Founder of TOMS to speak in Cape

Not many people can say that they have managed to start five businesses, have competed on a reality show and have helped change the world, but Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe-giver of TOMS Shoes, is not like other CEOs.

Mycoskie, who is the second speaker in the Southeast Missouri State University Speaker's Series, has steadily built his company since its incarnation in 2006.

According to Mycoskie in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, TOMS is actually short for "Tomorrow's Shoes." Mycoskie had intended to call the shoes that, going off of the philosophy of "buy a pair of shoes today, give a pair of shoes tomorrow." However, he was unable to write "Tomorrow" on the small flap on the back of all of the shoes, so he ended up shortening "Tomorrow" to "TOMS." Mycoskie even said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that people call him "Tom" now.

The origin of the shoes can actually be tied to reality television. According to the TOMS website and a segment from "CBS Sunday Morning," Mycoskie and his sister, Paige, both competed on the reality series "The Amazing Race" back in 2002 and visited Argentina at one point during the contest.

Mycoskie went back to vacation in Argentina in 2006, and while he was there he noticed that local polo players were wearing shoes called alpargatas, basic slide-on canvas shoes that have been worn by Argentinian farmers for hundreds of years. These shoes later became the influence for the TOMS design. Mycoskie began wearing alpargatas himself.

He decided to develop an alpargata-type of shoe that he could sell in the North American market, with the promise that for every pair of shoes sold, he would provide a pair of shoes, free of charge, to a child in need. This was the start of the One for One movement.

"I believe [Mycoskie is] an inspiration because he sees a need and doesn't sit back and think that someone else will take care of it," Joanna Shaver, coordinator for campus programming, said.

TOMS provides shoes for children all over the world, including North America. In 2011, Mycoskie decided to take the One for One movement even farther and expanded it to eyewear. For every pair of TOMS eyewear sold, a part of the profit is used to either save or restore eyesight for people in developing countries, according to the TOMS website.

"When I think about Blake Mycoskie, the first word that comes to mind is selflessness," Casey Crawford, a Southeast student, said. "I'm glad to see there is still someone in this world that has more concern for people than profit."

In 2011, Mycoskie released his first book, "Start Something That Matters," which is the theme of his lecture.

Mycoskie will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Show Me Center. Tickets are free for students, faculty and staff with a valid Southeast ID and $10 for others. The first 500 students to receive tickets will also receive a copy of Mycoskie's book. Tickets are available at the Show Me Center box office or at showmecenter.biz.