Key Themes:
Business, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Overcoming Challenges, Branding
Summary:
Shoe Maker by Joe Foster is the untold story of how Joe and his brother developed Reebok from a start up to a $4 billion dollar business and the number one sports brand globally. Starting from a small factory in Bolton, they took their family firm to an international success. This book highlights the highs, the lows, the challenges and the indomitable spirit that took Reebok to the pinnacle of this competitive market.
Content Overview:
The Foster family had a rich heritage in creating hand-made running shoes. Since the late 19th century, Foster’s family had been supplying the likes of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams – later immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire. They also provided boots to most Football League clubs. Following the death of Foster’s grandfather, the business was handed down to his father and uncle. But due to extensive disagreements about the direction of their business between the two of them, the business was at the point of collapse. This led to Joe and his brother Jeff setting up a new company, inspired by the success of modern sports brands such as Adidas and Puma. Reebok was the name chosen from Foster’s dictionary when the name that they had been trading under had already been trademarked. This simple decision – birthed the global brand Reebok.
This is, however, no story of two young men who had grown up with silver spoons in their mouths. Their achievements were all down to taking calculated risks and hard graft. At first, money was so short that Foster and his wife had to live in their factory, while the machinery that made the shoes was placed around the edge of the floor, due to the floor being so weak it could have collapsed if positioned in the middle. However, from these meagre beginnings, a major new player in the sports equipment field was born. Inspired by Joe’s marketing vision and market knowledge the brand grew exponentially from its start up in the 1960s. By the 1980s, Reebok had become a global phenomenon, becoming the first to recognise the huge market potential of the aerobics craze and top influencer Jane Fonda, wearing a pair of their aerobics trainers. Soon, Reebok shoes were being seen on Hollywood red carpets and even in the film Aliens, where the principal character played by Sigourney Weaver wore a pair of Reebok Alien Stompers.
Shoemaker is a powerful tale of triumph against all the odds. It’s a blueprint of how to run a business, grow a business, deal with tragedy, take care of family and make a difference.
it is also the inspiring story of how a small local business can become a global player, with the right products, the right vision and the right connections.
Rating: 10/10
Foster’s story of how he built a global brand is a fascinating insight into the creation of an empire. His candid, warts and all book is a fascinating tale of the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur. He takes the reader on a fast paced journey through the building of a global brand.
Readability: 9.5/10
Foster’s ability to weave his story and to bring the history of one of our most iconic brands to life has created a page-turner. His honesty, enthusiasm and spirit of ‘can do’ is incredibly refreshing. I struggled to put this book down.
Does what it says on the tin: 10/10
Yes – you will be inspired, motivated and filled with inspiration. Foster lifts the lid on the sports brand sector and how two lads from Bolton created a global business through blood, sweat and tears.
