Many years ago, TOMS shoes founder Blake Mycoskie asked a wise man for some advice. That man wrote some on a sheet of paper: “The more you give, the more you live.” It has guided Blake ever since. First, in the start-up of TOMS – which donates a pair of shoes to an impoverished child every time it sells a pair. And most recently, in the start-up of a campaign to end gun violence through changing federal policy by instituting background checks before every gun sale. This is a solution that 90 percent of Americans agree with – and Blake is asking every one of them to go to Toms.com and send a postcard to her or his representative. There are many takeaways in this episode, as Blake describes the essence of an entrepreneurial life, from how difficult it can be to the difference it can make.
Big Questions with Cal Fussman