The DTC Hangover — What Donahoe-Era Lessons Teach Us About Nike Today

You can't understand 2026 Nike without understanding 2020-2024 Nike. Former CEO John Donahoe's Consumer Direct Acceleration strategy cut more than 50% of retail partners, gutted product innovation budgets, and bet the company on direct-to-consumer growth that ultimately collapsed. Every part of Hill's "Win Now" strategy is, in some sense, a correction. Candidates who can speak to the DTC overshoot demonstrate strategic literacy that interviewers reward.