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[Outliers] The Obsession That Built Nike | Phil Knight
From The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish
February 24, 2026 · 38 min
About this episode
Phil Knight shares the challenges and triumphs of founding Nike, exploring themes of belief, trust, and the price of growth.
Phil Knight is the founder of Nike, the brand that reshaped sports and became one of the most powerful companies in the world. What would you do if your bank, your supplier, and your government all turned against you at the same time? Phil Knight didn’t have to imagine it. He lived on the edge of insolvency for nearly two decades. This Outliers episode explores belief, trust, fear, and the price of growth through the story of Nike’s founding. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:07) Lessons From Phil Knight (11:25) How It All Began (15:56) The Waiting Game (22:26) The Darker Times (32:56) The End of the Customs War ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ fs.blog/membership ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: https://x.com/shaneparrish Insta: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/…
People in this episode
Host: Shane Parrish
Guest: Phil Knight
Topics covered
- entrepreneurship
- business growth
- resilience
- sports industry
- founder story
Keywords
- Nike
- Phil Knight
- entrepreneurship
- business challenges
- sports brand
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Nike
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