Buy TOMS Shoes!

I had seen TOMS Shoes on the feet of Orange County's hipster college students for a while, but just thought they were another earth-friendly, trendy shoe on the market, and they didn't immediately spark my interest. Then a couple of weeks ago, I saw a feature story on CNBC about Blake Mycoskie, who founded TOMS. I learned that for every pair of shoes that is sold, the company donates a pair to a child in need.

Last week at Catalyst West, I had the privilege of meeting Blake and hearing all about TOMS...and it's incredible. Blake was actually on The Amazing Race and got to travel around the world with his sister on the show. His experience in Cape Town allowed him to see people living in extreme poverty for the first time.




After the show (he and his sister lost the $1 million prize by four minutes), Blake went to Argentina to travel, learn about the culture, and play polo, with no philanthropic agenda...but when he noticed all of the children there living without shoes, he wanted to do something about it.

I love that this incredible enterpreneur wasn't just sitting around thinking about how to make a million bucks. He saw a need in the world and thought about how he could meet that need. Blake is a Christian and is using the gifts, power, and influence that he's been given to make a huge difference in the world. I really admire him, and I can't wait to buy some TOMS Shoes!

Argentina's flag is on every TOMS shoe, so that they'll never forget where they started:

Buy TOMS Shoes here!