Footwear Phenomenon Founder Visits JBU
By: Nina Criscuolo
Updated: February 25, 2011
Toms shoes have become a fashion staple in Northwest Arkansas, but the shoemaker is making a big difference to children all over the world.
Toms shoes is one of the most famous footwear styles.
"I have these and I have burlap and the gray ones," says TOMS fan Kaleb Bledsoe.
"I have two pair I have one that's got paint all over it and I always get remarks about that one but I think it's pretty cool," adds another enthusiast.
Kirena Sheppard just received her first pair, "I opened the box and the first thing I saw was the flag and I just screamed I was so excited."
"When we started, our original goal was to help 250 kids so now the fact that we're giving millions of shoes away is pretty amazing."
Blake Mycoskie is the founder of TOMS shoes but he prefers a more technical title: Chief Shoe Giver.
As it states in any marketing materials for the company, "for every pair of shoes we sell we give a pair away to a child in need."
And that business plans seems to be a popular one.
"Anytime you can buy something and it goes to charity that's always good and it's effortless you don't really have to do anything, you just get a pair of shoes and somebody else benefits from it," explains Mycoskie, "It's doing more than just buying another pair of shoes."
Today at John Brown University, Blake held a question and answer. He says he always tried to gear these chats towards the handful of people that will be truly inspired by TOMS shoes.
"It seems like every time I speak, I'll get a letter or email two years later saying I heard you speak at this and I'm doing this and they've created a lot of good in the world," says Mycoskie.
So whether your goal is to start your own campaign or just pick up another pair of TOMS you can bet this footwear fad won't soon fade out.
Toms shoes is one of the most famous footwear styles.
"I have these and I have burlap and the gray ones," says TOMS fan Kaleb Bledsoe.
"I have two pair I have one that's got paint all over it and I always get remarks about that one but I think it's pretty cool," adds another enthusiast.
Kirena Sheppard just received her first pair, "I opened the box and the first thing I saw was the flag and I just screamed I was so excited."
"When we started, our original goal was to help 250 kids so now the fact that we're giving millions of shoes away is pretty amazing."
Blake Mycoskie is the founder of TOMS shoes but he prefers a more technical title: Chief Shoe Giver.
As it states in any marketing materials for the company, "for every pair of shoes we sell we give a pair away to a child in need."
And that business plans seems to be a popular one.
"Anytime you can buy something and it goes to charity that's always good and it's effortless you don't really have to do anything, you just get a pair of shoes and somebody else benefits from it," explains Mycoskie, "It's doing more than just buying another pair of shoes."
Today at John Brown University, Blake held a question and answer. He says he always tried to gear these chats towards the handful of people that will be truly inspired by TOMS shoes.
"It seems like every time I speak, I'll get a letter or email two years later saying I heard you speak at this and I'm doing this and they've created a lot of good in the world," says Mycoskie.
So whether your goal is to start your own campaign or just pick up another pair of TOMS you can bet this footwear fad won't soon fade out.
