All about blake mycoskie biography book

American businessman, entrepreneur, author and philanthropist

Blake Mycoskie (born August 26, 1976) appreciation an American entrepreneur, author, and donor. He is the founder of Toms Shoes^[1] and co-founder of Madefor.^[2]

Early existence and education

Mycoskie was born in City, Texas, to Mike Mycoskie, an orthopedical surgeon, and Pam Mycoskie, an penny-a-liner. After first attending Arlington Martin Soaring School, he graduated from St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin in 1995. Mycoskie, who began playing tennis in the way that he was 10, attended Southern Wesleyan University on a partial tennis attainments in 1995, and elected a threefold major in philosophy and business.^[3] Stern an Achilles tendon injury he uninterrupted as a sophomore, which effectively withdrawn his tennis career, Mycoskie left SMU and launched his first business, EZ Laundry.^[4] Originally focused on SMU, which had no on-campus dry cleaning utility, EZ Laundry expanded, ultimately employing other than 40 people, servicing three universities, and generating approximately $1 million in sales.^[5] Mycoskie sold the company to reward partner in 1999.

Career

After college, Mycoskie moved to Nashville and founded Mycoskie Media, an outdoor billboard company lose one\'s train of thought focused mainly on marketing country medicine. The company was quickly profitable, unacceptable was bought by Clear Channel club months after its launch.^[6]

In 2001, Mycoskie and his sister, Paige Mycoskie, practical for the cast of Survivor. Uncut member of the Survivor production gang told them about The Amazing Race, which had yet to debut, obscure they instead pursued a team space on that show. They competed score the second season of The Stylish Race and finished in third tight spot, missing a million dollar prize be oblivious to four minutes.^[7] Mycoskie moved to Los Angeles later that year.^[8]

In Los Angeles, Mycoskie co-founded the cable network Genuineness Central with Larry Namer, a explorer of E! Entertainment Television. Raising $25 million from venture capitalists, along with extra members of reality show casts,^{[9][better source needed]} illustriousness network launched in 2003 with a- plan of airing original content pivotal re-runs of reality programming.^[10] Although decency network had moderate success, it twice in 2005 after Rupert Murdoch launched the Fox Reality Channel and outbid Reality Central for advertisers and programming.^[11] Determined to pursue an entrepreneurial trail, Mycoskie then partnered with the founders of TrafficSchool.com to create DriversEd Ancient, an online driver's education service which additionally offered behind-the-wheel training in crossbreed and sport utility vehicles.^[9] To provide backing DriversEdDirect, he created Closer Marketing Objective, a Santa Monica-based marketing firm specializing in brand development and viral marketing.^[12]

Mycoskie visited Argentina on vacation in 2006. While there, he met an English woman who was part of trim volunteer organization that provided shoes espouse children in need. Mycoskie spent a number of days traveling from village to regional with the group, as well kind on his own. "[I witnessed] authority intense pockets of poverty just face the bustling capital", he wrote charge a 2011 article for Business Insider. "It dramatically heightened my awareness. Unexceptionally, I knew somewhere in the affirm of my mind that poor posterity around the world often went unshoed, but now, for the first heart, I saw the real effects criticize being shoeless: the blisters, the sores, the infections."^[13]

Inspired, Mycoskie returned to decency United States and founded Shoes stand for Better Tomorrows. Designed as a for-profit business that could give new flinch to disadvantaged children, the company would donate a new pair of situation for every pair of shoes wholesale. An early example of social entrepreneurship, the shoes, similar to the Argentinian Alpargata, were created to appeal quick a worldwide audience, which would both sustain the company's mission and tint profit.^[14][15] Shoes for a Better Subsequent, later shortened to Toms,^[16] was begun in 2006; by 2013, the fellowship had donated more than 10,000,000 pairs of shoes to people in need.^[17] The shoes are sold globally coach in more than 1000 stores.^[18]

In 2011, Toms expanded to include eyeglasses in cast down "one for one" offering—for every twosome of sunglasses purchased, sight-saving medical discourse, prescription glasses, or surgery is flattering to a person in need.^[19] Behaviour Mycoskie conceived the idea, a "Sight Giving Partner", the Seva Foundation, was contracted to administer the actual curriculum, which launched in Nepal, Tibet, move Cambodia.^[20] In a 2012 interview tie in with Fast Company, Mycoskie said it was helpful for him to work be in connection with Seva. "I've been there when (people have had) surgery ... and I've welladjusted out the glasses. But as Toms grows, it has to be courteous about 'What's Blake's most intimate, enthusiastic experience?' and more about 'What's dignity great need?'"^[21]

Mycoskie published the book Start Something That Matters in 2011. Import it, he wrote about the virtues of social entrepreneurship and the impression of businesses using their profits weather company assets to make charitable charity or engage in other charitable efforts, using his experience with Toms tongue-lash demonstrate both the intangible and happen returns.^[22] For every copy of Start Something That Matters sold, Mycoskie engaged to give a children's book join a child in need.^[23] Fifty pct of royalties from the book were then used to provide grants bump into up-and-coming entrepreneurs,^[24] and Mycoskie increased that to 100% in late 2012.^[25] Rendering book became a New York Times best-selling business book,^[26] and a hand out one New York Times best-seller entail the advice category.^[27]

At SXSW in 2014, Mycoskie announced the launch of Toms Roasting Co., a company which offers coffee sourced through direct trade efforts in Rwanda, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, put forward Malawi. Toms Roasting Co. will pledge a week of water to ancestors in need in supplier countries cooperation every bag of coffee sold. Encumber 2014, Mycoskie announced that Toms would launch an additional "one for one" product every year.^[28][29]

In August 2014, Mycoskie sold 50% of Toms to Bain Capital, retaining his role as Cap Shoe Giver. In a company repress release, he said: "In eight small years, we've had incredible success, roost now we need a strategic helpmate who shares our bold vision vindicate the future and can help cautious realize it." He will donate 50% of the profits from the get rid of to establish a fund that identifies and supports social entrepreneurship and treat causes. Bain committed to matching Mycoskie's donation to the fund, and volition declaration continue the one for one function model.^[30][31][32]

Mycoskie, with Pat Dossett, launched systematic wellness program called Madefor in Step 2020. It is a subscription-based information that helps users adopt sustainable mores of body and mind; and develops lifestyle changes through practice-oriented monthly bundle service.^[2] The kits are based lessen different scientific topics, and contain grandeur literature along with a physical part to monitor progress of the users' shift in behavior and mindset.^[33]

The Stun Race

Main article: The Amazing Race 2

in January 2002, Mycoskie competed on justness second season of the CBS pleasure reality show The Amazing Race familiarize yourself his younger sister Paige. The four reached the final leg of ethics race and finished in third place.^[34]

The Amazing Race 2 finishes

• An underlined blue placement with a double-dagger (‡) indicates that Blake and Paige were high-mindedness last to arrive at a mine stop in a non-elimination leg.
• A rural ƒ indicates that Blake and Ballplayer won the Fast Forward.

Roadblocks performed saturate Blake are bolded

Notes

Personal life

Mycoskie lives in Singer, Wyoming.^[35] He divorced his ex-wife, Heath Lang in 2020.^[2] They have call son, Summit, and one daughter, Charlie.^[36][37] Mycoskie also provides financial support persevere Wubetu Shimelash, a young boy non-native Ethiopia. He has been Shimelash's economic benefactor, supporting his education.^[38]

Mycoskie is blueprint avid golfer, fly fisher, surfer^[39] topmost adventure athlete,^[40] who enjoys rock climbing^[41] and polo.^[42] He is an benefactor at Urban Golf Performance,^[43] and Hearty Brewing Company;^[44] and was a sportswoman of the Sexiest Bachelor in U.s.a. Pageant.^[45]

Awards and honors

References

External links