Podcast Summary: "Here's the Scoop"

Episode: TOMS Founder Blake Mycoskie on Finally Feeling “ENOUGH”
Date: January 19, 2026
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian
Guest: Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS, Creator of Enough (mental health nonprofit)

Episode Overview

To mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day—a time for service and reflection—host Yasmin Vossoughian sits down with Blake Mycoskie, famed founder of TOMS shoes. The conversation pivots from Blake's renowned social entrepreneurship to his new mission: destigmatizing mental health struggles and championing personal well-being through his new nonprofit, Enough. Drawing on his own battles with depression and feelings of inadequacy, Blake opens up about healing, purpose, philanthropy, and why self-worth isn't dictated by external success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Birth of "Enough" and Blake’s Personal Mental Health Struggle

Timestamps:

• [02:22] – Introduction to Enough

• [02:34] – Blake’s Post-TOMS Depression

• The Inspiration:

  • After selling TOMS, despite material and philanthropic success, Blake sank into deep depression.
  • Root of his struggle: a lifelong feeling of "not enough," despite outward achievements.

• Enough Campaign:

  • A bracelet campaign to normalize mental health conversation.
  • 100% of profits fund mental health organizations.

• Blake’s Simple but Powerful Healing Practice:

  • 40 days of mediation: "I am enough. I’ve always been enough."
    • “I believe and my psychiatrist believes…that I repatterned my neural pathways.” —Blake Mycoskie [04:40]

2. Origins of Self-Worth Issues & The Trap of External Validation

Timestamps:

• [03:31] – Blake on Childhood and Insecurity

• [05:25] – Life after Selling TOMS

• Childhood Sports, Teenage Experiences, and Bullying:

  • “I was a competitive tennis player…and as good as I was, I still lost a lot of matches…” —Blake [03:34]
  • Memories of bullying and adolescent disappointment lingered into adulthood.

• Endless Hustle and Dopamine Addiction:

  • Selling TOMS abruptly ended his sense of purpose and removed the daily "high" of achievement.
  • “I really believe I had a dopamine addiction for a long time because of all the excitement and all the external validation…” —Blake [05:30]
  • The loss of community and routine led to deeper feelings of emptiness.

3. The “Enough” Bracelet: Symbolism, Purpose, and Community

Timestamps:

• [06:39] – Showing the Bracelet

• [06:53] – Handmade Story

• Product Details:

  • Hand-beaded in India by women artisans.
  • Sold in pairs—to encourage gifting, support, and connection.
  • Includes a poem emphasizing being seen and valued “not for anything you’ve done or anything you’re going to do.”

• Intent:

  • The bracelet acts as a physical reminder of self-worth and a bridge to supportive relationships.
  • Addressing loneliness and creating small communities: “If you have one person, [it] can make a big difference in the trajectory of someone's situation.” —Blake [07:27]

4. Facing Skepticism & Spurring Awareness

Timestamps:

• [07:45] – Isn’t it just a bracelet?

• A Tool for Dialogue:

  • The bracelet isn’t a panacea but a conversation starter.
  • Drawing on the “distinctive” design lesson from TOMS: “If we have something that’s distinctive, that’s unique, all of a sudden you’re standing in line for Starbucks and you see someone else wearing one, you might say something to them.” —Blake [08:14]

• Mission Metric:

  • 8 out of 10 young people don’t feel they’re enough (stat cited by Blake).
  • Even modest progress on this statistic is meaningful.

5. Mental Health and Technology: The Promise and Pitfalls of AI

Timestamps:

• [09:05] – Host raises AI and mental health

• [09:21] – Blake on AI therapy apps

• Blake’s Involvement with AI-based Support (Sonia.ai):

  • Mentoring founders; using the app himself for daily emotional check-ins and pattern recognition.
  • “With Sonia, I find like 10 minutes every morning is amazing because I can check in…[it] remembers everything that you tell it…” —Blake [09:35]

• Concerns:

  • AI will never fully replace traditional therapy but can increase accessibility and help those who can’t afford or schedule classic therapy.

6. The Changing Landscape of Social Entrepreneurship

Timestamps:

• [12:18] – Social enterprise future

• [12:58] – The retreat from mission-driven business models

• TOMS’ Legacy and Recent Shift:

  • TOMS and peers like Warby Parker, Bombas, inspired a wave of social enterprise.
  • Blake notes a regression in philanthropy and cause-driven business over the last 5–7 years.
  • “I really haven’t been that involved in the last seven years in the business world. And I don’t really understand why it has seemed to go backwards in terms of corporate social responsibility.” —Blake [13:53]

• Personal Impact of Depression:

  • Severe depression left Blake unable to pursue entrepreneurial ideas for years; healing sparked a return to business with renewed perspective.

7. Philanthropy: Joy in Giving, Not Just Earning

Timestamps:

• [14:13] – Host presses on why wealthy people hold back

• [14:23] – Blake's advice and Sarah Blakely’s quote

• Making Giving Enjoyable:

  • Conversations with wealthy friends about enjoying giving now, not just posthumously.
  • “Money should be fun to make, money should be fun to spend and money should be fun to give away.” —Blake, quoting Sarah Blakely [15:00]
  • Proportional giving matters: “You don’t need a lot to give; the joy is accessible at any level.”

• Children in Philanthropy:

  • Involving his own children in Enough’s initiatives; teaching generosity from youth.

8. Living Difference with “Enough”: Full Profits and Newfound Freedom

Timestamps:

• [16:49] – Committing all profits

• [17:30] – The stress of for-profit vs. nonprofit

• Blake’s Commitment:

  • $3 million of his own money committed up front; $1 million/year for 3 years to mental health non-profits, regardless of Enough’s early profitability.
  • Personal satisfaction of freedom from profit pressure compared to running TOMS.

9. Parting Advice on Mental Health & Enoughness

Timestamps:

• [17:49] – Yasmin requests a closing message

• [18:02] – Blake’s advice

• Ask for Help:

  • “If you’re really struggling, please ask for help. I can’t say that enough. It is really scary when your mind is not being kind to you…there is hope.” —Blake [18:02]

• It’s Normal to Struggle with Enoughness:

  • Feelings of inadequacy—imposter syndrome—are part of being human, not a personal flaw.
  • Normalize seeking help and discussing mental health.

• Self-Worth Beyond Accomplishments:

  • “Who you are, why you matter…isn’t based on your accomplishments. And if it is, they’re not the right people for you.” —Blake [19:32]

10. Final Thoughts: Enough Is a Journey

Timestamps:

• [20:20] – Host and guest reflect on “enoughness”

• [20:23] – “Are you enough today?”

• A Work in Progress:

  • “Enough is not a destination…[but] a journey. You don’t just feel enough the rest of your life…” —Blake [20:25]

• **Small rituals and gestures help reinforce self-worth over time.

Notable Quotes & Standout Moments

• “For so many years, no matter what I accomplished externally, I never felt that I was enough.” —Blake Mycoskie [02:36]
• “I did a very good job at it for a long time… and that was the scariest moment of all, because there was nothing left to do. You know, I’d already done all the things.” —Blake [03:45]
• “It really all started when I finally just said, I’m enough… and that’s really what led to this whole idea of selling these bracelets and getting this message out there.” —Blake [06:21]
• “Eight out of 10 young people don’t feel that they’re enough in our country. I mean, that is a crisis. The alarm should be going off.” —Blake [08:30]
• “If you’re really struggling, please ask for help. I can’t say that enough.” —Blake [18:02]
• “I really do feel enough. And I really do feel peace and I don’t feel the pressure that I used to feel. And that’s a nice way to live.” —Blake [19:56]
• “Enough is not a destination … it’s a journey.” —Blake [20:25]

Important Timestamps

• [02:34] Blake explains how feelings of not being enough led to depression.
• [04:39] Blake describes his 40 days of the “I am enough” meditation.
• [05:29] Discussion about dopamine addiction post-TOMS.
• [06:53] Description of the Enough bracelet and its intent.
• [09:21] Blake discusses experience and advice with AI-based mental health support.
• [12:18] Social entrepreneurship’s changing landscape since TOMS.
• [14:23] Sarah Blakely’s “money should be fun” philosophy.
• [16:49] Blake’s commitment of all profits to mental health organizations.
• [18:02] Blake’s core advice for those struggling with mental health.
• [20:23] The idea of “enoughness” as a journey.

Summary Takeaway

This candid conversation with Blake Mycoskie underscores a crucial truth: external success doesn’t guarantee internal peace. By vulnerably sharing his experience with depression and actively channeling his recovery into a new mental health initiative, Blake exemplifies modern leadership: one that centers well-being over winning, community over comparison, and lasting impact over fleeting accolades. The “Enough” movement is both a personal and public call to uproot shame, live authentically, and remind ourselves—and each other—of our inherent worth.

If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.