Start Something That Matters - Softcover

A Letter from Author Blake Mycoskie

People often ask me what I consider my goal to be at TOMS. The truth is that it’s changed over the years. When we first began, the goal was to create a for-profit company to help the children that I met in a small village in Argentina. And that objective to give new shoes to children in need continues to be a powerful driver for me and everyone else at TOMS.

But recently my personal mission has changed. Today, I would say that my goal is to influence other people to go out into the world and have a positive impact, to inspire others to start something that matters, whether it’s a for-profit business or a nonprofit organization. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to share everything that we’ve learned from TOMS, so that others can learn from both our mistakes and the counterintuitive principles that have guided our success.

I would also like to share the stories of other social entrepreneurs, from all walks of life, who are taking that wonderful and courageous step forward, who are moving from thinking about doing something to actually doing it. Among many others, the leaders profiled in my book include Tony Hsieh (founder of Zappos), Scott Harrison (founder of charity: water), Lauren Bush (founder of FEED Projects), Eric Ryan & Adam Lowry (co-founders of method) and Tim Ferriss (author of The 4-Hour Workweek).

Like me, all of the people featured in the book faced insecurities and fear when first starting out. All of us bootstrapped with limited resources, and made countless mistakes along the way. After reading these stories of success, I hope that you’ll realize that you already have everything you need to get started. You don’t need a lot of money, a complicated business plan, or a great deal of experience to get your idea off the ground. What you absolutely must have, however, is the courage to take that first bold step forward....

For me, the ultimate success of this book will be measured not by how many copies it sells but by the number of people whom it inspires. Are you ready to start something that matters?

Carpe Diem,
Blake

Blake has created five businesses since graduating from college, among them a national college campus laundry service, and an online driver's education school that featured hybrid cars. You can read more about TOMS shoes on their website, TOMSshoes.com; Blake Mycoskie also maintains a blog, blakemycoskie.blogspot.com.