“We’ve always said that we’re a brand that’s focused on supporting the homeless community – a community whose voice is often silenced. As we were growing this company, we started to really focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. “I don’t shy away from the fact that my life has benefitted from the fact I’m white,” says David. “It becomes a social issue for all of us – as does the issue of racism.” With that as a backdrop, how does David view the current protests and social unrest?
“Homelessness is a collision of many different things,” notes Steve. The intersection of homeless and racial inequity Likewise, in the days before the pandemic, the company offered 10-15 different volunteer opportunities each month. Each employee is given 10 pairs of socks on their first day and encouraged to pass them out. “They work together as a hive to make their world a better place.” He noted that he, co-founder Randy Goldberg, and employees also donate something just as valuable – their precious time. And to do good, you had to do well from a business perspective.”ĭavid pointed out the word “Bombas” is derived from the Latin word for bumblebee. They find and create value in the marketplace, and then they find the cause, the altruism. As Steve observes, “Most entities go about it the other way. And how this same commitment to making the world a more human place can be a force for racial and social justice.
Thus began the story of how a company whose genesis is rooted in a mission – rather than just the bottom line – can not only succeed, but flourish. And to sell a lot of socks, we’ve got to create the best socks in the history of feet.’” And if we need to donate a lot of socks, we need to sell a lot of socks. “I said to myself, ‘I wonder if we could solve this problem in the homeless community by donating a pair of socks for every pair we sold. “And millions more worldwide.”Īnd while the realization didn’t immediately translate into a business, he “just couldn’t shake it.” It was when he learned how companies like TOMS shoes and Warby Parker eyeglasses were donating their product to charity that his “aha” moment came. “Something that I have never spent more than a few seconds thinking about turns out to be a luxury for almost 600,000 people here in the U.S. While scrolling on Facebook in 2011, David came across a post that identified socks as the most requested clothing item in homeless shelters. “And of course, you always find things in the most unlikely scenarios.” “I walk around the world with my antenna up and my eyes open, just looking for problems to solve,” he notes. In an inspiring interview with Workhuman ® CHRO Steve Pemberton, the head of the innovative sock company reflected on his entrepreneurial roots and longtime desire to run his own company. “I didn’t grow up wanting to start a sock company,” says David Heath, CEO and co-founder of Bombas.
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