The Art of Victory

Recommended by a friend and finished in 6 days, this is a wonderful book about the history of Nike. Phil clearly loves running; he and his coach, both “shoe dogs”, founded the company on the simple idea that Japanese shoes were the future.

The section where he talks about his trip around the world and how he falls in love with the places he visits is beautifully written. It gave me goosebumps. What a magnificent journey.

I learned a lot, beyond Nike’s history. That in business there are enormous pressures, especially when money is at stake. That you need to find trustworthy people who grow with you and love your company. That money is always the point, and you need backers who believe in you. Travel, and taking huge risks, can be worth it. A story that hits you in the heart, in its honesty (a core element of Nike) and its naturalness. He speaks openly about people who betrayed him, misled him, abandoned him, challenged him, about the mistakes made (also on a personal level, with his children, with the banks, the factories), the hard decisions. The final years are very intense, leading up to the IPO, which really drops the curtain on those difficulties.

Characterization and level of detail are incredible, and the read is gripping; it kept me glued. I would not want to be a founder; I would not handle this level of stress and debt.