Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS, reflects on customer reception and product quality during the early days of the company's one-for-one footwear model.
Assertion Supported
TOMS manufactures over 40% of its donated shoes in recipient countries
“Back in 2000, I think it was, no, 12, actually, we made a pledge to manufacture as many shoes as we could in the countries that we give in, and today, we're manufacturing over 40% of our giving shoes in countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, India you know, lots of d…”
Insight
Mycoskie: For-profit giving models are more sustainable than charitable donation drives
“Dependent on other people's donations, and what if they don't do it, and, you know, that doesn't seem like a very sustainable way to give these kids shoes, and then that led to, you know, well, what if there was a business, you know, instead of a charity and d…”
Insight
Sunset Boulevard billboard prices are driven by studio ego, not CPMs
“Because there's no way that could make sense. On a, you know, cost per thousand or an advertising metric. I mean, there's just not enough people that drive on sunset is what I was thinking. And so the reason that I basically came up with in my mind was it had …”
Insight
Pitch property owners an established business, never just an 'idea'
“The thing you don't ever want to do, especially when you're 22 years old, and you're trying to talk to, like, 50 and sixty-year-old people who own apartment complexes, you don't want to use the word idea. Because if it's just an idea, then it's like, you're no…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Mycoskie exclusively hired part-time models and actors for online driver's ed
“And the best way I could figure out to do that was I hired only models and actors and actresses part time.”
Insight
Business models are more sustainable than relying on recurring charitable donations
“That's, once again, dependent on other people's donations, and what if they don't do it, and, you know, that doesn't seem like a very sustainable way to give these kids shoes, and then that led to, you know, well, what if there was a business, you know, instea…”