nforte-fashcomm2010: Blog 2: Blake Mycoskie

Blog 2

Blake Mycoskie is the Chief Shoe Giver and founder of TOMS Shoes Inc. Mycoskie, who has started five businesses since college, currently lives in Los Angeles on a sailboat while successfully managing his thriving business. Blake is a man with a big heart who fell in love with children while spending time in Argentina. The children inspired him to dedicate his work to helping those in need.

Blake developed a business structure for TOMS Inc. which is called the One for One program. For every pair of TOMS shoes sold, a pair will be given to a child in need. Although, the shoes given to children around the world are not the shoes that millions are people are purchasing. The shoes are similar, but the donated pairs are developed to fit in with the culture and the lifestyle of the children in need.

TOMS Inc. strives on three principles for success: 1. Enhancing impact through partnerships, 2. Long term commitment to children, and 3. Do no harm. These principles have obviously proven the world successful, considering the huge following that TOMS has. By the end of 2009, TOMS had successfully given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children all over the world.

If I were to actually interview Blake Mycoskie, these are ten questions I would ask him:

How much research and development does it take to create shoes for the different cultures around the world?
How did you come up with the three principles that TOMS Inc. lives by?
How has that plan aided the company?
What does TOMS actually stand for?
Why did you feel this was the most appropriate name for the company?
Have you ever found negative effects of giving your shoes to those in need?
How did you come up with the style for the original TOMS shoe?
Which came first: the One for One business structure or the TOMS shoe?
What keeps you motivated?
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who want to model their businesses after the One for One business structure?