Information About the Book and Reasons Why I Chose It
“For every pair I sell, I’m going to give a pair of new shoes to a child in need,” according to the book of Blake Mycoskie's (2011, p.6) work. He is not only the author of “Start Something That Matters”, but also the founder of TOMS.
“Start Something That Matters” is a biography of Mycoskie that it was published in the United States by Spiegel & Grau. In this book, Mycoskie shares the story between him and TOMS, including the lessons learned. He also mentions six elements of entrepreneurialism which provide a positive effect to help the entrepreneur succeed.
In addition, a half of the royalty on the book will be used to support new entrepreneurs through the Start Something That Matters
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After finishing the book, I am moved by Mycoskie’s action greatly and many thoughts run in my mind. A simple idea could bring the real impact. “It was a simple concept: Sell a pair of shoes today, give a pair of shoes tomorrow” (Mycoskie, 2011, p.6). A pair of shoes could create lots of happiness to children. When Mycoskie and his crew gave the promised shoes to the children in need in Argentina, the happiness was reflecting on the smiling faces of children.
In fact, it is not easy that Mycoskie fulfills his dream. When he started up TOMS, he had no any experience or connection in the shoe business. He did not give up his dream and tried to solve the problems one-by-one. When they performed in giving the promised shoes to the children in need, they drove 18 hours and slept on the bus. Although there were many challenges in the whole journey, they were still brave and hardy to face those challenges. I admire their effort that the work is not only for themselves but also for the millions of children around the
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It is useful that people apply the leadership skill in the college or workplaces.
Reviewing my leadership qualities, I realized that my existing leadership qualities are same with some leadership traits of Mycoskie in the Big Five Model. Two of my existing leadership qualities is integrity and dependability. When I make a commitment to someone, I know I am able to fulfill it and willing to put in extra time and efforts to accomplish commitment. For example, I promise to become an assistant guitar teacher in the summer course in church every year.
In addition, another leadership quality is also same with Mycoskie. It is the trait of openness to experience. I love trying the new things. It could be studying a new subject, learning an interest or entering an activity. During this summer holiday, I learn Korean and also try to travel alone in a foreign country one week. It makes a big change to myself. I become more bravely to face the new
A well- rounded leader can be flexible in any situation given to him or her. I personally feel that I possess leadership characteristics well. I do not only possess leadership qualities for myself, but also to set an example for others. By doing this I might aid them in expressing their leadership qualities, no matter their field of interest. As I help others, they might see it in themselves to aid others in finding their leadership qualities.
So how does this apply to Tom’s Shoes? This is something the company Tom shoes knows all too well. Tom’s shoes is doings so by giving back to the community. For every shoe sold, they give away a free pair. Not only shoes but eyewear as well. So what started this? Tom’s shoe is a company based out of the U.S, and was founded back in 2006. They also design and sell the brand in Argentine. During one
“Adidas Superstars sales skyrocketed” writes Sue Vander Hook in her book “Hip-hop fashion” (2011). According to her, the impact of the song was so strong that every time the band played “My Adidas”, “thousands of fans held up their Adidas shoes.” The effect of the song had been noticed by the sport brand and soon after that Run-DMC were paid by Adidas, the summary of ”$1 million to endorse their trainers”.(Hip-hop fashion,38) This comparison can identify an economically important moment for the rubber ducky industry which becomes must-have bath toy and its salaries grew not only because of its popularisation but also because of its low price ( 1£ in Amazon (2014)).The other bath toys are starting at 3.99£ (Argos
As the CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, Mike Jeffries has turned the company into a multi-billion dollar brand by selling youth, sex and causal superiority, which gives way to the concept and emergence of an “imagined community.” The definit...
Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS in 2006. He was originally going to call the company Shoes for Tomorrow, buy a pair of shoes today and we will give a pair of shoes to a child tomorrow. Because of the length of the name he later shortened it to TOMS. The idea to start a for-profit company that could provide shoes to children in need came to him when he was in Argentina. He met some volunteers who told him they were there to give shoes to children. He was intrigued and went with them. There he befriended some children and witnessed firsthand the hardships they faced due to lack of foot wear. He saw that shoes not only protect those little feet from blisters and getting cuts that get infected but they also prevent foot infections, and diseases that can penetrate the skin through bare feet such as ring worm and podoconiosis a very painful disease caused from walking barefoot on volcanic soil. Shoes also are part of a school uniform, therefore if a child doesn’t have shoes they cannot go to school. He...
After a visit to Argentina in January 2006, Blake Mycoskie got the idea to create a shoe company. He saw many children without shoes and decided he wanted to do something to solve the bare foot problem (“A Shoe That Fits So Many Souls”). This was an average guy with a mission. When he returned to Santa Monica in 2006, the CEO reasoned it was time to start solving the problems he found in Argentina (DeBernardi). His business partner and previous polo instructor, Alejo Nitti, is now the head of production.
Leaders possess many qualities but of course some are important than others. The strengths I posses would be courage, bravery and integrity. Some may say that my weaknesses would include collaboration (at times) and agency. I do stick up for what I believe in, I do not always jump into my assignments. However, I believe that there is nothing like the adrenaline rush you get when you are pumping out a paper a few days before it is due, I think that my intelligence level is actually raised when I am, last minutely working on something.
... April 2011). Shoes for Business: The unintended consequences of doing good. The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved from: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/4/27/shoes-local-toms-pair/
In The Art of the Start, Guy Kawasaki recommends several key principles that are important for “anyone starting anything” as suggested by the sub-title of the book. Kawasaki’s main focus in this book is entrepreneurship and the process by which a successful business can be created and maintained. Kawasaki suggests five core concepts of successful entrepreneurship: causation, articulation, activation, proliferation, and obligation, along with many key principles for each concept.
There are endless ways to explain why I believe Blake Mycoskie is an entrepreneur. He’s innovative, passionate about his work, and a great model. The work that he has done is done with meaning, and not done simply to just have done something. He is a man of what I would call, great success, and what he has done deserves endless acknowledgement. He is a man of passion and hard work, all with the well-being of others in
Charles & Keith, a well-recognized women’s footwear brand was established in 1996 in Singapore Amara shopping centre by the two young brothers, Charles Wong and Keith Wong. The company began its foreign market venture in 2000. To date, Charles and Keith has a presence in more than 20 major cities around the world. The brand are well-known internationally today with the vision “to be the most admired fashion-forward company” and the mission “to offer high quality products and services, with a commitment to perfection” in mind all the time (Charles & Keith, 2013).
This generation desires to do all things and more: to shop, socialize, and save the world all at the same time. TOMS Shoes, a popular shoe company that donates a pair of shoes to needy children for every pair purchased, is showcasing just how much brand enthusiasm young consumers will show for a company with a similar worldview. A standing army of social media activists and over twelve-hundred university clubs use their online and personal networks to broadcast their admiration of TOMS Shoes. As the style industry and consumers have embraced the many charms of TOMS Shoes, “shoe drops” organized by the company in Argentina, Ethiopia and South Africa have distributed over 140,000 pairs of shoes to poverty inflicted children. The shoes, advertised from $44 to $70, are the seamless feel-good
Barringer, Bruce R. (2010) Entrepreneurship: successfully launching new ventures 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ Prentice Hall
The most important quality that differentiates a leader from other people is the ability to think strategically. Vision is the most important aspect that drives a leader’s strategy. It is all about where you want to be. Other qualities include Decision making, problem solving, time management, self-motivation, emotional intelligence and many more. Once we know the type of leadership, it is easy to find what leadership skills we have and which we need to develop which is explained in the book “Leadership: Theory, application, skill development (5th ed.) by Lussier and Achua.” Also, Keirsey Style Sorter personality type helps to knowing our temperament type, and work on our weakness and to emerge out as a good leader.
One quality that has always stuck with me through the 17 years of my life is leadership. Whether it was me organizing the games my sister and I would play when we were younger, or being the one person to start a class discussion on the first day of school when everyone else was too shy to muster something up, I have always been one to