“Start Something That Matters”

“Start Something that Matters” by Blake Mycoskie is a book that is more than just Mycoskie’s story of creating the popular shoe brand TOMS. It is a guide with useful information for aspiring entrepreneurs that shows readers that starting a business is not as intimidating as it may seem.

Each chapter outlined an overarching part of starting your own business, like finding a story that is specific to your company, being resourceful when you have few resources, and building trust, to name a few. Mycoskie relates his experience of creating TOMS to each chapter, as well as providing examples of other businesses that are enacting similar ideals. Overall, Mycoskie created this book to show readers that anyone can start their own business and you don’t need to have a lot of money in order to do so.

The business model for TOMS is One-for-One, meaning that for every pair of shoes sold, another one gets donated to a child in need. I don’t think that this type of entrepreneurship is very different from “general entrepreneurship.” I think that starting your own business, whatever it may be, can benefit someone and your product or service can positively affect their lives, whether your company has a social mission or not. Most people don’t purchase a product or service if they don’t believe in it. The TOMS model is also an example of a social purpose venture, as they are a for-profit company with a mission to resolve a social problem.

I think this visual does a good job at showing what goes into becoming a successful social entrepreneur. I’m sure that Blake Mycoskie would agree as well.

Mycoskie stressed throughout the book that anyone can start something that matters, and the most important part is the first step in enacting your idea. I’m not sure what my future holds and whether or not I will take the steps to become an entrepreneur, but I hope that what I end up doing in my career helps others in some way. As I mentioned in my last blog post, there are plenty of opportunities in the music nonprofit world for me to make a difference, particularly in community outreach and bringing classical music into the lives of the younger generations. I want to be part of something that matters and something that is making a difference, whether it’s something I create or not.

I think having an entrepreneurial mindset, the ability to quickly sense, take action, and get organized under certain conditions, is important to have in any field. Whether you are starting or taking part in “something that matters,” it is important to have the right intentions, as businesses whose only mission is to increase their profits are not successful long-term. Overall, I think “Start Something That Matters” is a useful guide that gives aspiring entrepreneurs a boost of confidence before diving into their first business idea.