Reading Reflection No. 1

1) You read about an entrepreneur:

I read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight and the thing that surprised me the most about Knight was the adventure he went on before establishing his business. He had travelled to so many different places by himself and he made sure to make the most of each destination that he visited. He did things that most tourists wouldn't even think about doing, such as climbing a mountain or going to a coal mine. It really surprised me how spontaneous he was and he went through with everything that he said he wanted to do. This also contributes to what I admire most about Knight. I really admire how he had something that he was passionate about and no matter what anyone said to him about it, he pursued his dream, investing everything he has. He did what a lot of people are scared to do, and the extend to which he did it was also very risky. The fact that he went to Japan with no set plans and ended up signing a contract to distribute shoes for a Japanese company, which ultimately started his business. What I least admired about Knight was that he didn't really seem like he cared for his employees that were heading his offices in other cities. They would constantly write to Knight, updating him about the business but he wasn't really responsive. I understand that his lax management gave them freedom to work how they deem best, but some people need some guidance, which he didn't really provide. Knight did encounter adversity and failure. He had gotten into a legal battle with the Japanese shoe company he initially started after having debuted the new Nike brand. The bank he was also with for his company decided not to work with him anymore, not giving him any other options to work with other banks. At this point, he was really unsure about the future of Nike and what would happen to all of his loyal employees. He overcame this adversity by not showing any panic in front of his employees and being quick on his feet. He had started to work with the Bank of Tokyo and they introduced him to factories in Japan, where he will manufacture Nike shoes. He made sure that Nike succeeds for himself and his employees. 

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?

Phil Knight was very competent when it came to connecting with the right people. Knight was very lucky when it came to the people that he decided to hire for his new company. He partnered with his old track coach, who then introduced him to many good people that would contribute a lot for his company. He even connected well with an employee in the Japanese shoe company, who would help him greatly with getting him information. Without these connections, I doubt Knight would have been as half as successful as he had been. The people who helped him grow his company are a big part of why Nike became the popular Nike that it is today. 

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

What confused me the most in the reading is when he got really in depth about one athlete that he really admired. He was a great track runner and he was famous for breaking records. There was a moment in the book where he was going on and on about this athlete and I didn't really see the purpose of it except that he eventually wore Nike shoes when he was running and winning medals. 

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

One question I would ask Phil Knight is: everyone might have something that they ultimately want to do, how would advise someone who didn't where and how to start this journey? I feel the hardest thing to do when it comes to entrepreneurship is how to start. Once you figure out how to start, then I feel as though the path will eventually open up and you can start to figure out what steps to take to succeed. But just taking that one step to start is really scary, preventing a lot of people to start new ventures. My second question would be: when starting a new business, do you recommend in having another job on the side for security? I understand that Knight had an accounting job in the beginning of his new business because he wasn't making enough money yet to be able to support him. Even though he did have another job, it drained him and although he did meet some great people, he didn't fully enjoy the job as much as he did with his new business. 

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

I think Phil Knight's opinion of hard work is to never waver from your path and keep working towards your goal no matter what. He really did do this when he was building Nike and he never doubted his dream no matter what anyone told him. He was passionate about what he was doing and he ultimately wanted his work to be so fun that he was playing rather than working. I do share this opinion because it is very important to stand your ground if you want to succeed but I am a very safe person and I am not really the type to keep taking risks if I knew I was close to failing so I am not sure if it is something that I can do. Though, I do very much admire that aspect of Knight.