Building Reebok to $1 Billion Before the Internet with Joe Foster

In 1958, Joe Foster founded Reebok's internationally recognized footwear brand with his late brother Jeff. By 1965, Joe, Jeff, and their company were well on their way to the National Sporting Goods of America Show in Chicago, Illinois – the beginning of many global adventures and experiences. 32 years later and now retired from Reebok, Joe still enjoys the opportunity to travel, recounting his early startup experiences, and sharing how he grew his startup company into a $4-billion business and overtook Adidas & Nike to become the world’s number one sports footwear brand. He is the author of Shoemaker: The Untold Story of the British Family Firm that Became a Global Brand, a speaker at The Resiliency & Leadership Shoemaker Tour, Co-Chair at LetsLocalise, and a founding member at One Golden Nugget.

 

Joe joins me today to share his journey from working in his father’s business to launching a globally-recognized sports footwear brand and what he believes is the most important thing about running a business. We discuss the pivotal moment Joe realized they could build a global brand and the challenges they faced while building an international business. We discuss the value of building relationships and how Joe determines which business relationships could be worthwhile. Joe shares his recommendations on building a team, creating a company culture, and determining when you’ve hired a good team member. We discuss the strategies he employed to get stakeholders and consumers on board with his company’s mission. We also discuss the importance of in-person conversations and why these conversations are often more impactful than other forms of communication.

 

“What you’re really selling is the idea, the brand, and your enthusiasm.” - Joe Foster

 

This week on Moving Conversations:

 

●     How Joe found the drive to leave his father’s business to launch his own sports footwear brand

●     What Joe believes is the most important thing to achieve when running a business

●     The pivotal moment Joe realized they could run an international business

●     How Joe determines which business relationships will be worthwhile

●     Joe’s tips and recommendations on building a team and creating a company culture

●     How Joe got stakeholders and consumers on board with his mission for Reebok

●     How creating a women’s athletic shoe impacted the company’s growth

●     The importance of in-person conversations

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     One Golden Nugget - Steven Foster

●     Book: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

 

Connect with Joe Foster:

 

●     Reebok the Founder Website

●     Book: Shoemaker: The Untold Story of the British Family Firm that Became a Global Brand

●     Joe Foster on LinkedIn

●     Joe Foster on Instagram

●     Joe Foster on Twitter

 

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