Hardware Podcasts

TOMS: Blake Mycoskie

How I Built This · 29 May 2017 · 53m

What this episode covers

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS, recounts his journey from four prior startups—including Easy Laundry and a Nashville outdoor advertising company—to creating the 'One for One' shoe model after a 2006 trip to Argentina. He details the chaotic early scaling of TOMS, from selling 250 prototype alpargatas to managing a viral surge that required hiring interns and shipping cargo from Buenos Aires. Mycoskie explains how media coverage, including an LA Times feature and a Vogue spread, combined with a high-impact AT&T commercial to transform TOMS into a global brand, while also addressing criticisms regarding the sustainability of the giving model and his eventual sale of the company.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up and established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Easy Laundry, Van Wagner, Clear Channel, Reality Central, AT&T, American Rag
Products
TOMS
Also
Vogue, LA Times, Juan Torres

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 35m

    Hippy Feet is the coolest company you haven't heard about until now! Michael Mader, CEO

    Michael Mader, founder of Hippy Feet, explains how a traumatic brain injury during his senior year of college inspired him to build a business that acts as a support system for people experiencing homelessness. He details the company's evolution from a 'buy one, give one' donation model to an employment program for homeless youth, and finally to a strategy of donating profits to nonprofits that provide comprehensive care. Mader also discusses the significant challenges of sourcing American-made custom socks and knitwear, highlighting the difficulty of convincing established manufacturers to take a risk on a new brand and the importance of building personal relationships with factory owners.

    Starting a product companyDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    5 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 27m

    Founder Feature: Sean Knecht of Tantos!

    Sean Knecht, co-founder of Tantos (the first and only puffed pasta chip), discusses building the brand with celebrity chef Joe Sasto, detailing their origin story from a DM about flour-to-egg ratios to appearing on Shark Tank twice. Knecht explains the 'Shark Tank effect,' noting 3,000 orders in three days but also a significant cash flow hit due to Amazon holding funds for over a month. He outlines his strategy for pitching Whole Foods by analyzing SKU data to prove the snack aisle was oversaturated with tortilla chips, leading to a direct conversation with the buyer.

    Crowdfunding & preordersPricing, margins & unit economics
    6 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 28m

    Founders Feature: Lucy Dana of One Trick Pony

    Lucy Dana, founder of One Trick Pony, explains how her brand pivoted from a standard jar to an upside-down packaging design that eliminates oil separation in their two-ingredient Argentinian peanut butter. She details the operational headaches of early production, including lid fitment issues and a container shipment disaster, and how solving this customer pain point shifted the brand from fighting for retail placement to receiving inbound interest from major club retailers. Dana discusses leveraging viral social media content to drive this demand, her background at Uber and Blue Bottle Coffee, and her strategy as a solo founder scaling from natural channels to mass retail.

    Industrial & consumer product designValidation & product-market fit
    9 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 46m

    339 - Beyond the Dieline ep 1 with Tom Seymour and Jessica Kwon from Moka Energy!

    Tom Seymour interviews Jessica Kwon, founder of Jack & Friends Jerky and co-founder of Moka Energy, about her journey from a Cornell food science background to building CPG brands. Kwon details the operational challenges of bootstrapping, including 3 AM kitchen shifts and hand-packing orders after a New York Times feature, and the technical pivot from DIY Photoshop designs to custom-printed packaging via Wagon Design Studio. The conversation highlights the importance of owning manufacturing mistakes with partners like Seymour’s company and the strategic decision to launch Moka Energy with an experienced team to skip early-stage hurdles.

    Packaging designManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

  • Product Startup · 51m

    029: Making a Social or Environmental Impact with Our Business, Adam Force of Change Creator

    Adam Force, founder of Change Creator, discusses the mindset and strategies required for social entrepreneurship, emphasizing the shift from profit-first to impact-first business models. He shares his journey of pivoting from failed physical product attempts, such as a hemp water bottle, to launching a digital magazine that connects social entrepreneurs. Force highlights specific case studies like Lucky Iron Fish and Grow Shoes to illustrate how targeted solutions can drive systemic change, while advising founders to invest in self-education and build networks through persistent outreach.

    Starting a product companyValidation & product-market fit
    10 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.