# Start Something That Matters

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/books/start-something-that-matters/
- Published: 2012-02-07T07:54:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**In 2006, while travelling in Argentina, young entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie encountered
children too poor to afford shoes, who developed injuries on their feet that often
led to serious health problems. **

Blake knew he wanted to help, but rather than start a charity, he went against conventional
wisdom and created a _for_ profit business to help the children who he met.

With the help of a local shoemaker, Blake struck out to merge activism and fashion
in the form of a local canvas shoe worn by farmers and _gauchos_ alike, called the
_alpargata. _

Blake called his creation TOMS Shoes (which stands for “Tomorrow’s Shoes”) and promised
to give a pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair that he sold.

Starting with only two hundred pairs of handmade shoes, optimism, and entrepreneurial
charisma, he successfully launched TOMS into the high fashion world. They can now
be seen adorning the feet of celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johansson,
and Tobey Maguire.
Blake’s mission is to prove that you can achieve financial success
and make the world a better place at the same time.

In this book, he shares the six counterintuitive principles that have guided the
growth of TOMS for the past three years:

 * Make business personal
 * Be resourceful without resources
 * Reverse retirement
 * Keep it simple
 * Stay humble
 * Give more, advertise less

The result is an inspiring account of a young man whose entrepreneurial spirit was
able to affect change in the world, and a call to others to be inspired to do the
same.
**As part of the _One for One_ initiative, Random House will provide a new
book to a child in need with every copy of Start Something That Matters purchased.**
[](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/start-something-that-matters/void(0))

## Reviews

“Mycoskie’s book is an engaging account of how he founded the company … Much of 
the book is inspiring and helpful, packed with ideas on simplifying your life”
**
Financial Times**

## WATCH: TOMS Founder Blake Mycoskie