Blake Mycoskie

BLake Mycoskie placing shoes on kids in Argentina (http://willfifield.wordpress.com/ ())

"Who is Tom? There is no Tom. If we sell a pair of shoes today, we give away a pair of shoes tomorrow. Originally we thought of "Tomorrow's Shoes," but I could only fit "TOMS" on the label. I had no idea everybody would want to meet him. There is no Tom; it's an idea for a better tomorrow." (Blake Mycoskie) Blake Mycoskie was born 1976 in Arlington, Texas. He now resides on a sailboat in Los Angeles, California. Known mostly as the founder of TOMS shoes, Mycoskie has built his striving business on a "one for one" Business model. For every pair of shoes purchased, he and his company places a pair of shoes on someone's needy feet. He now travels around the world, whether giving shoes, or giving a speech about how giving will affect an individual, and the others around them. A hero should be able to give towards whatever they feel is important. They'll usually know they can't do it alone, and should always bring others along for the ride. But it's only worth it if they are doing what they love. Blake Mycoskie uses his business as a platform to help children in need. He also encourages others to create a better future, and has a positive outlook on his own life, and that's what makes him a true hero.

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Blake Mycoskie is a giving man who uses his business as a platform to help kids in need. During a trip to Argentina in 2006, Mycoskie observed extreme poverty and poor health conditions, and one of the major causes was children without shoes. With Mycoskie being impacted by what he saw, He soon founded TOMS shoes. Blake Mycoskie has formed this company around giving to children in need, and is willing to use large sums of money, to be able to make and ship shoes to multiple countries around the world. He himself takes weeks at a time to travel to these countries, along with a team, to help hand place shoes on these children's feet. He doesn't just give a big effort, for their is proof that him and his company are making a huge difference in the world. In a recent interview on a local San Diego news channel, Mycoskie stated that TOMS has now given over two million pairs of shoes to kids in need. TOMS has been an ongoing commitment for Mycoskie, and he has stuck to it to continue helping people around the world, and this number proves that he has made a large impact. For these shoes help prevent diseases and infection that can get into cuts on bare feet. They have also allowed children to travel farther to school, and even helped get them into school, as shoes are usually a strict part of dress-code. Mycoskie has given countless money, time, and shoes to give wherever he can.

Mycoskie giving speech (http://www.toms.com/blakes-bio)

Blake Mycoskie encourages others to make similar business decisions, to improve global issues and create better businesses. He often takes time to share how his company works. Here is a message straight from Mycoskie talking about why he shares so much. "I love teaching people about what we do. My goal is to inspire the generation of entrepreneurs and company leaders to think differently about how they incorporate giving into their business models." Not only is he committed to giving, but he encourages others to do the same. He takes his time to work through others to help create a better future. Though he tries to tell others about his success, he needs another way to bring issues to light. To motivate others to take a look at the problem he was trying to fix, he created the "One Day Without Shoes" event, which he hoped to raise awareness for how important shoes can be. He created this event to demonstrate the problem, and bring the solution to light. This brings others on board to help get shoes to people and kids in poverty. Whether giving speeches, or promoting events, Blake Mycoskie does what he can to encourage people to make a difference in anyway. But in the future, he hopes to see many business grasping the same mindset, to see an even larger impact, globally, and in the business world.

Blake Mycoskie on his sailboat (http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100601/the-way-i-work-blake-mycoskie-of-toms-shoes.html ())

He is a humble man, who is satisfied with the life he is living because he's doing what he loves to do. So much in fact, his daily life revolves around work. "I'm home in L.A. about five or six days out of the month. The rest of the time I'm on the road. "It is sometimes hard to be away from home, even just for a matter of days; but Mycoskie happily gives up a comfortable "at home" lifestyle to go out and help others in some way, shape or form. And I believe people will only make sacrifices like this if they are doing what they're passionate about. And sometimes someone, such as Mycoskie, feels so happy about what they're doing, they don't even realize how big of sacrifices they are really making. In the same San Diego news cast cited before, Mycoskie stated, "I can't believe this is my job." When someone says anything like this, you know they're passionate about what they are doing."Do what you like and you'll never work a day in your life" is a saying I will live by, and it seems to me that this is the way Mycoskie feels about his job. It is Mycoskie's passion for what he is doing that makes that much of a bigger impact on anyone looking up to him.

Blake Mycoskie has successfully designed a business that allows him to aid kids in need. He happily takes his time to teach others about how he does this, and why it's important for them to do the same. A hero is willing to give and sacrifice anything for the cause they feel worthy of giving to. They should never look at it as a burden, and should always be happy and accepting of what they're doing. Blake Mycoskie portrays a hero to me because he is so content and happy with the life he is living. He spends weeks, even months, away from home to do his part. He finds multiple ways to serve others, the most obvious by giving to those stuck in poverty. What impacts me the most, is how he goes to talk to others. He doesn't hide the reasons why his business is such a success, and shares them with everyone to build his vision to a better tomorrow. A better tomorrow can't be built alone. A better tomorrow isn't going to be built by fixing one problem. But spread the words of whatever message your preaching, with a smile on your face, and the present will soon be tomorrow.

Works Consulted

"Bio Of Blake Mycoskie, The Founder & Chief Shoe Giver Of TOMS Shoes - TOMS.com." Toms.com. TOMS Shoes. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. .

Stevens, Alyssa. "TOMS Shoes: would you go barefoot for a good cause?" Christian Science Monitor 5 Apr. 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

"TOMS EXECUTIVE TO SPEAK ON STRATEGY, IMPACT OF NEW FOR-PROFIT MODEL." States News Service 18 Nov. 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

"Video: Founder of TOMS Shoes Blake Mycoskie." Local Broadcast Video Content 14 Sept. 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 14 Dec. 2011