Blake Mycoskie
Blake Mycoskie is an American entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. He is the founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS, a company that designs and sells shoes and eyewear and has donated millions of products to people in need around the world. Mycoskie also founded The Toms Social Entrepreneurship Fund, a venture fund that invests in companies with a social and environmental mission.
Mycoskie grew up in Arlington, Texas, and attended Southern Methodist University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. After college, he started a successful laundry delivery service and later moved to Los Angeles to launch a television network.
In 2006, Mycoskie took a trip to Argentina, where he saw how children were unable to attend school because they didn't have shoes. This experience inspired him to launch TOMS, where for every pair of shoes sold, a pair is donated to a child in need. Since then, the company has donated more than 60 million products to people in need.
Additionally, TOMS has launched a number of other initiatives, including TOMS Roasting Co., which provides safe water, education, and economic opportunity to coffee-producing communities; the TOMS Social Entrepreneurship Fund, which invests in companies with a social and environmental mission; and One for One, a program that donates a portion of all TOMS sales to help improve the lives of people in need.
In 2015, Mycoskie was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and one of Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40. He has also been honored with the National Retail Federation's Humanitarian Award and was inducted into the National Retail Federation Hall of Fame. In addition to his work with TOMS and his venture fund, Mycoskie is also the author of two books, Start Something That Matters and The Power of Moments.
Mycoskie is an advocate for social entrepreneurship and for using business as a force for good. He is committed to making a positive impact on the world and inspiring others to do the same.
