Kevin Plank Is Betting Almost $1 Billion That Under Armour Can Beat Nike
Inc.|February 2016

Kevin Plank built Under Armour into a $4 billion behemoth. He's just spent almost $1 billion to get into an entirely new business. Can this decade's most unlikely tech startup beat Nike?

Tom Foster
Kevin Plank Is Betting Almost $1 Billion That Under Armour Can Beat Nike

“Have you seen Kevin’s whiteboards?”

If you spend any time at Under Armour head quarters, you’ll hear that question again and again. Founder and CEO Kevin Plank really likes whiteboards,and his favorite use for them is to write out leadership maxims for his team. Inside and outside his office, whole walls of floor-to-ceiling whiteboards contain dozens of curt principles he’s scrawled over the years: Expedite the inevitable. Perfection is the enemy of innovation. Respect everyone fear no one.

These commandments are meant not as simple inspiration or hard rules, he says, but together make up a system of “guardrails” that allow everyone under him to operate as entrepreneurs by channeling his thinking. The Plank principles are drilled into new employees during a weeklong orientation, and they’re painted all over the hallways at company headquarters, a former Procter & Gamble factory on the Baltimore waterfront. Think like an entrepreneur. Create  like an innovator. Perform like a teammate.

Plank has the affect and intensity of a head coach—direct eye contact, military analogies, the air of someone you do not want to disappoint. “Winning is a part of our culture—it’s who we are,” he says in his lofty office overlooking the harbor. (The only artwork behind his desk: a giant UA logo, its letters stacked to evoke arms raised in victory.) “And culture is formed on habits. Perhaps the most important guardrail, and the company’s official mission, is seeking to “make all athletes better.” It has long equaled thinking about clothes as high-performance gear, but recently it’s taken on a big new meaning.

Denne historien er fra February 2016-utgaven av Inc..

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra February 2016-utgaven av Inc..

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA INC.Se alt
There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,
Inc.

There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,

Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy, the midlife wisdom school I co-founded in 2018.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
Inc.

A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power

The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
Inc.

Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution

As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
Inc.

For the Love of the Restaurant Experience

The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
Inc.

Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries

COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Inc.

Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It

Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
Inc.

A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments

The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
An AI Startup That Sanctifies Time
Inc.

An AI Startup That Sanctifies Time

Created around the idea that time is sacred, Laurel helps clients reclaim it so they can make more money in less time.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
The Former Wall Street Analyst Teaching Wealth-Building to the Masses
Inc.

The Former Wall Street Analyst Teaching Wealth-Building to the Masses

Empify is a fintech startup providing financial education tools and resources for the 99 percent Wall Street often overlooks.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Delivering Care That Always Puts Patients First
Inc.

Delivering Care That Always Puts Patients First

At Cancer and Blood Specialty Clinic, a physician-led team provides patient-centered care through an agile approach prioritizing excellence.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024