13A- Reading Reflection 1

13A- Reading Reflection 1

1) You read about an entrepreneur:

In reading the autobiography about Nike’s founder, Phil Knight, I learned a lot about how his path changed along the way and the different challenges he faced motivated him even further. All of the obstacles and challenges that Knight faced contributed to the success that he has today. A few lessons I learned from Knight’s story was to take risks- Knight made sure to emphasize that taking risks is necessary for big time opportunities, and the best time to take risks is when you’re young and have little to lose. I also learned from Knight that having a mentor is helpful in the long run- having someone who has complimentary skills and wisdom can often help you tremendously in your success in the future. This person also must display trustworthiness in order for things to work well. Something that surprised me about Knight’s story was the way that Knight really started the process in his shoe-making company. Knight had the courage and confidence to cold call a prominent Japanese shoe companies CEO, Mr. Onitsuka, and actually got the offer to distribute shoes in the United States. While overall Knight was an inspiration and great motivator, there were some aspects of character that I believe he fell short in. After his amazing entrepreneurship goals took place, he practiced in production techniques that harmed the children of Japan and other developing countries that he took advantage of. Child labor exploitation has been a huge issue for Nike, and I’m not sure how generous Knight may have been to these employees.

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

Knight had the unending drive to be great, which is something I value greatly. His ability to take risks and go out of his way to do something extraordinary is inspiring. From one small idea, Knight built a billion-dollar company, and it was cool to see how these unmet needs that we talk about in class can often lead to great ideas and eventually companies that are recognizable to nearly every eye. Knight also showed competencies in integrity and a solid organizational message that drove Knight and his company to the success they have today.

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

One part of the reading that was confusing to me was the uncertainty of Knight’s financial future. Knight had received a MBA from Stanford, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, you would think when he graduated he had some sort of job offer or connection that would give him at least a little stability coming out of college.

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

My two questions:

Who has had the largest impact on you as a person and why?

What has been your favorite project while working for Nike and why?

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

I think Knight values hard work- if he hadn’t, I don’t think that he would have the success he has today. You can also see Knight’s hard-working traits as he faces a lot of challenges before he actually builds his success from the ground up. I share the same opinion on hard work with Knight because as a child I always had to earn what I was given- I worked multiple jobs and paid for what I needed. I did receive help from my parents in many ways, but ultimately it was up to me.