Where did it all start?
Nike was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. Knight approached Bowerman with his distate in typical American running shoes in 1958. Although Knight was a student and Bowerman a coach at that time, they soon formed a company together. The company started in 1964, and eventually became NIKE, Inc in 1968. This was crafted from the name of the Greek goddess of Victory. Knight and Bowerman began their advertising by bringing their shoes to track meets across Western US. One of the most notable breakthroughs in the early days of manufactering was from Bowerman himself. His idea was to have traction on the soles of the shoe, which he acheived by shaping rubber in a waffle iron. Knight's idea consisted of a way of properly marketing the product. He did this through the 1972 Olympic Trials, stating that four of the seven finishers had been wearing NIKE shoes. This, however, was not truthful, as three of the finishers were wearing West German Adidas. Regardless, NIKE had made a name for itself and quickly rose to fame. By the 1990s, NIKE had become one of the most popular athletic shoe companies around the globe.
Origins of the Founders
Phil Knight was born on February 24, 1938. Knight was the oldest of three children, growing up in Portland, Oregon. He attended Cleveland High School and was after graduation, wasn't ineterested in academics. In 1955, he enrolled at the University of Oregon, where he majored in business. Before founding NIKE however, he would join the U.S. Army for one year to which he then attended Stanford. It was during track class that Knight met Bill Bowerman. Bowerman was born in Portland as well, on February 19, 1911. He graduated from Medford High School, and finished his degree in 1935 at the University of Oregon. Bowerman always had an interest for improving athlete services, specifically running shoes, as he was the track coach for the University of Oregon. Bowerman served as the head coach for 24 years, and in that time led his teams to four NCAA Championships. He was also known for being able to push the boundaries and empower his students. It was during his time at the University where he befriended one of his students, Phil Knight, and founded NIKE several years later.