TOMS Shoes » Chief Shoe Giver http://www.tomsshoesblog.com With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:44:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 TOMS launch in neiman marcus and our crew gets to play http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/toms-launch-in-neiman-marcus-and-our-crew-gets-to-play http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/toms-launch-in-neiman-marcus-and-our-crew-gets-to-play#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:33:11 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=4907 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> This past Friday, an adorable collection of Youth TOMS launched in Neiman Marcus stores across the country. To celebrate, we brought in a ton of games to Neiman Marcus Fashion Island in Newport Beach for us the kids to play with! There were also sandboxes filled with different materials for the kids to feel what its like to be barefoot.

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Our Chief Shoe Giver was swung by, once again showing his competitive spirit in air hockey, fooseball, and basketball.

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Lots of snacks, lots of energy, cool new kicks, and precious little kids = a super successful event!

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See more photos on the TOMS Facebook Fan Page and then check out the TOMS Youth collection in a Neiman’s near you!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/toms-launch-in-neiman-marcus-and-our-crew-gets-to-play/feed 0 out of the office http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/out-of-the-office http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/out-of-the-office#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:54:56 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=4601 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> In a recent letter Blake wrote to each of us at HQ, he began:

My TOMS Family,

Please read the first three words of this letter again. Yes, i truly feel as if TOMS is a family, and from day one, i have done everything possible to treat each person with the same love and respect that i would my immediate family members. I have also watched as each of you has shown incredible compassion, patience, and support to one another with the same pride i expect a proud parent experiences seeing their kids get along. This environment we have fostered together is called “culture” in most business management books…”

An office full of young, like-minded, intelligent, funny, passionate, and creative individuals, all working toward a greater goal of making a positive impact on the world is formula for something really special.  We can’t deny that the TOMS culture is one of the best reasons we each work here. And just like strong families spend quality time together, the TOMS family does too- an annual company retreat to the snowy mountains outside of L.A. provides time for us to relax together, laugh together, learn way too much about each other, and create lasting memories.

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As I was riding a lift mid-day Friday with a co-worker, we started chatting about how appropriate a ski trip is for TOMS. When you see a colleague charging down a mountain- fearless, fast, aggressive- you know that same dedication is translated in to their work. When you hear of someone who insisted they weren’t getting on any sort of ski or board… and then later tells you about how much fun they had cross-country skiing, you know that same willingness to go out on a limb translates to how they embrace new challenges back at HQ. These people are go-getters, not only at TOMS, but in so many aspects of their life… and each of us are inspiring each other to push just a little further.

We return to the office today, with the rain pouring hard, the in-boxes full, our bodies exhausted, with a few more inside jokes, a ton of great new photos, boxes of left over hot chocolate in the kitchen, an even greater sense of family.

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Now if only we can convince Blake to make this a SEMI-annual company retreat….

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/out-of-the-office/feed 0 top ten top tens, day 5: our fearless leader http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/top-ten-top-tens-day-5-our-fearless-leader http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/top-ten-top-tens-day-5-our-fearless-leader#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:39:52 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=4492 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> We’re settling in to the New Year and we’re halfway through our ten days of top tens. Today, we pay special tribute to our fearless leader, the Chief Shoe Giver and founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie. I’m confident all TOMS employees would agree we’re super lucky to have such an approachable and intelligent boss that continually inspires us, challenges us, and makes us laugh. This top ten lists features a range of Blake moments from 2009…

10. Blake gets silly while encouraging Facebook users to support Friends of TOMS buy purchasing a special “TOMS Facebook Gift” in April.

9. At the TOMS Holiday karaoke party, he delivered a surprise performance as “Garth Brooks”.

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8. Blake spoke at many college campuses, hoping to inspire and motivate a new generation of entreprenuers with the One for One story.

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7. He let his competitive side show with Ping Pong challenges at the launch of TOMS in Neiman Marcus.

6. He traveled to South Africa in October to see the Element collab come full circle.

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5. He represented TOMS at the NOLA Shoe Drop for Good Morning America.

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Click on the image to visit ABC and watch the segment.

4. He gave a heartfelt speech when accepting the Award for Corporate Excellence.

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Click on the image to visit Blake’s blog and read his speech.

3. Blake and TOMS were featured on CNBC’s The Entrepreneurs.

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Watch the segment on the TOMS website: click here!

2. He became “that guy on that AT&T commercial”.

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A still from the AT&T commercial that first aired in April.

1. When he returned from Ethiopia, he got us pumped about the work TOMS is doing there.

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CLICK HERE to read Blake’s inspirational letter.

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/top-ten-top-tens-day-5-our-fearless-leader/feed 0 more in dc http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/more-in-dc http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/more-in-dc#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:33:28 +0000 bmycoskie http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1888 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>

Just left the meeting – pretty inspirational. The administration really does want our input, each gave their personal email addresses and encouraged dialogue. This photo is of me in front of the White House with my new friend Jake, who started Threadless. We’re hatching some ideas to grow the One for One movement and get our TOMS community more creatively involved. More to come!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/more-in-dc/feed 0 one for one + obama http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/one-for-one-obama http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/one-for-one-obama#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:59:55 +0000 bmycoskie http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1884 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> At an all day meeting with senior leadership from the Obama administration, along with a group of the top young business leaders in America, to present tangible solutions and ideas re: economic policies. What an unreal opportunity!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/one-for-one-obama/feed 0 sedona + no polo widow http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/sedona-no-polo-widow http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/sedona-no-polo-widow#comments Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:18:19 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1806 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The 15th Annual Sedona Film Festival is showcasing over 135 incredible films this week, and we’re super excited that the short film, No Polo Widow, has been chosen as one of the screenings. No Polo Widow was filmed in Argentina, directed and produced by Blake Mycoskie and the TOMS film team, to bring to life the inspiration for the TOMS Wrap Boot. As the story goes, a young girl grows up with the hopes of falling in love with a handsome polo player. Her dreams come true, but her mother weeps on their wedding day, “The day a girl marries a polo player is the same day she becomes a widow. Everyone knows it’s the prized pony that comes first to the polo player…” A frustrated newly-wed, the girl is determined to win back the attention her husband, and early one morning surprises him as she stands, “gracefully poised, wearing the pony’s red wraps.” No Polo Widow will be shown with Lost in the Fog, this Sunday March 1st at the Sedona Film Festival. Get your tickets here , or check out the No Polo Widow story and trailer at www.NoPoloWidow.com.

Have a great weekend!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/sedona-no-polo-widow/feed 1 blake, usc, and booking, oh my! http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/blake-usc-and-booking-oh-my http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/blake-usc-and-booking-oh-my#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:33:20 +0000 jenniferNE http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1702 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>

This week I, Jennifer, had the awesome opportunity along with four other Vagabonds, Big John-our tour manager, Michael Chandler-a TOMS employee who created our awesome Point of Sale system, and Devika-a wonderful intern that is helping us Vagabonds with finances for our tour–to work the first campus event of the semester at USC, it was great fun! The rest of the Vagabonds are split up into two other events, one at UCLA and one at Vanguard, and I am positive that they will enjoy that experience as much as we enjoyed USC. It was a great event and a huge shout out to John, our contact at USC that helped to make the whole event happen.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to have our first formal meeting with Blake Mycoskie: the one and only Blake! It went really well. He told us a little about his life and how he got to where he is now. He also laughed along with us while Justin Watts, the Australian intern, made jokes. Nothing can phase Justin, if there’s a human, he’s going to joke. It’s pretty entertaining. Overall, yesterday was a good day. Oh, and since it completely slipped our mind to take a photo with Blake to put in our blog so everyone can see our TOMS love for one another, we just took a picture of our own and placed Blake’s head on Justin Danger Cook so that everyone can get a pretty decent image of our happiness and joy and TOMS love. See the photo after the jump…

The rest of the week has also been going well. Continuing to book events has been our focus. Phone calls and e-mails are in constant motion. We manage to make impossible things happen in our gung-ho state of mind to book our tour full of events. It has been pretty good: booking, laughter, Oreos, good friends, hot chocolate, what more could we ask for? Team Northeast hasn’t been this spoiled since we were first fed ice cream.

We hope you all have a great rest of the week and an awesome weekend as well! We’re hitting the road in less than two weeks, so be on the lookout for us! Team Northeast loves ice cream….and you!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/blake-usc-and-booking-oh-my/feed 1 seth godin approved http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/seth-godin-approved http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/seth-godin-approved#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:01:43 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1637 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> We get really excited about all the conversations that take place about TOMS online. Most of us here at TOMS have signed up for Google Alerts to keep us updated on the most recent mentions of TOMS, Blake, or One for One. This past week, a really amazing one came through from WIRED. Seth Godin (whom Blake referred to as his “business thinking hero for the past 10 years,” on Twitter) uses Blake Mycoskie, our founder and Chief Shoe Giver, and President Barack Obama as individuals who are “finding and connecting like-minded people and leading them to a place they want to go.” Pretty incredible to be used as an example next to Obama, don’t you think??

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/seth-godin-approved/feed 1 tour x 4 http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/tour-x-4 http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/tour-x-4#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:49:53 +0000 admin http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1282 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The road trip is an American tradition: a way to experience the diversity of culture and landscape that our incredible country has to offer. TOMS has indulged in the rustic tradition since 2007 with a variety of cross-country tours, all on a mission to share the concept of One for One.

In 2007, Blake traveled with intern Zak via Airstream, making pit stops at boutiques, Nordstrom, RV parks, water fountains, and more. The original tour boasts some hilarious videos thanks to the unpredictability of a classic road trip.

You can watch all the videos here.

In the Spring of 2008, former interns Justin and Brett decided to pack a very small car with A LOT of shoes as they traveled to college campuses and small towns hosting events and telling everyone about TOMS.

This past October, TOMS launched the first ever (very official) Vagabond Tour. We rallied 5 teams of two to four people, loaded them up in some sick vans, and sent them all across the country to host Style Your Sole parties and For Tomorrow documentary screenings on high school and college campuses. They blew us away, and took the traditional idea of a road trip off the map: gathering over 2,000 contacts, pulling in 14,590 video views on YouTube, be-friended 560 fans on Facebook, and sold 4,940 shoes. They trucked through all sorts of terrain, they slept in their vans, and they inspired us all every week with their optimism and determination.

Watch the entire semester of Vagabonding here.

This Monday, January 12th, marks the arrival of our latest road-trippers: The Spring 2009 Vagabonds. They’re unofficially the 4th TOMS tour to dominate the US, and we’re anxious as ever to meet them all. We also get to meet all of our new HQ interns this Monday- the ones who will be our saving grace, day to day, here at the TOMS HQ. Today and tomorrow we’ll be sweeping our floors and preparing our packets to ensure all of our new family members get the welcome they deserve.

Travel safe, and we will see ya’ll soon!!

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]]> http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/tour-x-4/feed 0 first shoe drop of ‘09 http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/first-shoe-drop-of-09 http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/first-shoe-drop-of-09#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:45:02 +0000 bmycoskie http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/?p=1272 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>

In Misiones, Argentina with Maggie, Alejo, co-workers, and friends. January 2009.

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