What Nike Gave The Woman Who Made Their Logo For 35 Bucks
💰 One of the greatest design success stories in business history began with a $35 paycheck. As a graphic design student at Portland State University, Carolyn Davidson was hired by Phil Knight to create a logo for his small startup shoe company. Charging just $2 per hour, she designed what would become the world-famous Nike swoosh. Years later, Knight surprised her with a diamond-studded gold ring and 500 shares of Nike stock as a thank-you for her contribution. Those shares eventually grew into a fortune worth millions, turning a modest college design project into a life-changing reward. This incredible story proves that sometimes the smallest opportunities can lead to the biggest outcomes.
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Carolyn Davidson was a graphic design student at Portland State University when Phil Knight, who was then teaching accounting part-time, asked her to create a logo for his fledgling shoe company.
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) June 3, 2026
She billed the project at $2 per hour and received a total of $35 for her work. The… pic.twitter.com/cle0bDhpeF