Reebok's Billion Dollar Pivot w/ Joseph William Foster

Mar 15, 2022

Joseph William Foster, the founder of Reebok, shares his incredible six-decade journey in building a global brand from humble beginnings. He recounts the legacy of innovation sparked by his grandfather, who created the first spiked running shoe. Joe discusses the revolutionary pivot that took Reebok from a niche running shoe company to a fitness sensation, achieving staggering growth amid the aerobics craze. He reflects on personal sacrifices and the emotional milestones that shaped Reebok’s identity, leaving listeners inspired by the power of perseverance and adaptability.

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ANECDOTE

Grandfather's Influence

Joe Foster's grandfather, also named Joseph William Foster, pioneered spiked running shoes in 1895.
He achieved success by recognizing and leveraging influencers, providing shoes to top athletes and reporters.

ADVICE

Gaining Recognition

Having a great product is not enough; recognition is crucial for success.
Leverage influencers and get your product recognized to spread the word.

ANECDOTE

Leaving the Family Business

Joe and his brother Jeff recognized their father's resistance to change was hindering the family business.
They offered their father to join their new venture, but he refused, believing the company would eventually be theirs.

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You’ve all heard of REEBOK. Many of you own one or more pairs of Reeboks. But how many of you know the fascinating story behind the brand?

Reebok’s history and how the company evolved over the past several decades has both been a MARATHON and a HUNDRED-YARD DASH at times.

Through it all, there is one man who has been there from the beginning. This week’s guest, the legendary JOE FOSTER, has got 60 YEARS of experience he’s going to share, so step up to the starting line and get ready for a run like you’ve never heard before.

Running shoes and running companies are both in the Foster family genes. Joe’s grandfather, also Joseph W. Foster, pioneered the spiked running shoe and gained worldwide notoriety making those shoes under the brand J. W. Foster & Sons Ltd. The best athletes of the early 20th century used them to set numerous WORLD RECORDS and earn a slew of OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS.

From those successes, Joe and his late brother Jeff launched Reebok in the UK in 1958. It took another 20 years to crack the U.S. market, but Reebok did at the height of a fitness craze. The results were ASTOUNDING. In five years, Reebok grew ONE HUNDRED TIMES OVER, from a £9m to a £900m business. When Joe left the day-to-day operations in 1990, Reebok and Reebok International were worth a combined $3 BILLION.

Joe remains an ambassador and speaker, and recently published an autobiography of his journey launching Reebok, called "Shoe Maker: The untold story of the British family firm that became a global brand".

You’re going to enjoy hearing a lot of INSIDER STORIES about how Reebok grew EXPONENTIALLY but you’ll also hear how Joe and his brother dealt with years and years of REJECTIONS before breaking through.

Reebok understood the importance of INFLUENCERS early on, and Joe reveals how Reebok leveraged those relationships as a key element of the company’s GROWTH STRATEGY.

One of the most important things Joe talks about is how to FIND BALANCE as a family man and an entrepreneur. If you’ve struggled with this, pay close attention to how Joe has managed to find that DELICATE SWEET SPOT that’s a common problem for lots of success-driven people.

Joe wraps up things with some FUN advice for entrepreneurs.

Just like wearing the best shoes on the planet is an important part of WINNING THE RACE, you need to download the best advice on the planet if you want to win whatever race you’re in.

And an hour spent listening to Joe Foster will definitely give you the COMPETITIVE EDGE you need.

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