Add to my list

BLAKE MYCOSKIE

Founder of Toms; New York Times best-selling author; one of USA today's five best communicators in the world

The person behind the One for One® movement
To date, TOMS Shoes has given over 35 million pairs of new shoes to children in need since 2006
TOMS Eyewear has helped to restore sight to over 250,000 people in need since its launch in 2011
Former President Clinton introduced Blake to the audience as "one of the most interesting entrepreneurs (I've) ever met."

Blake Mycoskie is the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS, and the person behind the One for One® movement. TOMS' humble beginnings happened unintentionally: While traveling in Argentina in 2006, Blake witnessed the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes. His solution to the problem was simple, yet revolutionary: to create a for-profit business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations.

Over the course of its first five years, TOMS provided millions of new shoes to children through humanitarian organizations. But Blake recognized other vital needs during his travels and saw that One for One could be applied to more than shoes. In 2011, he developed TOMS Eyewear, helping restore sight to a person in need with every pair purchased. As he learned more about international development, Blake saw the opportunity to address two vital needs in underserved communities; jobs and clean water. In 2014, Blake launched TOMS Roasting Co., a direct-trade, premium coffee line that helps provide clean water to communities in need.

Blake recognized that his movement had become bigger than TOMS and launched The Marketplace in 2013. Bringing over 30 socially conscious brands together on TOMS.com, The Marketplace offered both a platform for these companies to succeed and a destination for consumers to shop and give their purchases a purpose.

To date, TOMS Shoes has given over 35 million pairs of new shoes to children in need since 2006. TOMS Eyewear has helped to restore sight to over 250,000 people in need since its launch in 2011.

With TOMS Roasting Company, every bag of coffee purchased will provide 140 liters of clean water to someone in need.

In the fall of 2011, Blake released his first book, Start Something That Matters, offering his own story of inspiration and the power of incorporating giving into business. The book became a New York Times best-seller. More importantly, it is Blake's hope that Start Something That Matters inspires others to turn their passion and dreams into a reality.

Blake's unique approach to business has awarded him with numerous accolades. In 2009, Blake received the Secretary of State's 2009 Award of Corporate Excellence (ACE). At the Clinton Global Initiative University plenary session, former President Clinton introduced Blake to the audience as "one of the most interesting entrepreneurs (I've) ever met."

People featured Blake in its "Heroes Among Us" section, and TOMS Shoes was featured in the Bill Gates Time article "How to Fix Capitalism." In 2011, Blake was named on Fortune's "40 Under 40" list, recognizing him as one of the top young businessmen in the world. USA Today also named him one of the five best communicators in the world earlier this year.

A native of Texas, Blake has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Prior to TOMS, he started five businesses – his first being a successful campus laundry service, which he later sold. Between business ventures, Blake competed in the CBS primetime series, The Amazing Race. With his sister, Paige, Blake traveled the world and came within minutes of winning the $1 million dollar grand prize.

Blake is an avid reader and traveler. He is passionate about inspiring young people to help make a better tomorrow, encouraging them to include giving in everything they do. His hope is to see a future full of social-minded businesses and consumers.

Conscious Capitalism
Social Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Innovation

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, 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 become one of the new faces of American entrepreneurism.