 30
How to Lead with Courage in Chaotic Times
Courage involves taking bold action despite uncertainty and fear. In a volatile business environment, it's hard to be brave. But Ranjay Gulati, a professor at Harvard Business School, says that there are strategies any of us can use to get improve our ability to make smart bets o ... Show More
32m 9s
Sep 23
Steven Pinker on Speculation Bubbles, Super Bowl Ads, and What Leaders Need to Know About Group Psychology
As a leader, psychology is fundamental to your success - whether that means understanding consumer behavior, team dynamics, or even your own biases and blind spots. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says that an important phenomena to understand is that of common knowledge and its ... Show More
27m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2021
Nike’s CEO John Donahoe on wartime leadership (Rapid Response)
When he became CEO on the eve of the pandemic, Nike's John Donahoe starting game plan revolved around listening and being out in the marketplace. But when lockdowns began rolling through, he quickly adjusted, assuming what he calls a "wartime" approach to leadership. Donahoe's vi ... Show More
30m 57s
Nov 2019
Nike vs Adidas - Nike Air | 4
Quand il rejoint Nike, chaque nouvel employé reçoit un exemplaire de la charte de l'entreprise. Premier point : "notre business, c'est le changement." Deuxième point : "Nous devons toujours être en position d'attaque". En appliquant ces principes, Nike est passé de 29 millions de ... Show More
27m 20s
Mar 2018
Nike vs Adidas - The Starting Line | 2
Rudi and Adi Dassler started the “Dassler Business” in the 1920s in their parent’s garage, recycling materials from WWI military gear and uniforms. They got a pair of their track spikes on an athlete named Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics and the company took off… until WWII.The ... Show More
23m 20s
Aug 2022
Greg Hoffman: Nike CMO on the role of emotion in design
Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/greg-hoffman There is probably no better training ground than Nike to learn about creativity as a team sport, and Greg Hoffman, former Chief Marketing Officer of Nike, shares this lesson—along with many other valuable insights—in his ... Show More
46m 42s
Mar 2023
Shoe Dog
Join Ashto and Jonesy in this week’s episode as they delve into the fascinating world of Nike and its founder Phil Knight. In his candid and captivating memoir Shoe Dog, Knight reveals the inside story of Nike's early days as a daring start-up and its evolution into one of the mo ... Show More
42m 12s
Mar 2018
Nike vs Adidas - Nike Air | 4
Every new Nike employee gets a list of principles that serves as the company’s philosophy. One: Our business is change. Two: We’re on offense, all the time. With those principles Nike sprinted from $29 million in revenue in 1973 to more than $850 million by 1983. But the biggest ... Show More
26m 40s
Nov 2020
Nike’s Phil Knight: How to sell without selling
Great branding is about identity – and it’s about matchmaking too. No one knows this better than the legendary co-founder of Nike, Phil Knight. When he and his partner, Hall of Fame track coach Bill Bowerman, started the sneaker company, they never tried to force-feed customers a ... Show More
35m 40s
Mar 2018
Nike vs Adidas - Rebound | 5
Nike, the late starter struck gold with its “Just Do It” campaign. Launched in 1988, the shoe giant finally had a tagline as good as its shoes. Meanwhile, Adidas, the brand that started and found success long before Nike was even a dream, finds itself as the underdog. The America ... Show More
24m 4s
Jul 2022
Why So Many Athletes Are Launching Fashion Brands
BoF’s Daniel-Yaw Miller unpacks why — and how — sports stars including Russell Westbrook and Megan Rapinoe are running their own labels, with full financial and creative control.  Background:  Athletes have long been part of the fashion conversation. In the past, they’ve capitali ... Show More
12m 56s