TOMS Shoes » new orleans

top ten top tens, day 5: our fearless leader

admin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:39:52 +0000

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”.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Watch the segment on the TOMS website: click here!

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

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.

CLICK HERE to read Blake’s inspirational letter.

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NOLA shoe drop on good morning america, tomorrow sept 3rd!

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:23:30 +0000

As many of you know, TOMS was in New Orleans last week for Style Your Sole Shoe Drops at five local schools. We were fortunate to have Robin Roberts from Good Morning America join us to speak with Blake and help decorate the canvas TOMS with students.

The GMA piece will air some time between 8am and 9am tomorrow September 3rd. Don’t forget to tune in!

For more photos, visit TOMS on Facebook.

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a volunteer perspective from the new orleans shoe drop

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:41:46 +0000

I just plopped myself down on the bed in my Venice apartment after a long day of travel. It took all day to get back from my Shoe Drop in New Orleans this past week, and this is the first moment I’ve had to really relax and reflect on a week of giving with TOMS. I have been interning in the creative department at TOMS since early summer, and when I got the chance to go to New Orleans, I jumped on it. At TOMS, I do a lot of writing and editing to make sure everything we say is in line with our mission and our movement. My days are filled with rearranging sentences and drafting stories about what TOMS is up to next. Even in an office environment as unique and engaging as TOMS HQ, focusing on such specific tasks can sometimes make me feel disconnected from the big picture at TOMS , and I can lose sight of what I’m working toward. I often joke that I’m trying to save the world one misplaced comma at a time.

New Orleans though, was the perfect opportunity for me to see the ultimate result of my work. It was an incredible experience in that respect. To put shoes on the feet of children and know that the little things that I do, combined with the little things the team back at HQ do, can have such a undeniably profound effect on so many individuals and even an entire city or region.

The schools we visited were amazing. As inspiring as the TOMS movement is, the individuals that facilitated our drops – the teachers and administrators who worked at the New Orleans schools – were equal heroes in my mind. They welcomed us into their schools with open arms, and it was quickly evident that they are working toward many of the same goals we have at TOMS. They are trying to impact as many people as possible in a positive way. It was inspiring to see people devote their time and energy to creating a culture of learning that is undeniably going to help so many children do amazing things in the future.

One child told me that he had seen the AT&T commercial and wanted to go to a different country to help Blake. I was floored to learn firsthand, just how far-reaching our message has become and realized that we could very well be putting shoes on the feet of future Chief Shoe Givers. And why stop at Chief Shoe Giver? One student told me that he put an American flag on his shoes because he planned on being the President of the United States.These teachers are really doing everything they can to make these kinds of goals a reality, equipping these children with everything they need to succeed, despite not having the opportunities or resources that other schools in the country might have.

I was amazed at the sheer quantity of shoes that we were going through at times, and I realized why we work so hard at HQ to promote our products and our movement. Because of the generosity of TOMS supporters, we were able to not just help out some children at these schools, but all of them. It felt great to really do a job right and leave knowing that you touched every student in at least a small way. I will never forget my experience, and the spirit of New Orleans and its people will have a lasting impact on all the work I do for TOMS in the future. This is a city that may need help, but it is also a city filled with people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and commit to making it a better New Orleans every day. I’m lucky to have been a small part of that.

Shamus Eaton
Editorial Assistant – Creative Department – TOMS Shoes HQ

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new adventures of the TOMS vagabonds

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:25:47 +0000

We’re excited to premier a whole new format for the Vagabond videos! Enjoy your weekly dose of each team in one easy to view segment!

What do you think?

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new orleans shoe drop: a volunteer experience

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:41:03 +0000

Hi! I’m Ana Maria, and I work on the giving side of TOMS. The best part of my job is traveling to new destinations and hand placing shoes on children’s feet with other passionate volunteers.

Students in New Orleans, LA were fitted with their own pair of new TOMS shoes this past week. They put marker to canvas to design a special pair for themselves, and ran around all afternoon on the playground with the volunteers.

With some families in New Orleans still rebuilding their homes (both figuratively and literally), providing new shoes was a special way for TOMS to bring joy into the community. Even at the school level, it is common for staff to purchase clothes, shoes, and other necessities for their students out of their own pocket. When asked about the need for shoes, the school’s social worker spoke of several kids walking on the heels of their shoes, not because they were too lazy to put them on properly, but because the shoes were too small and hurt their feet.

Although the language barrier creates a unique connection between volunteer and child on an Argentina Shoe Drop, its an entirely different experience when you can ask the child what their favorite cartoon character is or what they like to do on the weekend. You see these children in such a familiar environment, engaging with one another in such a familiar way, and yet some are in need of a new pair of shoes. It’s empowering to help these children whom we share our culture, our heritage, and our country with.

We will return to New Orleans this fall and continue to bring awareness to the need for shoes here in the States. Thank you for making happy feet and smiling faces possible all around the world!

Ana Maria

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TOMS in NOLA

bmycoskie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:32:58 +0000

TOMS hosted our first Shoe Drop in New Orleans yesterday. As with our US Shoe Drops we held this past fall, we brought markers for the kids to draw on their shoes and get their creativity flowing. We were set up right next to the playground, which was really cool to see all the kids running around, decorating their shoes, and having such a care-free afternoon. They created masterpieces with hearts, flowers, Spiderman, and polka dots, and some enlisted us to help draw, too.

Its refreshing to get outdoors with a group of kids, run around and play football and basketball, fit them into a fresh new pair of TOMS and just let all worries melt away. As soon as you’re there, it doesn’t matter how old or young you are, what you own or what you don’t… you get a chance to simply enjoy good company and a positive environment. Every Shoe Drop is special like that.

These kids were incredibly gracious, and we all really appreciate the school’s hospitality. They brought us booklets filled with thank you notes the students had created themselves which we’ll take back to HQ and share with our staff.

I’m incredibly impressed with the KIPP school program, one that challenges students with an intense curriculum. These students are not limited by their culture, their financial situation, or upbringing- they have equal accessible opportunities that steer them towards success. The progressive academic environment is reflected in these quotes and phrases all over the school… I’m thinking of putting up similar signs up at TOMS to remind us to follow wisdom that is really relevant at any age and at every organization.

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New Orleans

bmycoskie — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 04:48:00 +0000

Last night we experienced the Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans (strongly suggested by Elle�s Jenny Feldman). Now I use the word �experience� deliberately because you do not watch or see this band, you literally experience them and the music as it reverberates through your bones and hopefully your soul.

Sear Sucker Blazer by Trovata � Available at Barneys NYC

Straw Hat by �made in china� � Available at Moe�s Truck Stop

Day 21 of our 3-week anniversary on this tour started with a trip to the Blue Bird Caf�. Zak said his corn beef hash was one of the best he had ever had and I quote, �It is hard to screw up corn beef hash, but they really went above and beyond my expectations with this plate.�

However, he was less than satisfied with his home fries, and vowed to never order them again. He explained, �The problem with home fries is that they are irregular in what they are (getting very philosophical now)�you see, every place I order them sends out something slightly different, some are fried, some or mushy, so you never know what exactly you are going to get.�

Perhaps Zak should stick to McDonalds. They seem to have the whole consistency thing down pretty well.

Glasses by Chanel � Availabel at Chanel.com

Hair Styling by Paul Mitchell � Available at John Paul�s house in Austin

While in New Orleans we stopped by Pied Nu and visited with the lovely Priscilla who owns the fashionable boutique on Magazine Street. She was one of our first supporters and was very enthusiastic about the new styles coming out this summer. While there we did an interview with Susan, the fashion editor of the Times-Picayne Newspaper. She asked really great questions and I think the feature will be great for getting the message of TOMS out to the people of New Orleans.

Blake and Pied Nu owner Priscilla O�Quinn

While there we learned about an inspirational designer named Christina Kim, who Priscilla really supported. Kim�s line is called Dosa and she uses organically grown wools in addition to hand loomed cottons. Googling the line later I found a great quote from her printed in TIME Mag earlier this year. Kim states, “I am less interested in some really grandiose idea of how I’m going to save the environment,” says Kim. “Ultimately, we have to look at how we spend one day.�

I could not agree more.

Dosa � Available at Pied Nu New Orleans

Zak wearing Dosa scarf and skirt

Dosa – Available at Pied Nu – Zak – Available at 949-315-5357

Well our time is up in New Orleans and we are off to Florida. Tomorrow I am speaking to a 4th Grade class at Gene Witt Elementary School. They read about me in TIME for Kids and nominated me the Do Gooder of the Year. I can�t wait. I think we are going to work on some designs for the Spring 08 collection.

I will leave you with our latest Mantra “We’re not here for a long time, but we are here for a good time.”

peace,

blake

PS, new episode of the TOMS Chronicles coming tomorrow, check videos

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