A Sweet Stop in Boise: How a Candy Shop Is Changing Lives and Why We Want to Help
When my son John and I travel to speak at conferences, we always look for local businesses that align with our mission, places that believe in the talent and potential of people with differing abilities. We want to learn form them, support them and see if there are opportunities to collaborate. That’s how we found […]
AI Is Not the Enemy — It’s a New Tool for Empowering People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
There’s no shortage of fear surrounding artificial intelligence. Many worry that AI will take away jobs—especially routine jobs—and make it even harder for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to find meaningful work. That concern about the impact that AI will have on people with differing abilities is warranted, but it is not all […]
What the ADA Means to My Son John and to All of Us Who Believe in Possibility
On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. At the time, my son John hadn’t yet been born. Today, John is 29 years old, and the ADA has shaped every opportunity that he, and so many others with disabilities, have had to live a full, […]
“You See, I Can Do Anything”: Why Representation Matters for People with Differing Abilities
When we talk about inclusion in the workplace, we often focus on policies, accessibility, and hiring practices, all essential. But there’s another powerful, sometimes overlooked tool for building a more inclusive world: representation. At John’s Crazy Socks, we know from experience that representation isn’t just a feel-good idea, it’s a catalyst. When people with differing […]
John and Mark X. Cronin to Headline Project Outreach’s Night of Change and MERGE Conference in Alabama
This July, we’re heading to Mobile, Alabama and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve been invited by Project Outreach Gulf Coast to speak at two of their signature events: the Night of Change fundraising dinner on Thursday, July 10, and the MERGE Conference for educators and students on Friday, July 11. Project Outreach Project Outreach […]
Standing by Our Values: Why We’ll Keep Selling Pride Socks
How can a message of inclusion bring such division? How can a message of love bring out such hate? These questions haunt us every June as Pride month approaches and we prepare to celebrate what should be a time of joy and acceptance. At John’s Crazy Socks, we are on a mission to spread happiness, […]
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 […]
