In 1971, Nike co-founder and track coach Bill Bowerman had a breakfast epiphany. Watching his wife use a waffle iron, he realized the grid pattern could improve running shoe traction. He poured rubber into the iron and created the first “waffle” sole—lightweight, grippy, and cushioned.

Around the same time, co-founder Phil Knight hired student Carolyn Davidson to design a logo. For $35, she created the now-iconic Swoosh.

What started with rubber in a waffle iron became one of the world’s most recognizable sports brands.