Start Something That Matters

By: Blake Mycoskie

Narrated by: Blake Mycoskie

Love your work, work for what you love, and change the world—all at the same time.

What matters most to you? Should you focus on earning a living, pursuing your passions, or devoting yourself to the causes that inspire you? The surprising truth is that you don’t have to choose—and that you’ll find more success if you don’t. That’s the breakthrough message of TOMS’ One for One movement. You don’t have to be rich to give back and you don’t have to retire to spend every day doing what you love. You can find profit, passion, and meaning all at once—right now.

In Start Something That Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one of the fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such other innovative organizations as method, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful without resources; from overcoming fear and doubt to incorporating giving into every aspect of your life. No matter what kind of change you’re considering, Start Something That Matters gives you the stories, ideas, and practical tips that can help you get started.

Why this book is for you:

• You’re ready to make a difference in the world—through your own start-up business, a nonprofit organization, or a new project that you create within your current job.
• You want to love your work, work for what you love, and have a positive impact on the world—all at the same time.
• You’re inspired by charity: water, method, and FEED Projects and want to learn how these organizations got their start.
• You’re curious about how someone who never made a pair of shoes, attended fashion school, or worked in retail created one of the fastest-growing footwear companies in the world by giving shoes away.
• You’re looking for a new model of success to share with your children, students, co-workers, and members of your community.

You’re ready to start something that matters.

Critic reviews

“A creative and open-hearted business model for our times.”—The Wall Street Journal

Motivating

Where does Start Something That Matters rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I got through it pretty quick because it kept my interest. I put it on 2x speed and that was a perfect tempo.

What does Blake Mycoskie bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He made it personal and that made all the difference. He came across as real and unpretentious. He makes the listener feel that they can do it too, his ego is in check.

What did you learn from Start Something That Matters that you would use in your daily life?

You must be okay with failing a bunch of times and keep going.

Any additional comments?

I don't know how political he really is, but, I like how he didn't make his book political. All realms of politics seem to be congested with people that are holier than thou. I have a feeling he's more interested in looking for good in people and he finds it much more often than most.

Meaningful

This book is very meaningful to children all around the world. I have two pairs of Tom's and love them.

Great book, truly inspiring.

A very inspiring story with some great advice too! This was exactly the book I was looking for to help with my own social enterprise: The Canadian Project.

Excellent food for a bigger story

I loved that the book is personal; that it's not just a bunch of data compiled by the author, but that there's names and people, and interactions behind the stories. It makes it much easier to accept and believe, that I too, can start something that matters. Great read.

This is the story of TOMS

This is the story of how TOMS (the shoe company with a purpose) got its start and how it is run. Truly an interesting story with some examples of how other companies with a purpose got started. This is not a how to guide, rather, it is Blake's story. The narration was not the best. I was just being read, without feeling or emotion (think back to reading aloud in school). Which was kind of a bummer for an inspiring book.