"One of the most interesting entrepreneurs (I've) ever met." - President Bill Clinton
Blake Mycoskie is the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS Shoes, Inc. TOMS' simple promise to give a pair of new shoes to children in need around the world with every pair sold is revolutionizing the way consumers shop. As of September 2010, TOMS Shoes has given more than 1,000,000 pairs of new shoes to children in need around the world, thanks to its customers, whose purchases make it all happen. The One for One business model is redefining social entrepreneurship for a new generation.
Can the purchasing power of individuals be used to foster the greater good? Can an entrepreneur succeed financially and make the world a better place? The amazing success of TOMS Shoes proves that the answer to both of these questions is a resounding "Yes!" In 2009, TOMS received the prestigious ACE Award from the U.S. State Department, presented to only two companies a year who promote corporate social responsibility, innovation, and exemplary practices. With the ACE, TOMS joins a handful of previous recipients, including Cisco, Motorolla, General Motors and G.E.
Embodying the entrepreneurial spirit of a new generation, Mycoskie has created five businesses since college. In the Bill Gates Time magazine article, How to Fix Capitalism, TOMS is cited and Mycoskie caught the attention of AT&T, who has featured him in a major national ad campaign for the last several months. Mycoskie is an avid reader and traveler. He is 32 years old and lives on a sailboat in Los Angeles.
The Power of Ideas – from TOMS to Madefor
If the lifeblood of an entrepreneur is the idea, the oxygen that can sustain them is the belief that their ideas can change the world for the better. As we navigate life searching for purpose and meaning, and chasing conventional notions of success in the process, ideas come and go from our consciousness, but some stick, and if we are lucky enough, or perhaps brave enough, we act on those ideas and they become something transformative. The power of ideas is what drove Blake Mycoskie to start TOMS (and give over 90M pairs of shoes to kids in the process), to write Start Something that Matters, to take on various social causes through philanthropy, and most recently to start his latest company, Madefor.
You may think you know Blake Mycoskie - serial entrepreneur, a participant on the Amazing Race, Founder of TOMS, author of Start Something that Matters, husband, father, philanthropist, adventurer - but those are only parts of his story. Despite checking all the boxes we're all taught to try to check, he's continued a lifelong journey of exploration and personal transformation, and in doing so realized there's way more to life than that. Through his talk, The Power of Ideas, Blake will share his quest to go within and beyond and relate it to what it may mean for you as you search for meaning, connection, contribution and happiness in your own life.
The New Rules for Tomorrow's Business: A Student's Guide to Making a Difference in the World
With the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, and the rise of social media, a new generation of socially conscious students - tuned-in, tech-savvy and ready to engage the world - has emerged on college campuses. And they're flocking to a new breed of businesses and social movements. With its unique One for One promise, the message of TOMS Shoes has swept campuses across the country. In this spirited talk, Blake Mycoskie relates his transformation from "typical business guy," motivated by just money and success, to the founder of TOMS Shoes, a company that advocates "doing good by doing well." For young people about to enter the "real world," Mycoskie will show that it is possible to go your way, to achieve success without sacrificing your dreams, and to make a difference in the world -- all at the same time. To seize the day - Carpe Diem - one has to be familiar with the new set of societal and business rules facing young graduates. In exploring the elements that have contributed to the success of TOMS Shoes, Mycoskie not only shows students a model of sustainable business practice, he also inspires them to go out and create their own, based on their lives and passions.
Conscious Capitalism and the Future of Business
In this visionary talk, Blake Mycoskie shows you how to succeed in a new era of relentless competition and heightened social awareness. Why is philanthropy your best competitive advantage? How do you make money and do good simultaneously? How are the two acts intertwined? At TOMS - a self-sustaining, for-profit company - the act of giving is the cornerstone of its business model, integral to its financial success. In a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works, Mycoskie shares counterintuitive ideas ("In tough times, give more!") that you can apply to your own business. His bold, winning strategies are proven and have been talked about by Bill Clinton, the Obama administration, and the hundreds of thousands of customers that have joined the TOMS Movement by buying a pair of shoes. Inspired, inspiring and most of all practical, Mycoskie presents a new direction for business, offering TOMS as his prime case study. After hearing him speak, you too will know why giving just makes sense.
The New Social Entrepreneurism
How do you turn ideas into great businesses? And how do you create businesses that people love, and love to talk about? In this keynote, serial entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie shares his secrets for starting, growing, and sustaining new businesses. Before TOMS Shoes, Mycoskie ran a successful national campus laundry service, sold a media company to Clear Channel, and ran an online driving school featuring hybrid cars. Where did each idea come from, and what is the common thread connecting their success? With infectious enthusiasm, hard-won lessons, and a generous sense of encouragement, Mycoskie lets you in on the proven tactics he's used to becoming one of the new faces of American entrepreneurism.
