Through July 4, The Post, in conjunction with Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, is featuring US citizens explaining what the American dream means to them in 2026. Among them is David Heath, the co-founder of Bombas, a company that sells high quality socks and underwear and donates one pair for every pair sold. Since launching in 2013, Bombas has done over $1 billion in lifetime sales and donated more than 200 million apparel items to those in need.
My definition of the American dream is the ability to be in a place that has unlimited freedoms and [gives you] the ability to take whatever idea that you have — whether you have resources or don’t have resources — and through hard work, grit and tenacity create something that can be very prosperous…
I think a lot of natural born entrepreneurs [are] constantly out in the world with eyes and ears open, looking at the problems in the world and saying, how can we solve this with business?
… I came across a quote that said, socks are the number one most requested clothing item in homeless shelters … I was like, wow, that’s pretty sad. Here’s an item of clothing that I’ve never spent more than a few seconds a day thinking about. Yet, it’s being perceived as a luxury item for over 600,000 people living right here in my own backyard …
This was early 2011. Toms shoes was growing like crazy, really pioneering the one-for-one, buy one-give one movement …
Our original thinking was, can we take a product that everybody wears, make it better, and, in turn, through our ability to sell more, have more impact on our community.
So, we launched the product in August of 2013. After six months, we’d done about a million dollars in sales, and we were like, wow, this is much bigger than we had ever anticipated …
The American Dream, is that anybody is capable of taking action … anybody who has an idea or who just wants something better out of their life, or for the lives of others.
The American Dream Video Project showcases real stories that illuminate pathways to opportunity. Featured at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), this series is part of the Center’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. MCAAD is Washington, DC’s newest cultural institution, offering interactive exhibits and stories about achieving the American Dream. For more information, visit mcaad.org.
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