About Toms company and its social contribution and its background, non-profit company based in Los Angeles . Company designs markets shoes as well as eyewear, coffee apparel handbags. Founded in 2006, founders are Blake Mycoskie and Alejo Nitti. Number of Employees are 500.
3. Background
Blake Mycoskie was born on August 26, 1976 in Arlington, Texas,
USA as Blake Thomas Mycoskie.
Education: Southern Methodist University
Occupation: Founder and Chief Shoe Giver, Toms Shoes and Co-
founder, Madefor Organization Clinton Global Initiative.
Companies Owning : Bill board advertising, EZ Laundry, Mycoskie
Media, Drivers ED Direct, TOMS.
4. Early Years
1995 – Launched EZ Laundry
2001 –Started Mycoskie Media
2002 - Amazing race 2
2003 - Reality Central
2005 - DriversEd Direct
5. The Product
The shoe was a local design called alpargata made of thick canvas,
comfortable, simple to create and was already being used by local
farmers. After many experimentations the first design of the shoe was
created as the TOMS shoe.
6. It was the birth of the “One for One” model
This is the best way to connect with customers. The easiest
way to keep track of everything was simply: you sell a pair,
you give a pair. It just seemed really simple.
Initial goal: was to help 250 kids in one village and try to sell
those shoes before Christmas, so he could come back to
Argentina and give these kids shoes and have a fun vacation
7. Why he started ?
Witnessed the poverty among villagers in Argentina
Children cant attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their
uniform. If they don’t have shoes, they don’t go to school.
If they don’t receive an education, they don’t have the opportunity to realize their
potential.
A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases,
which can penetrate the skin through bare feet.
8. Career
The idea for a for-profit business with giving at its core came from a trip to
Argentina in 2006, where Blake saw the hardships faced by children without
shoes, from a lack of basic protection to the inability to attend school. Later,
Blake would extend TOMS One for One model to address other vital needs,
such as eye care and safe water, which was achieved through TOMS eyewear
and coffee sales.
9. Expanding the Market!
Over the course of its first five years, TOMS was
successful enough in providing shoes for
children in need.
But Blake, having recognized other vital needs
during his travels around the world, realized
that One for One could be applied to more
than shoes.
Two years after officially establishing TOMS
Shoes, the business had $9.6 million in revenue
10. Contributions To Society
Since 2006, TOMS Shoes has provided over 35
million pairs of shoes to children,
TOMS Eyewear has restored sight to over
275,000 since 2011
TOMS Roasting Company has helped provide
over 67,000 weeks of safe water since launching
in 2014.
In 2015 TOMS Bag Collection was founded with
the mission to help provide training for skilled
birth attendants and distribute birth kits
containing items that help a woman safely
deliver her baby.
11. Awards and honors
Cannes LionHeart Award, 2016
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Next Generation Award, April 9,
2015
USA Today, "Five Best Communicators In The World" 2013
ISPA Humanitarian Award (2013)
Fortune "40 Under 40" (2011)
ABC News Person of the Week (2011)
Secretary of State’s Award of Corporate Excellence (2009)
Bloomberg Businessweek "America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs"
(2008)
People "Heroes Among Us" (2007)
People’s Design Award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
(2007)