#109 Adi Dassler (Adidas)

42 snips

Feb 3, 2020

Discover the fascinating story of Adi Dassler, the quiet craftsman behind Adidas, and his celebrated rivalry with his brother Rudolf. Learn how their contrasting personalities shaped the sports footwear industry amidst the turmoil of World War II. Explore the challenges Adi faced in building his brand from makeshift beginnings to Olympic fame. Hear about the unexpected rise of Nike while Adidas and Puma were embroiled in their feud, and delve into the complexities of Adi's life and legacy in the competitive landscape of sports.

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ANECDOTE

Adi's Resourcefulness

Adi Dassler's resourcefulness during post-WWI Germany was remarkable.
He scavenged materials and invented tools, like a bicycle-powered leather trimmer, to overcome shortages.

INSIGHT

Craftsmanship vs. Business Acumen

Adi Dassler prioritized quality craftsmanship and had "soul in the game."
However, he lacked strong business acumen, a crucial aspect of entrepreneurial success.

INSIGHT

Specialized Shoes

Adi Dassler's focus on specialized shoes for different sports revolutionized athletic performance.
This highlights the business opportunity in specializing products for specific needs.

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What I learned from reading Sneaker Wars: The Enemy Brothers Who Founded Adidas and Puma and The Family Feud That Forever Changed The Business of Sports by Barbara Smit.

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This story begins at a time in history when money and sports were still two separate worlds [0:01]

A family business struggling to survive / drafted into WWI / Adi Dassler’s EXTREME resourcefulness and personality / [3:15]

Early distribution and marketing of sports shoes [10:06]

The Dassler Brothers were opposites: Adi was the quiet craftsman with soul in the game. Rudolf was ostentatious and loud. [12:46]

The chronicle and biography of Adi Dassler: A story about someone obsessed with making high quality products [14:00]

Was Adi Dassler a Nazi? / My experience with the totalitarianism of the Castro regime / tearing up thinking of having to risk the lives of your children [24:30]

Adi Dassler reminds me of Henry Royce [29:30]

The difficulties of building a business during World War II [32:15]

Adi starting over at the age of 46 / How the Adidas stripes came about [38:15]

Athletes start requesting bribes to wear Adidas / How the payoffs happened [46:00]

Breaking into a new market was a slow, labor intensive process [50:45]

While Adidas and Puma are distracted fighting each other, opportunity opens up for Phil Knight and Nike / pursue your crazy idea / famous last words: “it’s just a toy”, “jogging isn’t a real sport”, “Nike is not a threat because we have more demand than we could service” [55:05]

If you have a business that makes you miserable, somewhere along the line you lost the plot. [1:06:45]

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