Joe Foster, The History of Reebok (#192) - a podcast by Mike Malatesta

If you’ve always been curious to learn about the history of Reebok, then I’m sure you’re delighted to hear that the guest I’m bringing you today is Joe Foster, the founder of Reebok. The history of Reebok dates back to 1958 when Joe and his brother Jeff started the company in England. In the 1980s Reebok really took off by becoming a multi-million dollar company, but that was still the very beginning. Reebok grew even further and it not only became a multi-billion dollar company, but also one of the most iconic shoe brands in history.







To discover the history of Reebok, we have to take a step back to the late 19th century, when Joseph William Foster, Joe’s grandfather, started designing some of the earliest spiked running shoes and founded his business “J.W. Foster” in 1900, that was later renamed in “J.W. Foster and Sons”. Joe’s grandfather opened a factory called Olympic Works, which became known among athletes thanks to the innovative use of spikes, and hit popularity when Harold Abrahams used them to win the gold in the 100m sprint at the 1924 Summer Olympics, an achievement that will be depicted in the film Chariots of Fire. Later on, in 1958, Joe Foster and his brother Jeff left the family business and founded Reebok.







From Near Bankruptcies to Global Phenomenon







Joe had big goals and dreams, but the reality he had to face was quite challenging. In fact, money was so tight that Joe, Jeff, and their wives all lived in their rundown factory with the heavy shoe-making machinery strategically placed to avoid the floor collapsing. Joe had to face many difficult moments, such as setbacks and near bankruptcies, but he used them as lessons that would help him propel the brand where he wanted to, which is entering the U.S. market. Reebok continued manufacturing excellent running shoes, and its big break came in the 1980s thank to the “aerobic craze”. Everybody wanted to wear Reebok shoes, including actors on Hollywoods red carpets and rock stars. And the rest is history.







Full transcript below







Video on the History of Reebok



















Video on the Origins of the Reebok Brand Name



















Visit ReebokTheFounder.com to Learn more about Joe















Learn More about Shoe Maker, Joe Foster’s Book about the History of Reebok















Connect with Joe Foster on LinkedIn















Follow Joe Foster on Twitter















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