When Nike Wasn’t Cool (Yet)

Before Nike dominated global sportswear, it was just a scrappy import business with a vision.

Phil Knight was driving shoes across Oregon in the back of a Plymouth Valiant.

Banks said no.
Retailers didn’t get it.
Even his partners questioned the plan.

But Knight kept showing up.

Not because it was working—but because he believed it would.

Before Nike had the brand, he acted like it did.
Before it was cool, he built it like it already mattered.

And eventually? The world caught up to his belief.

The Taggart Principle

There’s a line in Atlas Shrugged I think about a lot:

“You never had to take it on faith. You saw it.”

This is what I call The Taggart Principle: the idea that creators, founders, and visionaries build as if the thing already exists.

That’s how brand works.

→ You don’t create content because you’re proven.
→ You create content to prove the thing you already believe.

Every time you post, pitch, or show up with conviction—you’re showing people what’s coming before they can see it.

That’s how a vision becomes a brand.

The Bet I Made

When I launched Creative Catalyst, I had zero proof it would work.

No viral thread. No paid ads.
Just conviction.

But I knew there were founders out there—sitting on big ideas—who needed help turning their voice into growth.

So I started coaching like the program already existed.
Built frameworks. Templates. Tools.
Showed up like it was inevitable.

Now I’ve helped founders go from anonymous to in-demand.

From 3 likes to booked sales calls.

From “I should post more” to inbound leads every week.

That’s the power of betting on your brand.

If you're ready to bet on your brand…
But you need the strategy, systems, and support to do it right...

Then Creative Catalyst Coaching is built for you.

We work 1:1 to develop:

→ A sharp personal brand
→ A system for content that converts
→ A voice that drives revenue

This is for founders ready to scale their brand like it’s already a category leader.

Reply “COACH” to this email and I’ll send you the offer doc.

–Doug

P.S. What are you betting on? Hit reply. I read every one.