Blake Mycoskie

Partner, Toms Shoes

As founder and “chief shoe giver” of Toms Shoes, entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie has played a profound role in the company’s giving of 60 million pairs of shoes to children since 2006. His solution to the problem of the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes was simple yet revolutionary: to create a for-profit business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations. Mycoskie’s vision turned into Toms Shoes, which follows his One for One business model of helping a person in need with every product purchased. Its success inspired Mycoskie’s best-selling book, “Start Something That Matters,” about the power of incorporating giving in business. Before founding Toms in Playa del Rey, Blake, a Texas native, started five businesses.