Success Story of Phillip H. Knight, Founder of Nike The Power of Passion     I wanted to build something that was my own, something I could point to and say: I made that. It was the only way I saw to make life meaningful. Philip H. Knight   Philip Knight, the founder of Nike, is famous for his passion and rule-breaking "continuous reinvention" of his entrepreneurially minded business. His unrelenting, focused energy built Nike into the most recognized brand in the world. Knight came to University of Oregon to run for one of the most prestigious track programs in the country and to be coached by the legendary Bill Bowerman. Life is growth. You grow or you die. Philip H. Knight     By the time he graduated in 1959 with a degree in business administration, Knight understood the importance of innovation, not just in product design but also in marketing.     Seek a calling... If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt. Philip H. Knight He was well aware of Bowerman's attempts to create a better running shoe, and Knight possessed the drive and enthusiasm to bring those concepts to reality. After obtaining his M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1962, Knight returned to Eugene to found Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc. with Bowerman.       Knight soon began selling shoes at track meets out of the back of his Plymouth Valiant station wagon, eventually making enough money to quit his job as an accountant.     It’s never just business. It never will be. If it ever does become just business, that will mean that business is very bad. Philip H. Knight   By 1972, Blue Ribbon Sports was renamed Nike, Inc., after the Greek goddess of victory.   Entrepreneurial Vision     Under Knight's leadership, Nike quickly became the world's largest sports and fitness company – thanks to a constant pursuit of innovation and ingenious marketing and advertising. Having retired from the CEO position at Nike in 2004, Knight continued to serve as the company's chairman. But he has always been much more than a corporate executive.     Knight is the father of sports marketing, an industry he almost single-handedly created. He is a visionary and a leader. And he embodies everything that is Nike – excellence, integrity, and passion.     Have faith in yourself, but also have faith in faith. Not faith as others define it. Faith as you define it. Faith as faith defines itself in your heart. Philip H. Knight