Phil Knight Quotes

There comes a time in every life when the past recedes and the future opens. It's that moment when you turn to face the unknown. Some will turn back to what they already know. Some will walk straight ahead into uncertainty. I can't tell you which one is right. But I can tell you which one is more fun.

Play by the rules, but be ferocious.

It's alright to be Goliath but always act like David.

Dream audaciously. Have the courage to fail forward. Act with urgency.

Sports is like rock 'n' roll. Both are dominant cultural forces, both speak an international language, and both are all about emotions.

Dare to take chances, lest you leave your talent buried in the ground.

Make history or be a part of it.

A brand is something that has a clear-cut identity among consumers, which a company creates by sending out a clear, consistent message over a period of years until it achieves a critical mass of marketing.

Nike is a marketing-oriented company, and the product is our most important marketing tool.

Meeting sports athletes that are the best in the world is a thrill to this day.

We used to think that everything started in the lab. Now we realize that everything spins off the consumer.

There is an immutable conflict at work in life and in business, a constant battle between peace and chaos. Neither can be mastered, but both can be influenced. How you go about that is the key to success.

The trouble in America is not that we are making too many mistakes, but that we are making too few.

We wanted Nike to be the world's best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don't end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour.

You can't explain much in 60 seconds, but when you show Michael Jordan, you don't have to. It's that simple.

It is possible to tell a customer "no", and have the customer thank you for doing it

My job is to listen to ideas, maybe cook up a few of my own, and make decisions based on what's good for the shareholders and for the company.

I'm Phil Knight, and I don't believe in advertising.

Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are really part of a very big advertising program, and the fact that they make so much money is because the markets have dictated that they get that money, and the fact that they endorse our products allows us to sell more products and create more jobs.

Now we understand that the most important thing we do is market the product. We've come around to saying that Nike is a marketing-oriented company, and the product is our most important marketing tool.

Perception can be changed

Up until the time I was 14 years old, I was sure that I was going to be a big-league baseball player. But that dream came to a rude awakening when I got cut from my high school baseball team.

I still get real nervous when I go in front of more than two people.

I truly believe the American consumer doesn’t want to buy products made under abusive conditions.

It doesn't matter how many people you offend, as long as you're getting your message to your consumers. I say to those people who do not want to offend anybody: You are going to have a very, very difficult time having meaningful advertising.

I don't consider myself enigmatic, but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my public persona.