Phil Knight basically invented the market for running shoes by first making them must-have gear for serious runners,

And then convincing the rest of the world—non-athletic types included—that they should buy them too.

Along the way, he built an organization that anticipated many of the trends that have defined modern business, 

from the rise of Asian manufacturing to the power of celebrities to confer credibility on consumer products.

Those there shows that he was a persuative person and knew how to seize the opportunities