Essential Wisdom From Phil Knight, Steve Madden, Tory Burch and 23 More Fashion and Footwear Power Founders

“When I started the company, I wanted to create a model of what I believed society should be. To me, there are certain human values that are important. Yes, you can work hard and succeed, but you should not tramp on people. Everyone has the right to succeed, and you should enable them to reach their full potential.” (November 2016)

“I still think and feel as an athlete. I can’t change who I was, and I also don’t want to change it. My background is very important. [The On shoes] come from an athlete — an athlete who has won, but also lost, who suffered injuries and [sought] the perfect running sensation.” (July 2013)

“We don’t have a formula; it’s about instinct, and I know it when I see it. It has to be singular and made to last, with incredible craftsmanship and quality. And it has to be a shoe people will really wear.” (July 2024)

“When I look back at the things that really set BBC on a path for success, lighted shoes is one of them. That idea was my first big break.” (December 2019)

“We built big companies; Nine West was a $2 billion company. We’re in this business because we want to be here. It’s not about building an empire, or how big is big, but to build great product, great perceived value, be on top of the fashion and create good people in the company, which may be more of an attraction than even shoes.” (December 2005)

“We don’t talk about political issues. We talk about important social issues that influence the products we bring to market and overwhelm us as consumers and individuals every day. It’s what I’ve always done. There’s no reason we shouldn’t do it — and more going forward in light of the vacuum we’re likely to see.” (December 2024)

“[To be an entrepreneur] you have to enjoy being on the edge; you have to love it. Itʼs all or nothing. I donʼt know an entrepreneur who thinks that 12 hours is a long day. Youʼve got to eat, sleep and breathe what youʼre doing. And you have to have vision and the talent to make that vision manifest.” (September 2019)

“I don’t like the word ‘success.’ It’s a past-tense word. As a designer, I’m programmed to see two and three years at a time. One thing I’ve learned is I need to say, ‘OK, that happened,’ celebrate and keep it moving. What I [tell my students] is to let someone else talk about what you’ve done. If they are, that means you did something right.” (February 2024)

“I’m the orchestrator. I’m the conductor, ideating and then coaching through the process of getting things to the finish line. I’ve gotten better over time in leading people, but the people have made me better.” (October 2023)

“I love seeing women wear our shoes. I love the fashion cycles, the constant changes, the newness. Every season, it’s like, ‘OK, let’s go, let’s hit it.’ It’s energizing.” (December 2018)

“[I’ve learned from my father’s] drive, his passion and just how he expresses the importance of tackling something. He gets people to follow and believe in what he’s talking about. He’s a real inspiration to me — his work ethic and his desire to succeed.” (November 2023)

“Most people pull back during tough times. I act. I don’t fear too many things.” (November 2015)

“I use my instincts, and we’re on the ground all the time, always in front of people and surrounded by the industry. I like to discover talent within the organization as well. Some of the team started as salespeople and now they’re leading the brand.” (March 2022)

“If you think of employees as, say, plants, I don’t see myself as the tallest plant that everyone aspires to be. I see my role as being the architect of the greenhouse, and they’ll figure out how to grow on their own. I’m generally pretty introverted and quieter and shy. I don’t think I’m representative of the energy you see [at Zappos].” (May 2009)

“You have to be willing to learn every day. The idea that you can continue down a path that has been successful in the past to move forward into the future — that ain’t gonna fly.” (December 2019)

“I’ve been building teams for 25 years. It’s about personality fit, attitude, a willingness to learn, for me and for them. I like the analogy of porous versus metallic. I have a very hard time working with metallic people (who don’t want to discuss, compromise, learn, open up, accept that there are options), so they don’t last very long in my organizations.” (June 2019)

“I hate all my competitors. I don’t want to like them. Essentially, they take market share away from us and our ambition and our dreams are cut back.” (February 1997)

“The psychology behind sustainability is not complicated. It’s lot of common sense and courage. You just have to take risks and create some tension.” (November 2023)

“As a leader of this company, I never cared about the numbers or what we told Wall Street. I leave all those things to other people. For me, it has always been about what the shoes looked like and whether my customers liked them. That’s all that has ever mattered.” (November 2001)

“It’s incredibly important to pass along learnings from failures and successes. My big career mistake was not having mentors.” (June 2024)

“I don’t like workaholics. They are too tired. I like people, more or less, doing what I do: I work really hard, and I play even harder. People that only work to satisfy their boss, I don’t need them.” (November 2017)

“I’m a hard man. I’m very deliberate, and I have a point of view, and I can’t apologize for that. I can make sure that I’m always respectful, though, at the same time. I’m never rude. I’m never curt. I never cut people off. I let people voice their opinions and their inputs. Whether we do or don’t listen to an idea isn’t descriptive of what [our company’s] culture is.” (February 2019)

“Our absolute top priority is the happiness and wellbeing of our team. As leaders, we have committed time and time again to people over profit and have earned the trust of our employees. As a company, we are committed to working together to empower and honor women. The collective desire to leave a positive impact on the world only grows as times get tough.” (June 2023)

“Building Authentic to what it is today [has been] all about family values. That goes through the entire organization. The most important part is having a great time every single day. My theory is, if you have a lot of fun, you’re going to probably do pretty good in business. Money’s just a scorecard.” (November 2021)

“I have vowed to myself to find strength in every challenge, find the beautiful in the pain and find hope in the right now. I have learned that if I am honest with myself and open with everyone else, I can be my strongest. I now lead with my mistakes and am more gentle with myself.” (October 2021)

“It’s hard to stop and take stock of what you’ve done and where you’re going. When it’s your name, you’re just so emotionally attached. Ten years in this climate is a real milestone.” (November 2023)