About the Book 1972: Nike

None of it could have happened without Phil Knight and his ability to create an environment in Nike that allowed people to excel.

In Part 3 Bence shares his experience of early Nike manufacturing in Asia. Many books have been written

about Nike’s origins, history, and the bumpy journey. Few books have told that story as intimately and from the perspective of an early insider as Bence does.

Sport teaches us many lessons which Bence applied into a larger, business context, written from his distinct viewpoint. He provides a Nike insider view that will always fall back to the real reason why we move, why we love, why we live: Passion.

The real key to the Nike’s success has always been the crazy cast of characters that leveraged their passion to create the foundation for what the company has become. Bence tells that story as only an insider could.

It is about being honest with what you know and what you don’t. There were no playbooks; it was a learn as you go.

There were challenges, the bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity. Solutions required people, partnerships, and relationships; often creating true breakthroughs, some labeled innovations, creating personal relationships to last a lifetime. 

This book is a no-nonsense account from a man whose own life’s intersections helped influence millions of people, and yet his humble telling carries his appreciation and wonder of the tide that carried him there.

The book stands as a tribute to people of courage, a joy to read, and a lesson for the next generation.

Bence makes the reader feel at ease and involved in the story – a flowing read.

If you are a track fan, and shoe-dawg – this is a must read.