Blogging the Swoosh

New plan...wanna play?

2006-04-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm still stepping down, but I had an idea. Do you want to be the one that carries on the voice from inside the Swoosh? I said my piece, I called out the flaws inside Nike, but I don't see all. Something you want to say? You can do it here.

If you'd like to continue the legacy, send an email to swooshblog@gmail.com. Don't worry, you can start up an anonymous email, I don't have to know who you are (in fact, I'd prefer that).

Nike or former Nike employee's only. Tell me why the blog should be yours. Once I select someone, I'll email the login info and it' yours to change. You'll be the Swoosh Blogger.

Happy bidding.

Still here, but done

2006-04-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

Word is you are wondering where I'm out. The truth- I'm bored. As I said in my first retirement post, this place isn't that great. I had my chance to vent, now I'm done. I'll go back to work and be the guy that sits next to you. The guy you ride the elevator with, the guy on the treadmill next to you, or even the guy that signs your checks.

Thanks for reading.....long live the swoosh!

Q3 Nike Employee Meeting Recap

2006-03-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the all employee meeting today, here is a little recap from the eyes and ears of the Swoosh Blog:

1. Empty seats: This had to be the most lightly attended quarterly meeting I've seen. What, no love for Mr. Mark Parker? Did Perez have a meeting this small?

2. Speaking of Parker: Bro, I like you but you need to kick up the excitement level! You seemed a little nervous. Relax, all of us are behind you and your leadership. We are waiting for you to captivate us.

3. Don Blair: The best financial overview I've seen in these meetings. Detailed, but not boring. Good points about spending (see my previous post on admin spending habits). Keep it up, you were the highlight today....that doesn't get said much about a finance guy!

4. Charlie: Great choice of words when talking about Under Armour (though you never said the U and A words).

5. Soccer: If you are a soccer fan, stay tuned....Nike has some great stuff coming. Adidas is going down in their own back yard.

6. Chad Hedrick: Shit, this kid is amazing! I didn't know much about him before today, but I'll be tuning into 2010 @ Vancouver BC. He is probably the best Nike advocate we can have on our team. A 180 from the 'other' winter Olympic athlete we sponsor.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Save money, cancel the admin's AmEx cards!

2006-03-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

Nike spends a lot of money. A beautiful 175 acre campus, athletes with $90 million + contracts, multiple private jets, an ex-CEO with a ridiculous severance package. But in my opinion, the greatest waste of all is the money spent by corporate administrative assistants (secretary's for those of you who lived and worked in the good 'ol days).

I am amazed nearly every day by the amount of money wasted through spending by admin's. I don't doubt their value on a purely professional support level, but they spend company money like bitchy daughters of a rich daddy.

Here's one of my favorites: the site visit. This is where the admin(s) travel to the location of an upcoming meeting to see if it will work out. And we are not talking about the local conference center. These locations include Scottsdale, Las Vegas, Miami, Hawaii, New York, etc. Two or three days staying in the hotels, eating at the restaurants and meeting in the places that their bosses will during the next week. Because honestly, these hotels have not idea how to handle a corporate meeting without some know-it-all admin's telling them how to do it!

Another good one is the sample sale! This is where 3-4 admin's get together to sell sample/left over product. Now this is a 2 day event, and because they are working so hard they get every meal catered at company expense. What, you mean you don't get free breakfast and lunch when you work real hard? I thought everyone did?

The last example I'll share with you is the admin holiday/birthday/summer/whatever party. During this event, all the valuable admin's take an entire day away from their work and go have fun, again at company expense. I mean between the catered meals and trips to Miami, they get worn out and need a break. Pile all the girls in a limo and lets go out to lunch downtown! El Gaucho anyone? Then maybe a movie and finally a martini to cap off the day. A girl's gotta wind down somehow!

You probably noticed that I refer to these admin's as females. In my 5 years at Nike, I have not met a single male admin. I know it is traditionally a women's job, but this is 2006 and gender roles no longer exist, right? We are striving to have 50% of our employee's as females, and however many percent of employee's as minorities. I want 25% of our admin's to be men. Is that too much to ask?

Seriously folks, these admin's have it made. I just hope that when sales dip and profits fall, managers step up and see the waste that goes on with the little circles of admins. Take away the Blackberry's, cell phones, laptops, and comp days...give them to employee's that actually make Nike money.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Nike and the Blazers?

2006-03-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

Nike and our competitors spend tens....likely hundreds of millions wooing college athletic departments across the nation. Their teams wear our shoes, our clothes, and licensed gear bares our logo. It must pay off, competition for teams and coaches have driven market prices sky high. And when bowl season comes around it all pays off when your brand is represented in all but 3 games.

So with Paul Allen complaining of the financial burden and the city of Portland unable to help out, why doesn't Nike buy the team? Think about it, guaranteed product placement. A dedicated testing lab for elite product. A team that Nike's best players can call home?

It really isn't any different than our relationship with the University of Oregon. Why not make it official, and take our influence to front and center rather than denying it?

It just might work.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Should Nike's CEO expect privacy?

2006-03-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

Imagine my surprise today when I was reading Helen Jung's Playbooks and Profits blog as I do every day. She posted about Mark Parker's first month, but something else jumped out at me:

"And for a man who generally keeps below the radar, he had a lot to say in a recent e-mail to Nike employees that was sent to us by a trusty source."

Then Helen goes on to quote the email further, and then publishes the ENTIRE text! Guess I can't blame here too much, but who the hell was the employee that sent her the email? Can you say "violation of the Nike Electronic Communication Policy?"

It's hard to think that many readers called me a traitor for allegedly divulging company secrets, specifically around my post on fearing Under Armour. Telling the world that we fear Under Armour is nothing compared to secretly sending internal (and assumed private) communications to a reporter.

I wonder if someone in ER will search sent emails to see who might have sent this to Ms. Jung? It's certainly a better use of time than trying to stop me.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Bode (bow-dee)

2006-03-06T22:29:00.000-08:00

Bode Miller must be the most over-hyped Olympic athlete in modern history. Lucky for me, my company put millions behind this guy. Bye Bye year end bonus!

The first time I ever heard of this guy was at the Q2 all employee meeting this year (which is really for only about 750 employee's in person). As we waited in line to enter the plush Italian leather theatre, all the beautiful ladies who work at the Tiger Woods center were wearing t-shirts that read "Join Bode." There even is(was) a web site out that by that name. Of course it has little content on it right now; I wonder why?

So bottom line: The community of Nike doesn't care about Bode. I don't know a single employee who knew who this guys was before two months ago. I haven't spoken with 1 person that cared whether he won or lost. I did however come across several co-workers that were fiercely calculating in the heads up much larger their bonus checks would be if Nike didn't spend millions promoting this loud mouth jack ass. The web site, the t-shirts, the motor coach...it all adds up.

I wonder who the guy is that backed this marketing plan? Nice, real nice. Thanks for that. If we are lucky you'll be joining Perez.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Just for the Kool Aid drinkers...

2006-03-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

You know what, I think I will keep posting on this blog. Just for the haters, the Kool Aid drinkers.

And you are right, one of the reasons I write is for the rush. Yet I realized over the past couple of weeks that Nike will never know who I am. They will never find me, and frankly I'd be surprised if they wasted their time. You give me more credit than I deserve when you say I'll be hunted down and fired.

Keep this in mind: I could be the guy sitting in the cube next door. The guy you play basketball with at lunch, or the guy on the treadmill next to you at the Lance. I could be your boss, your department head, or even the VP that ensures you and I still have jobs. Hell, I could be your daddy!

Read on. Swoosh.

P.S. Big f&cking deal, I mis-spelled Heel....so sue me.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Point Taken?

2006-03-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

So it's been over a week since my last post. Frankly, I'm getting bored. This place hasn't offered up near as many interesting topics as I had imagined. In other words, it's just not that interesting.

I will say, I think my point has gotten across. As a commenter stated, Nike is not the end-all, be-all. The good benefits cover up the bad. It's a give and take place, just like any other company.

To the haters, no I have not been "caught" or "outed" as you put it. No ER (I did learn what that means) or HR calling me into the office. I think that is part of it, no fear of the chase. Nike couldn't figure out who I am if they spent the entire SG&A budget to do so.

I may post again. Depends. See you in the Tar Heal, I'm there a lot.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Nike is the greatest place in the world to work at!!!

2006-02-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

So if Nike is such an amazing place to work, why would anyone leave? I've been told by both non-Nike readers and fellow coworkers chiming in on Blogging the Swoosh (hopefully not on company time), that this place is just amazing, it's the best. Right?

Apparently, one (former) coworker didn't think Nike was the end-all be-all. Twenty seven year veteran Kirk Richardson left the place that many of you think can do no wrong, to join our newest neighbors Keen Footwear. Here is the story.

I have no idea why Mr. Richardson left, but I've got a couple of idea's why someone else might. Seems like nearly every day Nike people are bolting for the other crap-holes around here (yes, I'm talking about Adidas and Columbia). There's got to be a reason.

For example, if you didn't play basketball, football, or baseball in college...prepare for a long Nike career of going nowhere! Doesn't matter how much marketing or business genius you have, your in a rut. Of course if you QB'ed the hometown favorite, you're golden. Congrats.

Now if you want to do sports marketing, you have a whole different set of rules. You'll need to be able to 'relate' to the athletes. You know, come from the same 'hood', speak the same language. Catch my drift? Otherwise, your stuck with some lame sport like cycling or curling.

Now if you are a woman, all the rules are thrown out. Apparently hotties are all naturally smart, creative, strategic, and business tough. Hire them all! Then they can all come to work in the Nike Hottie uniform: $200 jeans that drag on the ground, over knee high pointed leather boots with a 3" heal. Because that is professional attire. Reality check: Nike isn't your sorority! But seriously, apparently Nike feels it's more important to strive for a 50/50 balance between men and women than building a workforce of highly capable professionals.

Of course, I'm wrong as you will all tell me. Nike is great, Nike is the best employer ever, Nike doesn't discriminate, blah, blab, blah. Whatever.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Bricks and Mortar

2006-02-19T22:23:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are not familiar, Nike's World Headquarters (campus) in Beaverton, Oregon is one of the most beautiful corporate settings in the world. It is about 16 buildings, but if you include the 4 story parking garage and the maintenance facility, call it 18. It's on 175 acres smack in the middle of the suburban city called Beaverton (though it's not in the city limits, click here to read more).

All 16 buildings are named after athletes that have worked with Nike for large portions of their careers. Most are great men and women, while some make you say "who?"

Here are the buildings named after athletes who earned and deserve it:

Steve Prefontaine- A legend.
Nolan Ryan- one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Bo Jackson- admit it, he was THE guy back in the day. It also fits as this is 1 of 2 gyms.
Michael Jordan- duh
Joe Paterno- this is an interesting but perfect pick. His building is the child care center.
Jerry Rice- half man, half amazing.
Alberto Salazar- Great American story and the only Nike employee in this group
Tiger Woods- absolutely amazing, but I sure hope he never switches brands!
John McEnroe- this one is awesome because it says so much about Nike as a company. A great player that people loved to watch, but one that others loved to hate. Spoke his mind, and did whatever it took to win.

Here are the rest. Most are great athletes but I wonder what Nike was thinking when they picked them.

Mike Schmidt- Mike who? I guess he played when people actually cared about baseball. I imagine this building is the only thing that will keep his name in anyone's mind.
Mia Hamm- Can you say "token" women? Not the only female building but interesting that the largest building on campus is named after a women who plays a sport that isn't followed professionally in the US. Last I checked, her US team had 1 big game (win) which had a 0-0 score after regulation and overtime.
Lance Armstrong- Cool gym, but I wonder if they have a room where I can get my steroid injection?
Dan Fouts- ya, I heard he was good when he played but this honor has more to do with his connection to the UofO.
Joan Benoit Samuelson- Great story from the '84 Olympics, but what did she do after the games?
Ken Griffey Jr- Ya, can you say no name? This is a perfect example of waiting for someone to retire before naming a building after them.
Pete Sampras- Speaking of waiting for retirement, he'd be on the first list if it wasn't for his little contract negotiation dispute near the end of his career. I just wonder what they would have named the building if he left Nike?

In closing: Whom ever makes these decisions, please pay attention. Don't name any future buildings after athletes that are still playing. Don't pick someone that is hot for the moment (Bode Miller), and don't pick someone just because they are from the UofO (Joey Harrington).

Click here for an aerial view.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Whom do you fear?

2006-02-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this post for a few days because I think Nike is very unique in that they really don't have anyone to fear. Everywhere else you look you find a nemesis for this or that. The Trail Blazers fear the Lakers. Ford and GM likely fear what the Japanese auto makers might do next. Secretly, I think Microsoft probably fears Google's next move.

But what about Nike? Honestly, I can say there is only 1 company we fear. Adidas if probably what came into your mind. They are a joke. In my time at this place, I haven't once witnessed anyone at any level worry about what that company might do. Even with their Reebok acquisition, they are still a distant 2nd. They copy our products, they mimic our marketing, they play simon says. What a joke! We are even beating them in Europe and will kick the crap out of them in their own back yard during the World Cup in Berlin.

Twenty Four Thousand employees in this place, and not a one is worrying about "the brand with the three stripes." By the way, can someone explain how one day they can sue saying that 3 white stripes down the leg of a pant is a trademark infringement and the next day argue to the IOC that 3 stripes down the leg of one of their pants is not a logo?

So if Nike doesn't fear anyone, what gets them going? Here is the closest thing to a company we fear: Under Armour. That little company that snuck up on us is now the greatest fear we have. Everywhere I go, in all our meetings, the theme is to destroy Under Armour. This Maryland based company has done what no other company has been able to do in the past 15-20 years. For the first time in a while, Nike is reacting. Nike is clawing and fighting not to loose the authentic athletic apparel market.

Congratulations to Under Armour. Enjoy it while you can because Nike always finds a way, and they aren't always nice.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Something to be Proud of

2006-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

Today Nike made two announcements that I am very proud of:

1. In an all employee email, Nike announced today its plan to build a second employee child care facility at the would headquarters. This new facility will more than double the current capacity of around 200 kids and make a lot of employees very happy. As I understand the waiting list to get a child in the center is over 400 people long! Another great fact is that Nike is asking employees for their opinion through this process!

Congratulations to Nike for this great move.

2. Nike, through its Brand Jordan division, announced a fundraiser that will benefit Habitat for Humanity. The brand is auctioning off an entire set of SIGNED Air Jordan shoes, along with some other items like a basketball and Bulls jersey. That's 21 pair of autographed Jordans! The proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity and will be earmarked for Katrina rebuilding. In my opinion, Habitat is one of the best charities in this country and Nike couldn't have picked anyone better to partner with. Click here to read more.

Another congratulations for Nike doing it right. I may bitch about this place a lot, but truth is they do a lot that all of us employee's can be proud of.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

I'm still here

2006-02-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

I know many of you were wishing that I had gotten "caught" and fired, but I'm still here! Just taking a few days off. I know I committed to blogging every day, but then realized that I am better off not blogging if I don't have anything good than writhing something shitty.

I know I just opened myself up to all you Kool-Aid drinkers on that one....go ahead, let the comments flow.

I'll be back tomorrow. I've got lots of ideas! I think the post will be titled "Whom do You Fear?"

Thanks for visiting, you comments and suggestions are always welcome. BUT, if you are going to trash me for staying anonymous then make sure to give me your full name when leaving your two cents.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

What do you call an accused rapist that buys his wife an $8 million ring?

2006-02-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

Two days in my Nike career stick out more than others. I remember the first like it was yesterday. Seven hundred and fifty of my closest co-workers, sitting in the plush theater at the Tiger Woods center. The curtains were closed, the lights dim. Then the lights fade to black as we stare forward in silence. Slowly a basketball begins to bounce. No sight yet, just sound. Bounce, Bounce. Bounce. Swish. The lights slowing come on as the curtains open and there, 20 feet in front of me stand the hottest and youngest additions to the NBA: LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. The crowed of loyal employee's jumped to their feet and began a long, thunderous applause that lasted what seemed to be forever.

Fast forward a few months, I think it was late June just after the NBA finals wrapped up. Again this group of loyal employee's lined up to fill the 750 seat theater. The curtains were open, but the stage was empty. Soon, the music pumped into the room like a night club. My ears were throbbing as the confetti and balloons feel from the ceiling. The colored lights began to dance as the cheerleaders dressed in nothing but number "8" jersey's entered and danced on stage. Soon a 6'-6" young man walked onto stage with head bowed and hands clasped behind the back. He stopped at center stage and raised one arm, pointing a finger to the sky. After what seemed to be an eternity, someone entered stage right, clapped his hands and motioned to the crowed to get on their feet and clap along. We did and shortly we sat back down.

As you have probably guessed, the young 6'6" man on stage was Kobe Bryant.

These two events stick in my head because they were so different. I thought to myself during the Kobe Bryant introduction "I just don't like this guy, there is something about him." Turns out there was something about him (though I would have NEVER guessed it), just a few days later he went to Colorado for surgery and allegedly raped a teenage hotel worker.

We didn't hear much about Kobe around campus after that afternoon of fanfare and introduction. Good idea if you ask me. Eventually the charges against Bryant were dropped and most in this country stopped talking about his legal problems.

This week Nike begins it's biggest promotion of Kobe to date. His shoe launches (I think it is his first official signature shoe), his commercials hit the scene, he's all over nikebasketball.com. But I just don't know, is it a good idea?

He is undoubtedly the best player in the game today. But will kids line up to buy his shoe? I know I wont, but that's fine as I am not the target consumer. What about you, will you buy? Will his past influence your decision?

For me, I'll never forget those two days at Nike and all that they taught me.

For more on Kobe's shoe and the marketing around it, check out these media reports:
Playbooks & Profits
Forbes.com
espn.com

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Employee Store privileges

2006-02-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

Gene Wojciechowski at ESPN.com calls it the "greatest sports store you'll never set foot in." It's the one place that EVERY visitor to the Nike World Campus asks about. As Gene eludes to, you likely can't get in (If you are ESPN 'Insider', click here for his story).

The employee store is one of the nice benefits we get as employee's. I have to admit that I am spoiled to the point that I don't even buy stuff at the EMPLOYEE STORE 'FULL' PRICE! Which, by the way is 50% off on apparel and about 45% off on footwear. I wait for the sales, for the clearance stuff. Guess I'm cheap.

Recently, the employee store added Converse product. They also stock plenty of Cole Haan, Nike Golf, Brand Jordan, and a bit of Hurley. Between these brands and the traditional Nike brand, they carry about anything you need.

It is not rare to see celebrities. I hear Brittany Spears doesn't leave town with a trip to the employee store. During the NBA season, you can usually find Nike endorsed athletes from the visiting team at the store. Don't even get me started on coaches! Mike Belloti and Ernie Kent from UofO, NBA coaches, soccer and basketball guys from UP. It can sometimes be like the red carpet of the ESPY awards.

Couple of complaints though:

1. The Nike employee store probably has the worst return policy that I have ever encountered in retail. Why treat your own employee's or partners so badly? If you are a guest, fo-get-a-bout-it. You have 30 days and then you are screwed....even with a receipt!

2. EMPLOYEE STORE BUYERS: take note, your availability sucks! Why can't I ever find a plain white t-shirt in XL? Socks, anyone have socks available? If only I could find a pair of plain black sweat pants, life would be so nice. Here's the deal: you are not Nordstrom, you are not Nike Town. Merchandising shouldn't be your first priority. Try making basic items available to your employee's so they don't have to buy from a competitor.

So with that said, if you are lucky enough to get in...have fun, don't talk to the celebrities, don't buy the wrong size, and don't expect them to have anything you actually need.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Do as I say, not as I do!

2006-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

First, thanks to everyone for the great comments. I am no professional writer, so it is reader thoughts that make this blog interesting. Keep 'em coming!

I really wish I could share EVERYTHING that goes on in my days at work. Unfortunately, I have to protect my anonymity and some details would just give away too much. In addition, I vow to be careful not to let proprietary info into this blog. Two reasons here, first I truly do love this company and want to see it succeed. Second, I'd lose my job and my sweet cat needs food in her bowl!

Today I wanted to touch on the issue between the City of Beaverton and Nike. I am no expert and don't have any info that isn't already available to you, but I will give you a little something to think about.

Quick re-cap: Nike's campus sits on land that is unincorporated county land...it is not part of the city. The City of Beaverton which surrounds Nike and lends it's name for the mailing address, is moving forward with an aggressive plan to annex unincorporated 'pockets' sharing borders with the city. Nike was a target of this aggressive plan. An annexation of Nike's world campus would mean property taxes paid to the City of Beaverton.

Read more here

You are probably wondering what my problem is. Well, nothing on this issue. I support Nike 100% in its quest for truth and transparency in government. The average citizen in Oregon will benefit from Nike's quest.

Here is my problem: multiple times during my years at Nike, corporate communications have been sent out asking employee's to support local tax increases! They tell us to care about the community, and vote "Yes" for this or that. They state the company position, and in 1 case the personal position of senior executives.

Now they spend all this time, money, and effort to fight an annexation that would contribute $1 million a year to local government services (safety, schools, roads, etc)? What gives? When it's my money I should give it to government, but when it's yours you keep it?

Sounds like a do as I say, not as I do kind of thing.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Coming up this week on Blogging the Swoosh

2006-02-05T23:06:00.000-08:00

Make sure to check in this week to read some thoughts on:

Nike vs the City of Beaverton
Inside look at the employee store
Working at the Nike campus
Interviewing at Nike
....and more!

Thanks for your comments, please let me know what else you'd like to hear about. If you are new to "Blogging the Swoosh" check out my first post.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

It's All About Perception

2006-02-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

Job seekers, listen up! If you are looking for a promotion, listen up! I have free advice for you!

You ever hear anyone use the term “It’s all about perception?” I’ve heard that from 3 different managers over the years here at Nike. All 3 expanded by saying what matters most is how people perceive your work. They tell me to make sure I’m ‘seen’ both physically and figuratively.

But what I hear is “who cares how good or bad your work is, all that matters is what people think.” How bass ackwords is that? What increases sales, perception or hard work? What makes the stock go up, what cuts expenses?

I guess if I had more guts at the time, I would have asked this: Did the investors from Japan just perceive that Knight had a great business plan, or did he actually? Do consumers just perceive that Nike Air provides good cushioning, or does it? Did Tinker Hatfield just perceive Michael Jordan as the most amazing basketball player every, or was he?

I guess sometimes perception isn’t reality. Or is that reality isn't always as its perceived? Never mind…I’m going to bed.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

The Land of Opportunity

2006-02-01T21:36:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today that this place has some pretty odd and interesting jobs. I come across a lot of people that say "I know nothing about shoes or sports, I could never work there." With that in mind, I put together a little list of unique and/or surprising jobs at the Nike World Headquarters. These are right out of our employee directory, straight to you. This is just a sample, so if you have anything else to add to the list, leave a comment or send me an email!

DREAM JOBS
Innovation Lead- Innovation Kitchen
Laser Technician
Mgr Player Relationships
Golf Ball Engineer
Golf Club Engineer
Model Coordinator (yes, it’s that kind of model)
Baseball Bat Test Analyst
Manager- Initiative 4 Alternate Cushioning

YOU DO WHAT AT NIKE?
Dir of Adv Exploration
Dir of Sustainable Production Chemistry
Environmental Chemist
Regional Color Advisor
Product Chemistry Manager
Policy Updater
Shoe Guy Developer
Color Science Consultant

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Pilot
Flight Attendant
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
Personal Trainer

OTHER
Transcriptionist- Nike Story Project
Writer- Nike Story Project
Photographer
Library Assistant
Lab Tech
Construction Tech
Art Project Coordinator
Industrial Engineer
Meeting Manager
Space Planner- Facilities
Audio Engineer
Film & Video Producer
Aquatic Program Manager
Health Promotions Program Mgr

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Playbooks & Profits

2006-02-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

For some great info on the athletic Footwear and Apparel industry, check out Helen Jung's blog: Playbooks & Profits.

Seems like a valuable resource for those of us in the industry and those of you trying to break in.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

So you think you know

2006-01-31T22:32:00.000-08:00

Its been a long day working a boring job at a cool company, so this post will be short. I am committed to posting something every work day, so keep checking back to experience a bit of my world.

So to night I wanted to let you know about a few facts you may not know about Nike. Enjoy and let me know if there is anything else you'd like to find out!

1. Nike has 2 gyms on site at our world headquarters-
-but we have to pay $40 per month to use them ($60 for a couple)! Last I checked 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and Bally's are all much less than that!

2. Nike has 6 different places to get a bite to eat on campus.
-okay, there is nothing bad about this...It fricken rocks! In addition to the standard cafeteria's, we have the Boston Deli and the Tar Heal serving made to order gourmet food.

3. Nike offers up to $3,000 per year in tuition reimbursement.
-woptie-frickin-du! Last time I checked, an MBA will set me back at least $35,000! Friends of mine at Intel get FULL tuition reimbursement as long as they maintain a 'B' average. Must be nice...

4. Average pay for salaried employees at Nike= $52,086
-not bad but here are some others from the list of the Top 100 employers, per Fortune magazine: Microsoft= $107,300 Hot Topic= $71,096 FedEx= $74,070 Yahoo= $117,245 Men's Warehouse= $77,280 Intel= $101,816

5. Free stuff!
-I'm averaging about 1 pair of shoes per month, and about the same for clothes. Plus, at least 1 pair of sunglasses and 1 watch per year. Not bad, eh? Of course you have to know the right people.

Alright, there is a bunch more but I'll save it for another time. Thanks for reading, nite!

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

All the beautiful people...

2006-01-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

I am watching this movie about 9/11 and flight 93 right now, so it's hard for me to be serious. Then I think, "what the hell, the only things Nike is serious about are sports and killing Under Armour.....profits are just a byproduct."

So I am in the Boston Deli, one of our many campus eateries, and I look around at the 40-50 people eating lunch. First thing that pops into my head is that there is maybe 1 person over the age of 40. What are the odds of that in corporate America? Next observation, only a handful of people are even remotely overweight/out of shape. Again, what are the odds considering America's obesity rate? Last observation....We have some fricken hot women that work at Nike, but that is a topic for another post!

Nike is a company built on a unique workforce. We are very diverse in some aspects (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc) but no where near when it comes to age and activity! Some quick research online says that our average age is 33! Compare to GM where salaried men average 46 and women 40. Not sure what the obesity rate is at Nike, but in the US it is around 60% (though the gov't guidelines for this are VERY strict). I'd be shocked if that number was over 10% at Nike.

Where else on earth can you find a company like this? Would you rather work around a bunch of 40 something white men, or a good mix of beautiful people in their early 30's? I hear that even Adidas and Columbia are groups of over-eating smokers!

Only problem is maintaining a healthy self image if you are lucky enough to work here. Maybe that is why we have such a competitive culture.....We worry first about being more fit and beautiful than the person in the cube next to us.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

The Perez era

2006-01-28T00:27:00.000-08:00

What would a Nike blog be without my take on the exit of Bill Perez? For those of you who may not know, Perez stepped down as CEO of Nike, Inc. On Monday Jan. 23rd, 2006. Perez was just completing his 13th month in the job as the first CEO other than found Phil Knight.

Perez came to Nike with a great background and many believed he was exactly what Nike needed to take the company to the next level. He had a 34 year career at privately owned S.C. Johnson Company, maker of such brands as Glade and Windex. He left them as their CEO to join Nike as the successor to Knight.

Sorry for all the history....Fast forward to today. I'd say Perez departure was a huge surprise to both insiders and outsiders. He was hand picked by Knight, had experience with multiple brands, embraced the sports culture, and was believed to be one of very few that could understand Nike culture. This wasn't however, a surprise to Knight. Truth is Knight asked....Demanded that Perez resign. I sense that he know for some time now that it wasn't a good fit.

Knight says it isn't personal, but based on media reports and comments from Perez, I'd say it is. One problem that was reported was the difference in how these two men viewed the retailer. Perez embraces them, Knight could care less about them. Perez visited all 10 of Nike's top retail partners, Knight hasn't bothered.

So what's the problem you ask, sounds like Perez was doing good? The problem is that IT WASN'T KNIGHTS WAY of doing business! That's right, Knight wanted control. He couldn't stand that someone else would come in and call the shots. How dare anyone do things differently.

You know, that's really not all that bad. I mean Knight did build this company from the trunk of his car. Nike is what it is today largely because of him. The stock is up, revenue is up, profit is up....Guess he has been doing something right.

But what happens when times get tough? What happens when sales become flat again (and they will)? What happens when the stock falls? Think investors will be okay with Knights controlling nature at that point?

Let's just hope that Mark Parker, the new CEO has the guts to stand up to Knight every now and then. Change the status quo a bit, and do things his way. Let's hope his 27 years under Knight hasn't made him nothing more than a "yes" man.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Alternate Work Schedule (AWS)

2006-01-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

So just last month, Nike rolled out its official policy on Alternative Work Schedules (AWS). We are usually ahead of the curve on things like this,but we are far from the first company to do this.

Here is the idea, if your life requires it, there is the opportunity to work a non-traditional work day/week. So if you want to stay home to see your kid get on the bus, and go into work at 10am, no problem. You need to leave every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3:30pm for your AA group, go for it. Other examples include working from home once or twice a week, or doing a 4 day work week.

Only one problem, Ya Right!

Nike has always been a come and go as you please kind of place (within reason)....Just get your work done. But actually telling you it's okay to come in at 10am every day, forget it! Working from home once a week, sure whatever they say!

Bottom line: Nike is just like most other companies in many respects. Except, all the egotistical control freaks that run day to day operations. I work in a department with about 300 employee's and I don't know a single one that works an AWS. In fact, I've already heard stories of people being denied this 'benefit' because, and I quote, "we don't trust that they can do any work without our supervision." Kind of an odd statement from a company that can employ just about anyone they want! Why would they even waste their time with someone that needs so much supervision? It's all about the egos!

More to come tonight and tomorrow. I'll be posting my take on the Bill Perez era of Nike (all 13 months of it), the demographics of this company, and maybe even some more thoughts on management.

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.

Just do'in it

2006-01-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

Phil Knight recently told Nike employee's at an all company meeting that he will measure the success of this company by whether or not he can proudly proclaim to his great grandchildren "I built that company."

My success at Nike will also be measured on whether or not Phil can make that proud proclamation to his future generations. For I am not a company founder, I am not a board member, I am not a VP, and sometimes I don't really know what my job is. I'm just a person, putting my all into this company that was around before I was and that will be around after I am long gone.

You are reading the inaugural post of a blog that will peer into life at Nike. Not a view from the marketing department, not a view from wall street analysts, but a view from 1 of the 24,000 employee's world wide that has made this company his life....For good and bad.

I'm a 5 year veteran, with the unique opportunity to start my professional career at this one of a kind company. I've had good times and bad. I've loved my work, and I've hated my work. I've thought about getting a swoosh tattoo on my ankle and I've also thought about how I could bring this company down.

As you experience this blog, you will likely see all of these feelings and more. I'll call the company on the carpet, and I'll praise it all day long.

I might be risking my job, but who the hell cares....I hate it right now anyway and unemployment in Oregon pays VERY well!

*the comments in this blog do not reflect Nike's opinion or position in anyway. They are the sole thoughts of 1 individual. Please do not sue me.