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Start Something That Matters

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 1,736 ratings · 383 reviews

Love your work, work for what you love, and change the world—all at the same time.

What matters most to you? Should you focus on earning a living, pursuing your passions, or devoting yourself to the causes that inspire you? The surprising truth is that you don’t have to choose—and that you’ll find more success if you don’t. That’s the breakthrough message of TOMS’ One for O...more Love your work, work for what you love, and change the world—all at the same time.

What matters most to you? Should you focus on earning a living, pursuing your passions, or devoting yourself to the causes that inspire you? The surprising truth is that you don’t have to choose—and that you’ll find more success if you don’t. That’s the breakthrough message of TOMS’ One for One movement. You don’t have to be rich to give back and you don’t have to retire to spend every day doing what you love. You can find profit, passion, and meaning all at once—right now.

In Start Something That Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one of the fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such other innovative organizations as method, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful without resources; from overcoming fear and doubt to incorporating giving into every aspect of your life. No matter what kind of change you’re considering, Start Something That Matters gives you the stories, ideas, and practical tips that can help you get started.

Why this book is for you:

• You’re ready to make a difference in the world—through your own start-up business, a nonprofit organization, or a new project that you create within your current job.
• You want to love your work, work for what you love, and have a positive impact on the world—all at the same time.
• You’re inspired by charity: water, method, and FEED Projects and want to learn how these organizations got their start.
• You’re curious about how someone who never made a pair of shoes, attended fashion school, or worked in retail created one of the fastest-growing footwear companies in the world by giving shoes away.
• You’re looking for a new model of success to share with your children, students, co-workers, and members of your community.

You’re ready to start something that matters.(less)

Hardcover, 208 pages

Published September 6th 2011 by Spiegel & Grau

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Community Reviews

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Oct 05, 2011 Lea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-wins, acquired-2011, books-i-own, read-2011, reviews

I won this as part of a GoodReads FirstReads giveaway -- thanks!

Before reading this book ( written by Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes), I was completely unfamiliar with the author's company. I'd seen TOMS shoes once or twice, but I really didn't "get it" -- I'm not a shoes girl, and they didn't look like anything all that special to me. Well, after reading this book, I'm buying TOMS for the whole family, LOL. I love the concept behind TOMS -- for every pair of shoes purchased, the company...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

I happened upon this book this morning. After feeling disappointed by Peter Buffett's book on finding fulfillment, I picked this one up without any expectations of liking it. Two hours later, I had finished it and was very glad I had read it. Written by the creator of TOMS, this book described how he started the company, the challenges he faced and how they were overcome, and gave advice to those who wanted to, as the title suggests, start something that matters. It wasn't overly optimistic and...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Sharon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, nonfiction

This book will be on my gift-giving list this Christmas, and it should be on yours. Easy and fast to read with many profound thoughts and ideas. It's partly the story of TOMS, but also the story of many other similar companies, briefly, including some sage advice for anyone who wishes to start a company with an integrated charity component. More than all that, there are pearls of wisdom in it for living well for every reader.

In these challenging economic times, the message is clear. Help someon...more

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Jun 18, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now, before reading the book, I admit I was a bit skeptical. I'm usually not a fan of non-fiction, and this was an enforced school read. I wasn't expecting much. Actually, I was expecting another Three Cups of Tea disaster and decided to bite the bullet and get reading. I was... pleasantly surprised. The book was about the founder of TOMS, a one for one profit shoe company, and I honestly enjoyed reading about it. He was light, to the point, and realistic about his entrepreneurial ideas, while a...more

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Jun 13, 2013 Zixuan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir-diaries, nonfiction

My teacher made us read this book and held a class discussion on the major points conveyed through this book. At first, I didn't have anything against this book and really enjoyed this inspirational read. However, one of the girls in my class pointed out that all of this 'change' and 'help' that TOMS claims to have lived up to is actually false. I did some extensive background research and decided that there were some negative aspects of buying TOMS. I feel like THAT has really opened up my eyes...more

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May 09, 2013 Kevin Reape rated it 5 of 5 stars

[This review is copied from my blog, KevinReape.com]

I have definitely not had as much time to read this semester as I would have liked, I never really do whenever school is in session. But if a book catches my eye while I’m walking through the book store, I will make some time to read through it (even if it takes about two months). The book that I have been reading throughout the last few weeks is Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, and picking it up may have been the best decision...more [This review is copied from my blog, KevinReape.com]

I have definitely not had as much time to read this semester as I would have liked, I never really do whenever school is in session. But if a book catches my eye while I’m walking through the book store, I will make some time to read through it (even if it takes about two months). The book that I have been reading throughout the last few weeks is Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, and picking it up may have been the best decision I have made this semester, at least as far as my education, and maybe my future, is concerned.

Start Something That Matters is a little bit of everything, but isn’t at all a type of book I can’t stand: self-help. What Blake does with this book is lays out the story of how TOMS came to be, how it was created with a reproducible model, some examples of companies that use this model as well and then what needs to be done to start making progress. His reason for creating this book? To show that it’s possible for a for-profit business to do some good in the world, and that it needs to start happening more often. He argues it’s easy to do, takes a certain type of person, and lays out some tips to get your motivated if you think you fit the bill.

To put it simply, this book was excellent. It’s short (right at 209 pages), easy to read and Blake does a great job of leaving out pointless content and sticks to what matters. I picked up this book because I think there is a need for more socially responsible businesses in the city that I live in. I have been doing a little research on non-profits here (“here” is Columbia, Missouri), where and how they perform well and poorly and certain needs that still need to be met. I was thinking about all of this prior to any knowledge that this book existed, so I knew I had to read it when I came across the display at my book store.

If you are considering starting a business, currently own one of even have some position power in an organization that isn’t yours, this is a great book for you to read. One thing I was worried about when I first started thinking about starting something was my lack of resources. No money, office space or employees. Blake talks about that and how he overcame those challenges – and what he mentions is actually realistic and doable. He also does a wonderful job of making the reader think simple. Everything he does is simple, from running a company with a minimum amount of finances to de-cluttering his life to the point that he moved permanently on a sail boat. He doesn’t try to persuade you to do anything this extreme, by the way, but he goes over some tips to get you to a point where you feel comfortable facing your fears, and he even has a few of his friends, Tim Ferriss and Michelle Marciniak, to name a few, chime in on what has been working for them.

Bottom line: If you are have been contemplating starting your own business, non-profit, volunteer club or anything even close to this, read this book. When I first got it I expected your typical self-help book full of lists that people over the age of 10 already know and some graphs that were maid on Microsoft Paint. But, this isn’t that type of book. It’s genuine, eye-opening and, to top it all off, 50% of the proceeds are being donated to the organization First Book. Can’t really beat it – and it isn’t expensive at all. So, enough with this review. Go read the book.(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Mark Friesen rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was a good read, and one of the main points I got was about a charitable business that was also created for profit, something you don't see too often. Another thing that struck me was the fact that the whole idea for the Toms shoe started in Blake's notebook. It amazed me that the idea from his head resulted in the pair of shoes I currently had on my feet. It made me wonder which of my ideas in my sketchbooks and notes will blossom into something larger. From the book I also learned the impor...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Maggie (Raindrop Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it, read-2012

Start Something That Matters.

I waited for this book for weeks on end. I've been a TOMS fanatic for a long time, and I've always loved what their purpose is and their mindset. And it's always been my dream to start an organization or business that makes a change. Something that actually has an impact on the world. So, as soon as I learned that this book was being written, I could barely contain my excitement, and even less so could I maintain my countenance while waiting for the publishing date...more Start Something That Matters.

I waited for this book for weeks on end. I've been a TOMS fanatic for a long time, and I've always loved what their purpose is and their mindset. And it's always been my dream to start an organization or business that makes a change. Something that actually has an impact on the world. So, as soon as I learned that this book was being written, I could barely contain my excitement, and even less so could I maintain my countenance while waiting for the publishing date to arrive.

I ordered the "Carpe Diem" TOMS as well (the ones that the book came with), and Carpe Diem soon became (and still is) my motto. My friends got rather annoyed because I used it so often. ;) But I didn't care, because it reminded me of who I was, and who I needed to be. That I needed to seize the day every day.

Finally, the TOMS came in the mail, and I was so excited. I was completely ecstatic. But even more so, I was ready for the book to come out. So I waited. The publishing date came, and my book shipped out. I could barely breathe. When it finally arrived in the mail two days later, I was on cloud 9. I couldn't believe that it was finally here.

And then it sat on my shelf and I never read it.

This book was published on September 6, 2011. I finally have gotten around to reading it on July 24-25, 2012. I procrastinated reading this (shamefully) for almost a full year.

But I started it last night and could barely bring myself to put it down (only to sleep and to babysit). For anyone who dreams of starting a non-profit organization, or even a for-profit business, where giving is the focus, this book is a must-read.

In this book, Blake Mycoskie addresses the essentials of starting something that matters. Not only does he tell his story, along with many other business' stories, but he includes tips to help readers with a dream to start something that matters.

Even if you don't want to start a business or a non-profit, this book is a wonderful read because it helps you to keep your priorities straight. It shows that there is more to life than just living in our fancy houses with our fancy cars and living our oh-so-fabulous lifestyles every day. There are people who do not have all that we do. And while we choose to ignore that, something about this book awakens passion.

Instead of longing to spend our hours selfishly, it inspires you to give. It inspires you to serve. And it inspires you to make a difference.

So is this book worth reading? On every level yes. But you have to be able to open your heart and to be willing to start something that matters.(less)

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Jan 01, 2012 Malin Friess rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is Blake Mycokie's story former Amazing Race Contestant and current CEO (or has he calls himself chief Shoe Giver of ) TOMS. Toms is a business that is one for one...you by a pair of his soft simple canvas shoes made in Argentina...he will give one pair to a child in the developing world. TOMS have become style of choice for the social justice minded...making a statement with style and generosity all at the same time.

Blake seem like a great guy and offer lots of great advice....

Be frugal
fo...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Kym McNabney rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to be honest, I'd never heard of TOMS shoes until Blake Mycoskie spoke at my church, WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH. I was instantly intrigued by his story, as well as admired his morals. I've been serving, mainly in the prison and Jail ministers, since 2004. I know firsthand what it means for God to place in your heart a passion that blesses you as well as others.

After the service they were selling TOMS shoes, along with Blake's book out in the lobby. I was tempted, but low on funds and...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really good. Much better than I expected it to be, if I'm honest. Everyone who is in charge of a classroom, group, department, organization, business, or program should read this book. Anyone who hopes to one day be in charge of one of those things should read this book. One of the best 'business' books I've ever read...I'm quite impressed.

Completely along the lines of "Right Livelihood" -- an idea I strongly value.

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Nov 30, 2011 Becca Obergefell rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’m excited to share that I was selected for the TOMS Books for Bloggers Program last month. TOMS sent me two copies of their book START SOMETHING THAT MATTERS, written by Blake Mycoskie (Founder and Chief Shoe Giver). I finished reading my copy on my flight home for Thanksgiving and now I have one to give away to you! For anyone unfamiliar with the TOMS brand, the company philosophy is One for One. It started with shoes, then eye glasses, and now books. If you buy a pair of shoes TOMS donates a...more I’m excited to share that I was selected for the TOMS Books for Bloggers Program last month. TOMS sent me two copies of their book START SOMETHING THAT MATTERS, written by Blake Mycoskie (Founder and Chief Shoe Giver). I finished reading my copy on my flight home for Thanksgiving and now I have one to give away to you! For anyone unfamiliar with the TOMS brand, the company philosophy is One for One. It started with shoes, then eye glasses, and now books. If you buy a pair of shoes TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. Buy sunglasses and they donate eye glasses and medical treatment. Buy a book? You got it– TOMS donates a book.

Although the book is written by the founder of TOMS, it’s not merely a promotional tool or a history of the company. START SOMETHING THAT MATTERS will fit on the shelf next to business and leadership books like The Four Hour Work Week, The Starbucks Experience, and Purple Cow. It covers how to incorporate giving into your business, maximize your resources, face your fears, build trust, and find your story.

I spent my undergraduate years studying narratives and stories and am drawn to these themes in my reading and in my work. Naturally, I was delighted when I found a chapter in this book titled “Find Your Story.” Whether you’re a job seeker, the founder of a start-up company, or just you– everyone has a story. If you have a product or a service, it has a story too. Knowing who you are and what you are about is key to finding opportunities that fit you. As the book explains, ”The more strongly you feel about what you do, the more likely you are to push yourself to be good at it and find a way to make a success of it.”

As I read through the book I kept hearing this Lady Antebellum song, especially the chorus:

I wanna do something that matters, say something different
Something that sets the whole world on its ear
I wanna do something better with the time I’ve been given
I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life
Leave nothing less than something that says I was here

The TOMS philosophy depends on the need for people to be a part of something greater than themselves. Mycoskie says, “Remember, in this era when so many of us spend our work and personal hours sitting alone with our computers and digital devices, people want to be part of something that throws them back into the world and connects them to other people–even if they won’t make money on it.”(less)

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Nov 23, 2011 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: business, nonfiction

Success is not defined by status and money. For Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Tom’s Shoes, success is defined by making a difference in the world. Although his company is for-profit, he practices philanthropy by giving away a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold.

One reason Tom’s Shoes does so well is because they tell a story that reaches people at an emotional level. Although we frequently forget facts, we tend to remember stories.

You don’t need to follow in his ‘shoes’ and fo...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Tim Knier rated it 3 of 5 stars

Blake Mycoskie’s brief book covers his struggles in launching one of his companies: Tom orrow’s S hoes (TOMS). This work is not an autobiography. It is somewhat a company profile, almost an entrepreneurial self-help guide, and mostly an elaboration of his mission statement.

Based on a marketing One-for-One (1-4-1) notion, Mycoskie caught the charitable consumerism wave with his version of the Argentinean shoeware called alpargata, which seems to be a cross between a sneaker and a deck shoe and i...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Adam Tschorn added it

With "Start Something That Matters," Blake Mycoskie, the sailboat-dwelling former reality show contestant, serial entrepreneur, unbridled optimist and philanthropically motivated founder of Toms Shoes, has added author to his resume. He's also managed to pen a quick read of a motivational guide for well-intentioned millennials and a dirt-easy-to-follow blueprint for anyone thinking about following in the footsteps of his alpargatas.

Alpargatas, of course, are the slipper-like, jute-soled, soft ca...more With "Start Something That Matters," Blake Mycoskie, the sailboat-dwelling former reality show contestant, serial entrepreneur, unbridled optimist and philanthropically motivated founder of Toms Shoes, has added author to his resume. He's also managed to pen a quick read of a motivational guide for well-intentioned millennials and a dirt-easy-to-follow blueprint for anyone thinking about following in the footsteps of his alpargatas.

Alpargatas, of course, are the slipper-like, jute-soled, soft canvas Argentine footwear that are the foundation and literal sole of the Toms business, which Mycoskie discovered during a 2006 trip to Argentina. The book's first chapter recounts how he launched a for-profit business based on the premise that for each pair he sold, one pair of shoes would be donated to a child in need.

Mycoskie uses the lessons he learned launching that company as a template for others, laying out six (just six!) guidelines that folks should follow if they're thinking about "start[ing] and sustain[ing] something that matters."

"Something that matters" may sound like an overly vague goal, but in the six chapters that follow — each titled after one of his tenets (starting with "Find Your Story" and ending with "Giving Is Good Business") — Mycoskie is very, very specific, name-checking an inordinate number of people, brands and business ventures that illustrate his points.

One wouldn't think a guy who rubs elbows with likes of President Bill Clinton and Ewan McGregor and collaborates with the likes of the Row's Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Element Skateboards and Ralph Lauren, and a guy whose 5-year-old company donated its millionth pair of shoes last September and this summer launched a one-for-one line of sunglasses, would need to cite anything beyond his own track record. But his various and sundry shout-outs help illustrate how his advice can be applied beyond the "one for one" charity shoe model.

Mycoskie's philosophy comes to life through advertising campaigns — including Subway's "Jared" ads and the AT&T commercials featuring Mycoskie himself), inspirational people (his mother Pam, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, Lauren Bush, the brothers behind the Veev spirits label) — and a laundry list of successful brands and business models that range from Method cleaning products and Charity: Water to Southwest Airlines, Netflix and Chipotle.

Many of the guidelines are as equally applicable to personal as business life — like Mycoskie's case for simplicity in message, in design, in the accumulation of personal belongings. In the chapter titled "Keep It Simple," he not only advises that an idea for a business should be honed down to a single sentence, he describes how he purged his life of accumulated "stuff," by moving out of his Venice apartment and onto a 200-square-foot sailboat.

Even the parts of the book that initially seem a little hokey — like his advice to surround yourself with quotes "from people who have seen their way through fear and failure and still risen" or to dispense with formal, hierarchical company titles (he's "chief shoe giver"; other Toms employees have been dubbed "Shoe Glue," "Cash Shoe," and "Shoe-per-Woman") — end up being illustrative if not downright helpful once Mycoskie points out how they helped him and his company achieve what they have.

Mycoskie ends the book with a challenge to readers — to volunteer at a homeless shelter, start a nonprofit venture or add a giving program to their existing for-profit business. "For me, the ultimate success of this book will be not by how many copies it sells but by the number of people it inspires and the number of letters we receive," he writes in the closing lines.

If Toms fans embrace Mycoskie's call to action as enthusiastically as they've embraced his shoes, he may well end up with a barge full of letters parked next to his houseboat.

And that's not the only way the book is trying to make the world a better place. Not only has Mycoskie pledged 50% of his proceeds from it to a fund that will help inspired readers make that difference, for every book purchased Random House will donate a book to a child in need.
(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Andrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Start Something That Matters
I read this slim book in one sitting. Partly because I was curious about the person behind the TOMS shoes and also because I wanted to find out more about the unique business that touted the message, "One for One." This book included lessons that I already knew (which was surprising since I'm not a really hardcore business-type kind of person). That said, if you don't mind hearing familiar stories from well-known companies like Walmart, Levi's, Apple etc., then this...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was relieved to find that this was not a "preachy" primer on "how to be good," but rather a business book that encourages the reader's entrepreneurial side, and emphasizes the importance of being passionate about whatever you do, be it starting a company that sends people bouncy balls with personalized messages or building clean water wells around the world. Mycoskie also speaks to basic management principles and strategies (from hiring the right people and keeping staff inspired and involved,...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Kurt rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: absolutely anyone, especially anyone nursing a quiet dream to make the world a better place

Recommended to Kurt by: Amazon Vine

This quick little book is a guide for socially conscious entrepreneurship for the Twitter generation, and there is no piece of that description that appeals to me as a reader. The Amazon Vine program offered me a free copy, though, and I decided to accept it because (1) I’m a big fan of The Amazing Race, on which Mycoskie appeared, and (2) my dad loves the TOMS shoes movement.

Personally, I haven’t been enthusiastic about the TOMS idea. I don’t really care for the aesthetics of the shoes, and I t...more This quick little book is a guide for socially conscious entrepreneurship for the Twitter generation, and there is no piece of that description that appeals to me as a reader. The Amazon Vine program offered me a free copy, though, and I decided to accept it because (1) I’m a big fan of The Amazing Race, on which Mycoskie appeared, and (2) my dad loves the TOMS shoes movement.

Personally, I haven’t been enthusiastic about the TOMS idea. I don’t really care for the aesthetics of the shoes, and I thought that, except for volunteers who participate in shoe drops, the charitable side of the company lets rich people feel good without actually having to touch poor people, which presents certain problems. Plus, I have been given my share of cheesy business books with vaguely inspirational quotes and a hollow you-can-do-it self-reliance message. So when I selected the book, I expected it to be a vaguely unpleasant experience that I could endure before loaning out my copy to people who fit what I saw as the intended demographic.

My expectations were completely wrong. I loved this book more than anything I’ve read in a long time.

Mycoskie writes from the heart here, filling pages with a shameless optimism based on real experience. He shares many examples from TOMS and other businesses that he’s started, both positive and negative, and not the kind of “My greatest fault is that I just care too much about this job” negative that an applicant makes up during a job interview - there are some real mistakes here that Mycoskie owns as a powerful example of humble leadership. A reader will get a sense, not only of what it’s like to work for TOMS, but what it can be like to start (or restart) any organization with a story to tell.

And when Mycoskie insists that simplicity is a key value of any organization, he practices what he preaches. These chapters are streamlined, with just enough examples to make each point, and plenty of engaging text boxes and photographs, showing that simple doesn’t mean boring, and visually exciting doesn’t mean shallow. A reader can easily skim through the entire book in one sitting without really noting the passage of time.

The youthful exuberance of the book does not detract from the professionalism of the message. Mycoskie hits, again and again, the idea that helping the world can be profitable, with plenty of quotes and examples from business leaders and entrepreneurs. He is not a wide-eyed college freshman but a battle-tested visionary, and he extends his invitations in ways that even the most hard-hearted cynics can be inspired (I include myself here, as it has been many months since I’ve been inspired on a fundamental level, and lately I have served more from inertia than an actual belief that I can change anything in the world). This book can not only give you advice on how to start a story-based organization (from core value suggestions to practical links to web sites that provide free resources), it can inspire you to take the next step and actually do it.

I want to buy a copy of this book for every college freshman in the country. I want it to be an informal textbook in every business school. I want it to become a viral phenomenon that melts hearts and sharpens minds and changes the world. And I feel completely humbled to be given the opportunity to read it before it hits the stores. Please read this book.(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Alexander Kittilsen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: entrepeneurs, inspiring-leaders

This book is a must read for entrepeneurs and startups. Blake Mycoskie underlines the importans of telling the story in a way that people will understand, remember and act upon. When Toms went to Argentina with a group of people, and the actually hand-placed shoes on childrens feet, that´s when people really started noticing Toms Shoes. The videos of real people doing something good started to spread, and people started telling each other about the "Toms Story".

Thanks to Blake Mycoskie for shari...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was written by the founder of TOMS shoes. In my whole "anti-popular" phase, I am so not into charity that is popular. And this falls into that category. I was out of the country when this whole movement started and since my favorite band supported them (lame) and my sister liked the shoes, I wanted to read about how they started. Yeah, this book did not tell that story. Well, it did a little bit, but more so compared themselves to other charities and pretty much how you should like do...more

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Oct 09, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

I absolutely LOVED everything about this book. A Goodreads ARC Giveaway win, I feel extremely fortunate to have won it and read it.

In the name of honesty, I had no idea there was a story behind Tom's shoes and actually thought they were not very fashionable. Or cute. Especially for those of us who may be extremely vertically challenged. All that said, after having read this book I plan on buying a pair. Or two.

Driven by the notion of "one for one" Blake Mycoskie explains the method behind his ma...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Greg rated it 1 of 5 stars

Blake sounds like a wiener in this book as he dumbly stumbles through the common business book tropes while stopping chapter-ly to pat himself on the back. He is probably a great guy, but the self-important voice of this book makes me prefer other business books with similar content over this one.

Also, sometimes he doesn't manage to connect the dots to give you sound advice, instead preferring to err on the side of choosing brash action. An example is a piece of advice he gives urging the reader...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-2011

For someone who has just set out on beginning her own business I found this book highly resourceful. I also am a huge fan of what TOMS does, and was proud to finally get my own pair. Depending on your interest in TOMS, and whether you've ever considered starting your own business your interest might waver.
I feel very out of the loop that I didn't know Blake Mycoskie was on The Amazing Race in the second season. My sister even remembered this information despite the fact I'm sure I was viewing t...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Engy فوده rated it 5 of 5 stars

هذه قصة شاب وعد نفسه برحلة إلي الأرجنتين في وقت معين، و رغم أنه كان قد بدأ مشروع جديد إلا أنه قرر السفر و ترك الإدارة لشركائه. في الأرجنتين قابل صديقة تدير مؤسسة خيرية عن تجميع الأحذية و توزيعها علي الأطفال المعدمين، و لكن دائماً ما كان يواجهها مشكلات في مقاسات الأطفال حتي لو جائهها العديد من التبرعات و لم يتوافق المقاسات فينتهي الأمر إلي أطفال لا يزالوا حفاة!!
فقرر عمل مشروع إستثماري يحمل نموذج لمشروع تجاري جديد يعتمد علي مبدأ جديد: واحد لواحد، أي لكل حذاء جديد يشتريه، سيعطي حذاء جديد مصنع علي م...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs-biographies, non-fiction

What a wonderfully optimistic and inspiring book! I popped it open and was half-done before I realized what was going on.

This is more than just the story of Blake Mycoskie and TOMS, the one-for-one shoe company. It's really a practical case study for developing, supporting and building something that (duh) matters. It retunes your perspective on true success, offers steps to evaluating why you do what you do and coaches you in ways to do it better. Mycoskie keeps it simple, very down-to-earth,...more

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May 25, 2013 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-freebies, random-house, spiegel-grau, nonfiction

This is not your typical business book. This is a story about making a difference. When Blake Mycoskie started his shoe company, TOMS, his goal wasn't to sell shoes. His goal was to give shoes to children around the world going barefoot. Selling shoes is just the means of making that happen. One pair sold, one pair donated. A simple concept that might seem like a counterintuitive business plan for a for-profit company, but it is this concept that made the business a success. Mycoskie has a down-...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Sabkymom rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book came to me for free from Goodreads in return for a review. I was happy to oblige as this is a book I would have chosen on my own. That being said, here is my review.

While Mycoskie's book offers the usual fare of advice for start ups, the story of TOMS and Mycoskie's unique voice will resonate with the could-be entrepreneur who hesitates because they wish they had a little more education or money or time. At the end of the day, all of us are inspired and motivated by the people who tell...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars

I won this book on GoodReads. The first chapter was autobiographical in nature and tells the author's story as he conceived the idea for TOMS shoes and then followed through to see it come to fruition. I found his writing style to be very simple and direct. The first chapter was quite fascinating to me as I had not heard of TOMS shoes before. I was very impressed by the author's good will and ability to follow a dream despite the difficulties he encountered. It was also interesting to me to read...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: business, memoir-biography, won-on-goodreads

As a perpetual "do-gooder" I was so very excited to receive a copy of this book as part of the Good Reads giveaway. This book did not disappoint.

I had seen TOMS shoes around on people, and liked the way they looked, and knew they had a one-for one policy, where each pair sold led to a pair of donated shoes to a needy child - awesome! I had no idea about the history of TOMS or about Mr. Mycoskie.

This is a really inspirational book, with excellent real life examples about how to integrate giving b...more As a perpetual "do-gooder" I was so very excited to receive a copy of this book as part of the Good Reads giveaway. This book did not disappoint.

I had seen TOMS shoes around on people, and liked the way they looked, and knew they had a one-for one policy, where each pair sold led to a pair of donated shoes to a needy child - awesome! I had no idea about the history of TOMS or about Mr. Mycoskie.

This is a really inspirational book, with excellent real life examples about how to integrate giving back into your career. It has lists of resources for you to use, and thought provoking questions to get you started. This is a quick and entertaining read. I am sure I will refer to the lists of resources many times as I struggle to figure out how to balance charity work and business work and hopefully integrate them at some point in the future.

The only issue I have with this book is that Walmart was listed as an example of a company that made it big after being one man's ideas. I am not a fan of Walmart, and their policies. In fact, Walmart is exactly the type of corporation that I would imagine TOMS to want to avoid being compared to. Mr. Mycoskie states that Trust and accountability are big things to consider when starting a business (especially one that involves giving - of course I agree. Having (unfortunately) worked for Walmart in my younger years, and having read many exposes about various Human Rights abuses in sweatshops and elsewhere that Walmart has partaken in, I was literally confused when he used them as an example.

I almost wish that this example was never given in the book, as it honestly made me wonder if the story was as credible as it seemed - could someone really as giving and caring as the founder of TOMS look up to Walmart, of all places? All the other business examples were understandable, so I tried to let this one slide but it hung out there, like a sliver in my mind. I wouldn't let this dissuade you from buying this book however, as there is so so much value in it.

Additionally, there is the same "one-for-one" deal with this book - for every book sold, a book goes to needy children. Can't beat that! (less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Blake Mycoskie started TOMS shoe company after visiting Argentina and learning that many children there didn't own shoes, leading to infections and diseases from dirt-born parasites. The business donates one pair of shoes for every pair sold. This quick read describes the challenges and joys of getting the business going, along with how it became so successful, but the majority of the book focuses on how we as humans can become our own destiny. The chapter titles say it all, among them: " Find Y...more

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