You’ve probably heard your parents say, “if you save up enough money to buy your first car, I’ll match you.” So, what would happen if the same was said for giving? What if what you donated was matched by a charity? TOMS – a company that makes shoes does just that. For every pair of TOMS bought, one pair will be donated to a child in need. You may be asking yourself: now what kind of business model is this? Right…that’s exactly what I thought. Can this really be a business that’s focus isn’t on the bottom line, but instead on helping those less fortunate?
TOMS uses a One for One business model, which transforms their customers into benefactors, allowing TOMS to grow a sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.
So, is this a sustainable business? Apparently Lyn Pentecost, founder of The Lower East side Girls Club, isn’t the only one not willing to “pimp” itself for the funding it needs.
Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes started as a traveler in Argentina, where he befriended children who had no shoes to protect their feet. This experience inspired him to create TOMS, and now the TOMS model is spreading. TOMS has inspired other companies such as Ralph Lauren to adopt the One for One business model, with their co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS.
Mycoskie in an interview with The Daily Texan said, “I hope to inspire those in the room to go out and create their own business, based on their lives and passions. To show that it is possible to go your own way, achieve success without sacrificing your dreams and to make a difference in the world — all at the same time.”
Maybe this concept is a revolution cropping up all around us. A revolution encouraging us all to take ONE step to implement a win-win initiative in our own lives.
As a young person, stories like this remind me that I am a leader of the future, and as a “leader”, I need to be conscious to do my own one daily action - and who knows - just maybe I will be the next big change agent. As Mahatma Ghandi would say, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Together we are the future, and together we can join Mycoskie and others to be agents of change.
Today my contribution is being a benefactor – I bought my first pair of TOMS thus donating my first pair of shoes.
Will you put others before you today? Will you incorporate giving in what you do?
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