- I was surprised by Phil Knight’s writing style. It’s deeply personal, emotional, and remarkably easy to read. He’s a great storyteller. - I knew Nike began by importing Onitsuka shoes, but I didn't know how deeply Japanese companies were involved in its history. Knight’s first trip to Japan and his initial meeting with Onitsuka were especially fascinating. - This resonates with something I felt when reading The Hard Thing About Hard Things: running a company is just a series of uncertainties. Nike literally went through all kinds of hard things, including lawsuits, betrayals, death of friends. - The book also shows that, in a startup’s early stages, success is really about the people, not just talent. Once you form a great team, you somehow manage to overcome every obstacle. - There’s a striking irony in how Onitsuka effectively pushed Nike into creating its own brand. If their relationship remained strong, Nike might have continued importing Japanese shoes instead of developing its own identity. - I also wondered what might have happened if Knight had recruited some of the Japanese businessmen from Onitsuka or Nissho, like he brought Strasser into the company. That would have been a fascinating historical turn. - No matter how tough the situation became, he kept running. He also sincerely enjoyed watching sports, whether track and field, basketball, or tennis. It’s clear he genuinely loves sports. - The book ends like a film. It wraps up the story after the IPO, detailing what happened to the Butfaces afterward. It’s a great way to conclude a long book.

ナイキの創業者の話。 オニツカタイガーからアメリカ国内企業と敵が変わっていく。日商岩井の存在が非常に大きかった。 生産拠点も日本から台湾、韓国、中国、ベトナムと移行している。

オニツカタイガー（現アシックス）の靴は当時陸上界を圧巻するほど有名なのは知らなかった。日商岩井（現双日）とは関りがあることは知らかった。WWⅡ後のまもないことで資金の提供していく大胆な決断があってこと今もナイキが続いている証だろう。その感謝にナイキの本社には日商岩井ガーデンがあるそうだ。 ブルーリボンを立ち上げてから、幾多の試練があったが、運と努力でハードルを乗り越えてうまくナイキを回していることがわかる。 この本は1980年で終わっている。その後のナイキの物語も出版して欲しい。ぜひ、読みたい。