Get Barefoot for a Day
Today I am going to share with you Blake Mycoskie's story of TOMS shoes. Last year while on vacation I stumbled upon these cute shoes in a little boutique. I loved them and then I read the little tag attached; they would donate one pair to a child for each pair sold. I was hooked on TOMS and not only are they the cutest shoes you have ever seen, they make you feel really, really good when you wear them.
Yes, I will be barefoot on April 16th. Read all about it at www.TOMSshoes.com/oneday and better yet while you are scurrying about barefoot stop by your favorite store or on-line even and buy a pair of TOMS. You will love them and so will the little kids.
Here's Blake's letter:
Hello, my name is Blake Mycoskie.
I am the Chief Shoe Giver at TOMS Shoes and am humbled by the chain of events that has brought you here. I started TOMS three years ago with a simple promise: For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair to a child in need. One for One.
Two months ago AT&T approached us wanting to feature TOMS in an ad campaign. We could not have been more excited and grateful, but to find out weeks later that the ad would premiere as part of the Masters telecast was truly an honor.
Golf has always held a very special place in my life. At the age of 12, my dad taught me the game, and some of the greatest days of my childhood were spent battling my brother Tyler and my Dad for dollar skins as the sun would set. Being golfers, I don't have to tell you about the smell of freshly cut grass and the sense of possibility standing on that first tee. Celebrating good bounces, accepting bad ones, believing in the club you have chosen and committing to the shot are lessons golf has taught me that transcend all aspects of my life and business. And the greatest part... the 4 hours away from reality we experience after that first tee shot. I have always made it a priority to get away to a place where I can relax and have time to think. For much of my life, golf has provided that opportunity. In 2006, that same quest took me to Argentina where, for the first time, I was introduced to often overlooked inequities that lead to the idea for TOMS Shoes.
It was there where I first met some children so impoverished that they had no shoes to protect their feet. Besides the health implications, I learned that some of these kids were not allowed to go to school without shoes (it’s required for their uniform). Wanting to help but concerned about the sustainability of starting a charity, I decided instead to start a for-profit shoe company that would match every pair of shoes sold with a pair given to a child in need. One for One. Since then, TOMS has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world. And we plan to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes in 2009.
My hope is this is just the beginning. I envision a future where our One for One model is expanded through partnerships with other great companies and opportunities which allow TOMS to truly create a better tomorrow for our customers and the children we serve. Our commercial debut on the Masters telecast will prove to be a landmark moment for our One for One movement and, without a doubt, a memory everyone at TOMS will cherish forever. Thank you AT&T!
I want to close by dedicating this special weekend to those people with whom I have shared precious memories on the links over the years. To my mentors Carl Westcott and Jack Crosby, two men sharing an incredible love for golf and entrepreneurship. And to my longtime golfing buddies Joseph Robertson, Steven Patak, Jimmy Leach, Art Ryan and Andrew Palmer. To my mother Pam and sister Paige, who come along just enough to remind us it’s only a game. Finally, and most importantly, to my father Mike and brother Tyler, who are the greatest golfing partners a man could ask for. Each ball struck, bet won or lost and 20 foot putt made is a blessing we all share.
Carpe Diem,
Blake Mycoskie
Chief Shoe Giver
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