September 2025 – the art of winning

This is what Petr Skondrojanis, a member of the Red Button network, says about the book.

At a time when most business stories focus on the outcome, Phil Knight, founder of Nike, comes with the book "Shoe Dog" — an honest account of a journey full of doubts, failures, and surprising twists. This is not a typical memoir of a successful entrepreneur but an authentic story of a man who started importing Japanese running shoes from the trunk of his car with a $50 loan from his father and gradually built one of the world’s most influential brands.

Knight humbly, humorously, and with many surprises describes how a shy recent business school graduate who didn’t know how to sell became the founder of a company with a $30 billion annual turnover. The book reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the creation of the legendary "swoosh" logo and the dramatic moments when the company nearly went bankrupt due to lack of funds.

"Shoe Dog" shows that success is not just about good ideas but about perseverance, the courage to pursue your dream, and the power of a team of "crazy ones" — as Knight calls his closest collaborators. The book demonstrates how a "crazy idea" can become a global phenomenon if you don’t give up on your vision and can overcome endless obstacles with humor and humility.

Who is Petr Skondrojanis?

Petr Skondrojanis is the founder and CEO of COCUMA, an expert on corporate culture at Red Button.