Blinker’s Spotlight: Your Favourite CEO’s Favourite Book

By Sibhongile Lachish Chitengi

September 16, 2024

This week, we had the rare opportunity to sit down with our award-winning founder and CEO, Bluseke Bluseke. We know many of you are curious—what kind of books does a marketing guru read? Well, we’re excited to share his highly recommended read: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight.

This story isn’t just about shoes; it’s an epic tale of entrepreneurship, friendship, and self-discovery. Phil Knight’s candid narrative sheds light on the true path to business success—a messy, perilous, and often chaotic journey riddled with mistakes, struggles, and sacrifice. Few CEOs open up the way Knight does, and it left a lasting impression on Bluseke.

Bluseke read Shoe Dog right at the inception of Blink Marketing ZM. At that time, the dream was just a blank canvas, with no fruits of success yet in sight—no office pool table, no PlayStation. But this book became a significant piece of the puzzle in his own entrepreneurial journey.

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INTERVIEWER: What is Shoe Dog about in your words? What does it mean to you?

BLUSEKE: It’s about Phil Knight, the guy who started Nike.

INTERVIEWER: Oh wow! You think about the brand all the time but never really about who started it.

BLUSEKE: [Laughs] Exactly. The guy could walk right past you, and you wouldn’t even know it.

INTERVIEWER: So, it’s about the guy behind the brand. What about him?

BLUSEKE: He takes you through his whole journey—how it was a struggle, how Nike almost closed, and even the cliché debt moments every entrepreneur faces. All while still working his regular 9 to 5.

INTERVIEWER: Wait, what? He had a full-time job through all of that?

BLUSEKE: Yeah, that’s what I love about it. It shows the importance of perseverance and never giving up. People often overlook the struggles leading up to success.

INTERVIEWER: What’s that saying? “It takes 15 years to become an overnight success,” right?

BLUSEKE: Exactly.

INTERVIEWER: So, what does Shoe Dog mean to you, personally and as a CEO?

BLUSEKE: Personally, it’s a wake-up call. It reminds me that ambitions and dreams take time. Success is never a one-man show—you need people.

INTERVIEWER: That’s true, and it reflects the culture here at Blink.

BLUSEKE: Exactly. And as a CEO, the book emphasizes the importance of having a team, the importance of strategy, and the flexibility within that strategy. It also shows the value of building a brand that people love. We may not all know Phil Knight, but we all know and love Nike.

INTERVIEWER: We definitely do love the brand.

BLUSEKE: I’ve never heard anyone say they don’t.

INTERVIEWER: Right? There’s just no such thing, and if they say they don’t, they’re probably lying!

BLUSEKE: [Laughs]

INTERVIEWER: So, how many times have you read Shoe Dog?

BLUSEKE: I’ve only read it once, but I practice the principles and lessons almost religiously to this day.

INTERVIEWER: Who would you recommend Shoe Dog to?

BLUSEKE: Anyone looking to start a business. Anyone who wants their own “Blink” in the future.

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By sharing insights from Shoe Dog, a real-life story of passion, perseverance, belief, loyalty, and teamwork, Bluseke illustrates that success is a long, evolving journey. Shoe Dog offers a stunning exploration of persistence, hard work, dreams, and opportunity—qualities that are essential in building something great, like Blink Marketing ZM. Inspiring, insightful, and stirring, this story resonates deeply. And if you're still wondering whether to read Shoe Dog, remember: Phil Knight didn’t ‘just do it.’ He did it right.

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