Named after the Greek goddess of victory, Nike Inc. has been nothing but victorious since it's launch as Blue Ribbon Sports in January of 1962. In 1971, the company branded itself with the name "Nike" and attached the legendary swoosh to its name. The now multi-billion dollar company is the global leader of athletic apparel.
Being a Nike Athlete is quite the job. You get amazing perks and discounts, create bonds with your fellow athletes (#NikeFam, #SwooshFam) and sell phenomenal products and services to the world. Here are 23 things that Nike athletes can relate to.
1. When you're opening and your manager isn't there yet.
2. When you can finally cop those shoes you've been waiting for on Swoosh.
3. When you're working apparel and try your hardest to avoid the mayhem that is the women's clearance rounder.
4. When you finally spend 20 minutes cleaning said rounder and it gets messy in the two minutes it took to get a walkie.
5. Checking the zone chart every 10 minutes waiting for your break or lunch.
6. That feeling when you get a great shout out on an NPS survey.
7. When Coaches throw not-so-subtle, but good natured, shade at Athletes over the walkies.
Nike fun fact: When Nike signed Michael Jordan (pictured above, if you don't know who he is) of the Chicago Bulls in 1984, the NBA threatened to ban his new shoes, Air Jordan 1s, because they did not meet the "mostly white" standard of basketball shoes of the era. He was not kicked out, but he was fined every time he wore them, and Nike paid every one of those fines.
8. While you're asking a consumer what they're looking for and they say, "I'm looking for some new Roshes to work out with."
Roshes are not the shoes to work out in, my friend.
9. That moment when you forgot you had an NTC activation, and you did a full body workout the night before.
10. When consumers get confrontational over things you can't control.
11. Those glorious times you walk into the break room and see pizza, or any food.
12. When you're closing and you get told to ROYGBIV the kids clearance rounder.
Nope.
13. When you recommend several types of shoes to a consumer and they get the exact opposite.
Then one week later, they return the shoes complaining about shin splints and sore feet.
14. When Kronos isn't working and you can't even be mad because it's Kronos.
It's a love hate relationship with Kronos.
14. When your team is selling over the goal for the day, consecutively, and you can just feel the bonus that's coming at the end of the quarter.
15. When BOH already has 200+ cartons and FedEx rolls up with 103 more.
Where is all of this supposed to go?
16. When your walkie dies and you know you're gonna be missing all the jokes and updates.
17. When BOH is short staffed, but still managing to bring out shoes and apparel.
BOH, you're the real MVP.
18. When a consumer follows your advice.
19. When the Cash Wrap is busy and everyone decides that they need to be up there as well.
20. Complicated .com returns.
21. When kid's hash is impossible to clean because there's always people in it.
22. When you determine how fast you're going to get out on closing shifts based on the managers you're closing with.
Forever praying it's the manager who's fast and pretty chill.
23. The pang of shame and embarrassment you feel when the person you just checked out beeps through the door.
I swore I took all the sensors off.
24. Those moments when you look around your store and feel proud.
You are proud to be part of team and company that creates a culture of athletes who play hard and work even harder to make sure every person who walks through your door gets the service and experience they deserve.