Start Something That Matters

How to Build a Business That Makes Money and Changes the World

Learn how to build a purpose-driven business that earns a living and creates real-world impact at the same time.

Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes on a simple idea: sell a pair of shoes, give a pair away. That model turned a small startup into a global movement. In Start Something That Matters, he breaks down the principles behind purpose-driven entrepreneurship — authenticity, simplicity, giving, and story — and shows how ordinary people can build businesses that generate revenue while solving real problems.

Buy on Amazon →

About this book

Most business books tell you to pick a market, find a pain point, and optimize for profit. Blake Mycoskie did something different. He built TOMS Shoes on a one-for-one giving model and, in doing so, demonstrated that profit and purpose are not opposites. They can reinforce each other.

Start Something That Matters is Mycoskie's account of how that happened and what he learned along the way. It is not a memoir dressed up as a business book. It is a practical framework drawn from his own experience and the stories of other entrepreneurs who built companies around causes they genuinely cared about.

The book is organized around six core principles: simplicity, trust, story, giving, need, and action. Each principle is grounded in concrete examples. You will see how a clear story attracts both customers and investors without expensive advertising. You will understand why simplicity in your product and message is a competitive advantage, not a constraint. And you will learn how embedding giving into your business model from day one changes the way customers relate to your brand.

Mycoskie is direct about the obstacles. He covers the fear of starting, the challenge of raising early capital, and the difficulty of staying true to your founding values as your company scales. He does not pretend the path is easy, but he makes a credible case that the combination of meaning and business discipline is more durable than either alone.

How the one-for-one giving model works and why it resonates with customers
Why your personal story is one of your most valuable business assets
How to identify a cause or problem worth building a company around
Practical advice on starting with limited resources and scaling without losing focus
Lessons from founders across industries who built purpose-driven companies

If you have an idea that feels both commercially viable and genuinely meaningful, this book gives you a framework to take it seriously. It is aimed at people who want their work to matter — and who are willing to do the work required to make that happen.

🎯 What you'll learn

Identify a cause or unmet need that can anchor both your business model and your personal motivation
Build a founding story that attracts customers, partners, and early investors without a marketing budget
Apply the one-for-one giving model or adapt its logic to your own product or service
Simplify your offer and message so that both your team and your customers understand it immediately
Start with the resources you have rather than waiting for perfect conditions
Scale a purpose-driven business without drifting from the values that made it work in the first place
Learn from real founders who built impact-oriented companies across different industries and markets

👤 Who is this book for?

Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start a business aligned with a cause or social mission they believe in
Early-stage founders trying to articulate the story and purpose behind their company
Professionals considering a career pivot toward social enterprise or impact-focused startups
Students in business or social entrepreneurship programs looking for a practical, grounded case study
Marketers and brand builders who want to understand how purpose creates authentic customer loyalty

01

The Story Behind TOMS

Mycoskie recounts how a trip to Argentina and a glimpse of barefoot children led directly to the founding of TOMS Shoes and the one-for-one model. You see how an accidental observation became a concrete business idea.
02

The Power of Story

You learn why a compelling personal narrative is one of the most effective business tools available, and how to identify and articulate the story that only you can tell. Real examples show how story drives sales, press, and partnerships.
03

Facing Your Fears

This chapter addresses the practical and psychological barriers that stop most people from starting. Mycoskie provides honest perspective on risk, failure, and why taking imperfect action beats waiting for certainty.
04

The Case for Simplicity

You examine how keeping your product, message, and model simple makes execution faster and customer adoption easier. Mycoskie shows why constraints often produce better businesses than unlimited options.
05

Building Trust

You explore how transparency and consistency build the kind of customer and partner trust that sustains a business through hard periods. Case studies illustrate how trust functions as a competitive moat.
06

Incorporating Giving

Mycoskie lays out different models for embedding giving into a business structure from the beginning, not as a marketing add-on but as a core operational commitment. You see how giving can strengthen rather than strain a business financially.
07

Resourcefulness Over Resources

This chapter covers how to start and grow with limited capital by being creative, building community, and leveraging your mission to attract support that money alone cannot buy.
08

Start Something That Matters

The final chapter brings the six principles together into a concrete call to action. You leave with a clear sense of the steps required to move from idea to launched venture, and why starting now beats planning indefinitely.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need prior business experience to get value from this book?

No. The book is written for people at the idea stage as much as for those already running a company. Mycoskie explains concepts from first principles and avoids assuming technical business knowledge.

Is this primarily a memoir about TOMS, or does it contain practical business advice?

It is both, but the practical content is substantial. Each chapter draws on the TOMS story and the stories of other founders to illustrate actionable principles you can apply to your own venture.

Does the book focus only on product businesses, or is it relevant for service businesses too?

The core principles — story, simplicity, giving, trust — apply across business types. While TOMS is a product company, Mycoskie draws examples from service and digital businesses as well.

Is the giving model relevant if I am not starting a social enterprise?

Yes. The book argues that purpose and generosity are business advantages regardless of your industry. Even if a formal one-for-one model does not fit your company, the underlying logic of mission-driven branding applies broadly.

How current is the advice given the book was published in 2012?

The foundational principles around story, purpose, and simplicity are durable and hold up well. Some specific platform references are dated, but the strategic thinking remains relevant for entrepreneurs starting today.