Joe Foster: The Founder of Reebok | #248

In episode 248, Max chats with Reebok co-founder Joe Foster - the man who built one of the most iconic brands in sporting history. From growing up in post-war Britain during World War II, to leaving the family business alongside his brother Jeff and building Reebok from a small factory in England into the number one sports brand in the world - Joe shares the remarkable story behind one of the biggest brands in global sport. We dive into the origins of Reebok, the lessons learned from failure, rejection, and constant setbacks, and why Joe believes business should always be built around fun, creativity, and taking risks. Joe also reflects on the early battles with Adidas and Nike, breaking into the American market, the rise of running culture in the 1970s and 80s, and the moment Reebok’s aerobics shoe changed the entire sports footwear industry. Plus, the influence of his grandfather J.W. Foster - the inventor of the modern running spike - how Reebok got its name, the importance of branding and storytelling, and why building something meaningful mattered more to him than making money. A fascinating conversation on entrepreneurship, resilience, branding, innovation, and building one of the most recognisable companies in sporting history. All this and much more in episode 248 of Sporting Max! www.instagram.com/sportingmax.podcast/