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It’s Not A Lie If Your Word Comes True
Methods of Prosperity no. 67. Phil Knight (cont.)

TL;DR
Johnson had been attracting the Marlboro Man’s customers on the East Coast. Johnson had done all the ground work. No one promoted Tigers like he did. Now the Marlboro Man placed an ad in Track & Field News. Johnson and Phil devised a plan to cut him off. Phil flew to Japan to secure exclusive US distribution rights for Onitsuka shoes. He stretched the truth about having an East Coast office. This led to Blue Ribbon securing a three-year contract and ordering 5,000 shoes.

Phil hired someone to take over for Johnson at the Santa Monica store. Johnson agreed to move to Boston to oversee East Coast operations. Before moving, he demanded a partnership and higher pay. Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman refused to give him equity. He settled for a small raise.

In 1967, Blue Ribbon expanded further. They hired new employees and opened a second retail store. They developed the Cortez shoe, a direct competitor to Adidas...