The Today Show profiles our Chief Shoe Giver, Blake Mycoskie, highlighting his entrepreneurial passion and the inspiration behind TOMS.  He explains how the One for One business model provided a way to combine business with social causes.

Business sense came naturally to him—Blake’s parents talk about how a young Blake used to come to the golf course and sell cookies and lemonade to other golfers. And how in college, he started a laundry service for his campus. They’re clearly proud of their boy, especially his work as an adult.

Blake explains the big idea behind TOMS, saying he “wanted customers to know they’ve made an impact.” Snap shots of the humble beginnings of TOMS are shown, highlighting how only a handful of passionate interns in a small Venice apartment got the One for One movement off the ground. He explains how starting a company about shoes, something they knew nothing about, didn’t come automatically: “The first two years, it was a grind—I practically had to beg people to buy shoes!”

But on the first Shoe Drop, he realized that TOMS was not just an idea anymore, and that TOMS could eventually help thousands of more children.  He tells the story of taking that first shipment of 10,000 pairs of new shoes to Argentina, and the impact he saw in person as he hand-placed shoes onto children’s feet. 

The piece goes on to highlight the passionate young following of TOMS. College kids declare their passion for the brand, saying TOMS is something different, something people can really connect with. And the One for One message resonating with young people is one of Blake’s main goals with TOMS. He explains how it’s critical to inspire young people who really care, and his hope for a future filled with other socially conscious brands.