Rotary International is all about doing for others and bring people together, so it is only natural that John and Mark, co-founders of John’s Crazy Socks, brought their message of hope and encouragement to the Patchogue Rotary Club. After all, John’s Crazy Socks has a mission to spread happiness and John says the keys to happiness are doing for others and gratitude.
Rick Braile, a member of the Patchogue Rotary, said, “A big thank you to you, John & Mark for the great presentation today! I’ve been in the Patchogue Rotary Club for many years & this has been our best program ever!”
John said, “We admire what message of Rotary International and were excited to speak with them.” At the end of their talk, the room erupted into a standing ovation.
John and Mark spoke to the Patchogue Rotary monthly meeting to offer inspiration and to share how a business can make a difference in the community and the world. The pair shared the origin story for John’s Crazy Socks and how John could not find meaningful work, so he said to his father, “I want to create a business with you.” It was John’s idea to sell socks and to base a business on spreading happiness.
“Origin stories give organizations their DNA,” said Mark X. Cronin.
The father-son team spoke of how they built their business on a social enterprise model having both social and a business mission that feed off each other. They have bootstrapped that business into the world’s largest sock store and have been recognized as EY Entrepreneurs of the Year.
John and Mark shared the five pillars on which they have built the business:
- Inspiration and Hope: Showing what people with differing abilities can do
- Giving Back: They start by donating five percent of earnings to the Special Olympics
- Fun Products You Can Love
- Making It Personal: Creating Customer Experiences
- Making John’s Crazy Socks a Great Place to Work
Speaking with Small Business Owners
John and Mark did more than offer an inspiring story. They also gave concrete ways in which a business, even a small business, can create customer experiences that build trust and a relationship and keep customers coming back.
Keynote and Event Speakers
John and Mark X. Cronin are frequent speakers at conferences and corporate events. They share their entrepreneurial story of how a young man with Down syndrome together with his father created what is today the world’s largest sock store with a mission to spread happiness. Their speaking engagements bring laughter, tears and inspire people to see what is possible for each of us to achieve. They have spoken in person at events across Canada, the United States and Mexico and at virtual events around the world. They have spoken at events for Microsoft, EY, Bank of America, the Special Olympics, and the National Down Syndrome Society, among others.
Their advocacy work has seen the Cronins testify twice before Congress and speak at the United Nations on two occasions. Their work has been featured on many national news shows. They are winners of many awards including the EY Entrepreneurs of the Year. They serve on the CEO Commission for Disability Employment and the Neurodiversity at Work Business Roundtable.
John and Mark recently recorded their second TEDx Talk entitled, “Hiring People with People with Differing Abilities is Not Altruism, It Is Good Business.” That Talk is available on YouTube and the TED platform. Their first TEDx Talk entitled Differently Abled People Want to Help Us is also available on YouTube and the TED platform.
If you would like John and Mark to speak at your event, please visit the speaker’s pages at our website or contact Maria Lerner at MLerner@johnscrazysocks.com.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $550,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, they are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account, TikTok or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
