TOMS Shoes » one for one

TOMS launch in neiman marcus and our crew gets to play

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:33:11 +0000

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.

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

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

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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who are we?

swalpert — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:55:31 +0000

I’ve gotten several questions since I started these intern updates regarding just what it takes to be a TOMS HQ intern. Each time I usually respond that you must be hard working, passionate, driven, smart, and eager to learn. But then as I thought about my fellow interns, it occurred to me that you must also be unique, silly, fun, and just plain awesome. I have not properly introduced my fellow interns to you guys and I think EVERYONE should see just how amazing these people are. So I present… the TOMS Spring 2010 Intern Class!

From left to right: Amanda, Heather, Julia, Jessie, Dianna, Sarah, Mike, Grace, Alex, Carly, David and our intern coordinator Caroline in front

Sarah – Social Media

Hometown: Augusta, GA

Fun Fact: I don’t have a belly button

Favorite Food: My Grandma’s CHEESE GRITS!!

Best Part About Working at TOMS: Being around incredible people who work hard and make a difference every day

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment”: Bowling a 44 on my first “Fun Friday” at TOMS… I had the lowest score out of the whole company. Awesome.

Grace – Retail Marketing

Hometown: Old Lyme, CT

Fun Fact: I am from Old Lyme, Connecticut — Home of Lyme disease! I think I’m immune…

Favorite Food: Beans and Rice

Best Part About Working at TOMS: The awesome music that is always playing in the office

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: Having to ask how to use the phone at my desk

Dianna – Alternative Sales

Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA

Fun Fact: I was the drummer of a punk band when I was in Jr. High called “Persecuted.” Then my freshman year, I was the cymbal captain in the marching band.

Favorite Food: Panda Express: orange chicken, chow mein.

Best Part About Working at TOMS: I love being at HQ constantly surrounded by creative people who passionately believe in the One for One Movement.

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: I feel like we are new little puppies who want everyone to like us, so sometimes we like to “show up” to places where other employees might be without actually getting an invite. I can’t believe I just admitted this…

Mike – Web Design

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Fun Fact: I hit 40 mph on my bmx bike

Favorite Food: Kogi BBQ and Texas BBQ

Best Part About Working at TOMS: The people rock

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: Getting in trouble and then paged on the loud speaker for storing my bike in Blake’s closet

Julia – International Online Marketing

Hometown: Rostock, Germany

Fun Fact: I’ve developed an American accent when I speak German, so whenever I go home to Germany, people ask me where I’m from. Seriously?!

Favorite Food: I put cheese and ranch dressing on almost everything that is edible

Best part about working at TOMS: Being able to learn about marketing strategies from my manager

Most Embarassing “Intern Moment” So Far: Nothing yet… but I’m sure it’s coming.

Jessie – Human Resources

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Fun Fact: I am completely addicted to the TV show “Dirty Jobs”… when there’s a marathon on it’s my own personal heaven

Favorite Food: Crispy french fries

Best Part About Working at TOMS: Belonging to the family

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: My pants split when I bent over to pick something up

Alex – Online Analyst

Hometown: Arlington, TX

Fun Fact: I went to chemistry camp after my junior year of high school. SO cool…

Favorite Food: Cheese, all types, and bacon-wrapped figs

Best Part About Working at TOMS: The energetic atmosphere at HQ

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: To be determined…

David – Friends of TOMS

Hometown: Yorba Linda, CA

Fun Fact: I am pretty much an expert Cribbage player.

Favorite Food: My Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Best Part About Working at TOMS: The company culture is amazing and the work I’m doing is very fulfilling.

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: I guess it was when I read “personal message” out loud as “personal massage” in our meeting the other day. Oops!

Carly – Creative

Hometown: Fountain Hills, AZ

Fun Fact: In 7th grade basketball the only shot I made was for the opposing team. But to this day, my Dad will tell you how awesome/quick I was on the court with 100% Dad Pride.

Favorite Food: Fro-yo. Duh!

Best Part About Working at TOMS: If I say learning… does that make me a nerd?

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: My first day!! Blake decided to take the desk next to mine to see the ins and outs of creative first hand. Pretty much had a nervous stutter all day.

Amanda – Giving

Hometown: Malibu, CA

Fun Fact: I am fluent in ANCIENT Greek

Favorite Food: French Fries

Best Part About Working at TOMS: Spending my time finding more ways to get shoes on feet that need them.

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: Not realizing TOMS’ phone # shows up on caller ID…I’ll leave it at that.

Heather – Creative

Hometown: Kansas City, KS

Fun Fact: I was voted most likely to be a millionaire in middle school. I wish…!

Favorite Food: Korean Food all the way!

Best part about working at TOMS: All the different projects I get to be a part of and, of course, the cool people!!

Most Embarrassing “Intern Moment” So Far: There’s this speed bump right outside Toms HQ and I trip over it EVERY single time… usually in front of people.

So… who are we?? We are TOMS interns.

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artist skillz from an 11 year old TOMS fan

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:46:49 +0000

One of our awesome young fans, Anna, recently sent us this drawing of her newest pair of TOMS shoes! Not only is she generous, but she’s an artist as well Thank you guys for continuing to inspire us every day. Keep sending us your pics, letters, and drawings!!

Sending snail mail?
TOMS Shoes
attn: Awesome Social Media Dept.
3025 Olympic Blvd. Studio C
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Prefer digital style?
Sarah.Walpert@TOMSshoes.com

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TOMS and whole foods market

bradotts — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:12:25 +0000

Brad is currently responsible for TOMS Boutique sales and our relationship with Whole Foods Market and recently shared his story on the official WFM blog (we brought his story here to share with all of you!). He is passionate about social entrepreneurship, simple community based living, cooking, organic gardening, music playing (guitar, banjo, pedal steel, piano), and tattoos…more tattoos. Read his full bio here.

When I started working at TOMS (when the company was only about 4 weeks old), the first thing that I said to our fearless leader, Blake, was “Whole Foods is a company that we must partner with as they will not only understand what we are doing, but they will want to be a part of it as well.”

Eighteen months later, after countless hours of hard work, we launched our first exclusive collection of Eco-Friendly/Vegan shoes with Whole Foods Market. Since then, we have continued to explore the world of environmentally friendly materials, along with launching a shoe for those who practice a vegan lifestyle.

Brad sporting his favorite Cordones

In just under two years, through the Whole Foods partnership and the purchases of caring customers, we have given just over 37,240 pairs of new shoes to children in need.

It is amazing the needs that these shoes have met and continue to meet around the world. In areas of deep poverty, shoes can play a role that goes far beyond comfort, including access to education and prevention of disease (bare feet make children susceptible to a wide range of diseases and parasites). It has truly blown me away how the Whole Foods Market team members have rallied around these needs, becoming some of the most dedicated, excited and passionate advocates for the One for One mission that I have come across in my almost four years here at TOMS.

A GIVE window made out of TOMS at a Whole Foods Market location

We are honored and excited to partner with such a great company, who is not only working to help bring us better quality food for what we put IN our bodies, but also for what we put ON our bodies.

So, live fully, love others unconditionally, and if you happen to run into your neighborhood Whole Foods Market for some locally sourced tomatoes, basil or rainbow chard, make sure to stop by the Whole Body department to become part of the One for One movement.

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the starting line

swalpert — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:09:23 +0000

Eleven strangers from around the country were chosen to work in one warehouse for five months. Welcome to the life of a TOMS Spring 2010 intern. My name is Sarah and I am one of the newest members to the TOMS family! I drove across the country all the way from Augusta, GA to begin this incredible adventure in L.A. Why would I travel 3,000 miles to California for an internship? Easy. TOMS is more than a job, more than a company, or more than a pair of shoes. TOMS is a movement- a movement that everyone can be a part of and one that actually has the capability to change the world.

On my journey from Georgia I made a stop at the Grand Canyon. Wearing my TOMS in the snow, no doubt!

After only a few days on the job, I can tell that working at TOMS is going to be intense. But then again, so is anything that’s actually worthwhile. We walked into the large warehouse that houses TOMS HQ in Santa Monica last Thursday for the first time, nervous, excited, and not sure what to expect. We had come from far and wide; Connecticut, Georgia, Arizona, Texas, California, Kansas, and oh yeah… Germany. I think it is safe to say the TOMS mission is inspiring people all over the globe! Our first day on the job was spent getting “oriented.” Our awesome intern coordinator, Caroline, showed us the ropes and introduced us to several of the employees. We chilled in a conference room for most of the day as each manager came back to introduce themselves and explain their position at TOMS. It was surreal. I think it is safe to say that all of us were on cloud nine… were we REALLY here? Was that ACTUALLY Blake Mycoskie that just walked by?

Some of the interns gathering for the first time at TOMS HQ!

Hard at work already in the Online department “office.” One wall is made completely out of old TOMS shoe boxes!

We got to sleep in a little on Friday and were told to report to the office at 10:30 to be introduced to the ENTIRE staff. I’m not gonna lie… I was pretty nervous. I knew we were going to have to stand in front of everyone and introduce ourselves and would have about ten seconds to convince everyone that we were funny and cool. However, as soon as Caroline led us into the room with all the other TOMS employees, any previous jitters immediately disappeared. Everyone was hanging around in a circle and gave us a round of applause when we walked in. And standing in front wearing bright green sweatpants and clapping loudest of all was the man himself, Blake– the brains behind the whole operation. He was so cool and welcomed us all to the family. Because TOMS is just that, a family, and we were now a part of it.

Our new boss!

And then, of course, we still had to stand in front of the 60+ staff and introduce ourselves, but everyone was super nice and at least pretended to laugh at our jokes. After our meeting, we got right to work, and I’ve got to say it was quite a rush. Working in an environment like the one at TOMS makes you actually WANT to work, because you know you’re doing it for a reason bigger than yourself, bigger than a paycheck.

Our intern coordinator, Caroline, introduces new intern Grace to the TOMS staff

Well, that is all for now, my friends. I hope you all will enjoy keeping up with the adventures we are about to embark on at TOMS. Stay tuned…

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show us your TOMS pride!

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:03:59 +0000

The TOMS logo is a recognizable symbol of the One for One movement, and what better way to show your TOMS pride (well, other than wearing your TOMS of course) than by showing your flag? You can now upload ALL of your favorite TOMS photos on the TOMS website, and as you have seen in previous posts, fans aren’t afraid to take their flag where ever they go. From the tops of mountains to the comforts of your own home, we love seeing where you share the movement!

Here’s a photo of my husband, Scott, with our TOMS flag. Thank you for donating shoes to the needy! I am glad I can be a part of it. – Laurie

I absolutely love my TOMS and love the idea that a child is getting a pair. I was born and brought up in Argentina and I’ve seen the kids with my own eyes walking in their bare feet. It’s a sad feeling knowing they have nothing to wear and they must walk the streets like that. – Astrid

Thanks for the shoes I love them. I also love the fact that a child in need also gets a pair. I am passing down the word at my school and trying to get our college campus involved in this. – Matt

You can now upload your photos directly to the TOMS Photo Wall! Click here to post!

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still time to shop! employee holiday drawings

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:25:11 +0000

Want to see more HQ art? Check it out here.

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giving in argentina

amunoz — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:24:32 +0000

Argentina is where it all began. You’ve seen the YouTube videos, the documentary, and countless photos. We LOVE Argentina.

The majority of our volunteer Shoe Drops have taken place there and I was fortunate to have been a part of one in March, 2008 with an amazing group of people. I called them our Guinea Pigs because it was the first Shoe Drop we had ever coordinated just for our TOMS supporters! Fortunately they were adventurous enough to take that title with pride and go with the flow of the week. We gave shoes to children that Blake and his friends and family had visited in 2006 and made some new friends who received their first pair of TOMS from us.

I remember learning at our first drop location in Misiones that the kids had cleaned up, combed their hair, and wore their best clothing that day – they had been expecting us for weeks. The school director boasted that she had never seen her students so primped and excited for visitors before. At that moment I realized that there really was more to the children (their lives outside of school and their aspirations) than met the eyes. We could see that they were barefoot and that others had shoes that were tattered and beyond repair but we might have never known that they were wearing their BEST clothing, even if they had holes and stains on them. Our visit was special not only to us, but to them.

I could go on for days about the children we met but I’m going to highlight messages we received last week from two Shoe-Droppers in Argentina: one lucky TOMS sweepstakes winner and one TOMS employee. This is why we choose shoes …

Hello,
My name is Lindsey and I am the sweepstakes winner with the group in Argentina…
I am a teacher and I thought I had experienced a lot as far as kids in need. But, no. This trip to Argentina has been humbling (ask Anya who had to comfort me our second drop because I got so emotional). I can´t tell you what a difference TOMS is making in the lives of these children. To put shoes on a child whose feet are torn, dirty and swollen because they walk barefoot is the most amazing experience. To see kids wear closed toed shoes for the first time is almost more than I can describe.
Thank you, thank you, thank you TOMS for allowing me this experience. I am so ready to spread the One for One message when I return home. To see first hand the meaning of this motto is such a gift!
I can´t wait for you to see our pictures. They speak volumes.
Lindsey K.

Hey!
Today we gave shoes in the rain despite getting a flat tire a few miles away from the second village! While we all huddled under the awning, most of the kids played joyfully in the storm with Melissa, kicking their soccer ball…. After we made sure everyone had shoes, we danced, high-fived, and gave thumbs up to Tec and his camera. The kids loved seeing the photos of themselves. They were so giggly and energetic. I miss them already. I’m so glad well continue to give shoes to these villages. For many today, it was their first pair. xo katie

To many more moments like this.

All my best,

Ana Maria
Friends of TOMS Program Manager

Read more about TOMS giving programs in Ethiopia.

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TOMS holiday headquarters creativity continued

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:32:14 +0000

Want to see more drawings from HQ? Check them out here.

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TOMS in switzerland

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:12:18 +0000

My family has fallen in love with the TOMS concept as well as the shoes. My husband, daughters, nieces, nephews, sisters… we all have them.

My youngest daughter is a student at The American School in Switzerland. Her name is Madeline and she is sophomore in high school. She just asked her service adviser if she can start a campus program here in Lugano at her school. It is a boarding school with children from over 42 countries!

- Terri

Terri and Madeline at the top of San Salvatore in Lugano, Switzerland.

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