Adidas Founder Gets Puma Founder Drafted by the Nazis

TL;DR

Hey, I’m Tim! ☕

You won’t believe the history behind Adidas and Puma.

What started off as two brothers building a shoe company became a story of betrayal, rivalry, and sabotage.

Their fallout not only splintered their family ties but also fractured an entire town.

Here’s the one thing to remember: power dynamics can shape or strain any cofoundership.

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DEEP DIVE

"Power is neither good nor evil, but its user makes it so.” — Erin Hunter, which is actually a collective pseudonym used by the authors of the Warriors series.

Family Feud

• Rudolf and Adolf Dassler, initially pursuing different careers, teamed up to start the Dassler Brothers’ Sports Shoe Factory in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

• Their breakthrough came in 1928 when Lina Radke won an Olympic gold medal wearing Dassler shoes. They were well-known by the mid-1930s.

• WWII disrupted more than factory operations. It fueled a fierce blame game, each accusing the other of undermining their control while they were drafted.

• They split and founded Adidas and Puma separately. Herzogenaurach was divided; customers took sides, and cross-company marriages were forbidden.

Actionable Advice

• Acknowledge unspoken power. Power isn’t only about titles or shares. It comes from influence — if one cofounder feels sidelined, resentment will fester.

• Loyalty isn’t alignment. The townspeople chose sides, but loyalty didn’t bring success. Be aligned with your vision, not just loyal out of personal affinity.

• Be explicit. More often than not, power struggles are littered with misunderstandings. Talk it out before it snowballs into irreparable damage.

• Prevent rivalries from eroding trust. Channel your competition into admiration, and never let it drive a wedge between you and your cofounder.

TIM’S TAKE

Candid Comments

• I believe all entrepreneurs want power. It can be disguised as passion or freedom or even responsibility, but ultimately, it’s power.

• Cofounders push each other out of the company they built together because they can’t handle the very thing that made them successful: their own ambition.

• Resentment breeds in silence. Usually, cofounder breakups are due to a single disagreement about a decision to be made, after a long period of unrest.

• Sometimes, what’s perceived as a power struggle is actually a cry for help stemming from a fear of abandonment. Understand deeper insecurities first.

Related Resources

• Brynne C. DiMenichi and Elizabeth Tricomi published quite an interesting study on the effects of rivalry and competition on performance.

• Searching for a cofounder? Check out StartHawk for an online platform and join LFC.DEV's in-person meet-ups in NYC for face-to-face connections.

• Both Superpowers for Good and FundingHope share incredibly powerful stories about companies doing social good. Yours could be next.

LAST LOOK

Make sure your cofounder sees this — either pass it along or get them to subscribe. A solid relationship takes everyone's effort.

Looking for a cofounder coach? Hit reply.

PS: I prefer Pumas.

Tim He
Founder & CEO