What Drives Your Organization? Start with Purpose.
Why does your organization exist, not what you do, but why? What’s the heartbeat behind what you do? Saying you want to make money is not enough. We all want to make money, but that is not what truly drives your organization. I am not asking what you do, but why you do it. The […]
How We Hire our Warehouse Staff and Create Meaningful Jobs for People with Differing Abilities
At John’s Crazy Socks, we sell more than just socks, we’re in the business of spreading happiness. That mission lives in everything we do, especially how we hire and empower our warehouse team, including our pickers affectionately known as our Sock Wranglers. Every e-commerce company needs to fulfill orders. It’s a fundamental part of doing […]
Is it an Accommodation or an Innovation?
Many business leaders have told me they hesitate to hire people with disabilities because they worry about the accommodations involved. “We’d love to,” they say, “but it just seems like a lot — the cost, the adjustments, the effort.” I could tell them that their worry is misplaced, after all, according to the U.S. Chamber […]
A Litle More Joy, A Little More Empathy
“Emotional intelligence is inclusion. It is the ability to be your true self and be accepted. Emotional intelligence is a life skill. It’s a leadership skill. And it’s something we need to nurture in our kids, now more than ever.” That’s what Mark shared when speaking at the EQJOY World launch party, a new initiative […]
Medicaid Fuels Disability Employment, Why Are So Few Talking About It?
At John’s Crazy Socks, more than half our colleagues have a disability and they depend on Medicaid for their jobs. I am not referring simply to medical insurance – which everyone needs – but to the services funded by Medicaid that make work possible for so many. Yet Medicaid’s role in making work possible for […]
Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome: A Crisis We Can’t Ignore
Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome: A Crisis We Can’t Ignore As the parent of a son with Down syndrome, I’ve lived through the challenges, the joys, and the moments of deep concern that come with this journey. One concern has become especially urgent and not enough people are talking about it. Over 90% of people with […]
Every Voice Counts: The Imperative of Accessible Voting for People with Differing Abilities
By Mark X. Cronin | May 20, 2025 Elections have consequences and those who don’t vote, don’t get a say. But if we exclude people from voting, especially those with differing abilities, then we undermine the foundation of our democracy. To truly reflect the will of the people, we must ensure that every citizen can […]
More Than a Job: How We Celebrate Every New Employee
At John’s Crazy Socks, we don’t just hire people — we honor their achievements. For many of our colleagues, this is their very first job. That matters. And we believe every first deserves a celebration. Welcoming New Hires with Heart Starting a new job should feel like a victory — especially when it’s your first. […]
How Well Does Your Company Welcome and Support a Neurodiverse Workforce?
Hiring people with differing abilities including those who are neurodivergent is not altruism. It’s good business. At John’s Crazy Socks and now through Abilities Rising, we’ve seen this firsthand. Diverse teams perform better, build stronger cultures, and unlock talent that’s too often overlooked by traditional hiring pipelines. The old adage says, “You measure what you […]
Inclusive Hiring Isn’t Radical, It’s Good Business
Let’s start with a simple truth: every business wants to hire the best possible employees for the salaries they can afford to pay. But if you’re excluding an entire group of people, whether intentionally or not, you can no longer claim to be hiring the best. And that’s not just a moral failure. It’s a […]
