Last week, John and Mark spoke with a group of business and entrepreneurship students at C.W. Post, a campus of Long Island University. These students are tomorrow’s founders, creators, and changemakers, and it was an honor to share our story with them.
John and Mark weren’t there just to talk socks. They came to talk about what it means to build a business with purpose, a company that’s about more than profits, a business that’s about making a difference.
At John’s Crazy Socks, our mission is simple: Spreading Happiness™. We believe that even a small business can have a significant impact. We’ve seen it firsthand. And we love helping students see that, too.
From the 21-Year-Old Cliff to a Global Movement
The Cronins began by sharing how John, in his last year of high school, asked the big question: What comes next? When traditional job paths offered few options, John said something that changed everything. He told his father, “Let’s go into business together.”
They started small, just the two of them packing socks in a temporary office space. But they were clear on their mission: to show what people with differing abilities can do and to spread happiness with every order. That mission carried John and Markfrom startup to scale-up, and eventually to becoming the world’s largest sock store.
Lessons from Our Sock Journey
With the students at LIU, John and Mark discussed the realities of entrepreneurship. The risks. The mistakes. The pivots. But also, the moments of joy. The customers who write to say our socks lifted their spirits. The colleagues who find meaning and purpose in their work. The feeling of building something that matters.
They shared the Five Pillars that guide everything we do at John’s Crazy Socks:
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Inspiration and Hope
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Giving Back
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Fun Products You Can Love
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Making It Personal
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Creating a Great Place to Work
These aren’t just words on a wall. They’re the compass for our business.
Building a Business That Includes Everyone
Over half of our team at John’s Crazy Socks has a differing ability. We’ve seen how creating a unified workplace isn’t charity, it’s good business. It leads to better retention, higher morale, and stronger results. John and Mark shared those lessons with the students, but more importantly, invited them to see what’s possible when we build businesses that welcome everyone.
And John? He reminded them that joy and love are powerful tools in business.
The Future is Bright
One student said, “This was the best class all year.” That means everything to us. Because if we can help even one student believe they can build a business that makes the world better, we’ve done our job.
John and Mark left the room feeling hopeful. These students, our next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, are ready to lead with heart and courage.
And we’ll be cheering them on, one crazy sock at a time.
Want to learn more about our mission? Visit us at JohnsCrazySocks.com. Join our mission to spread happiness. Want John and Mark to speak at your school or organization? Check out their speaker page or email booking@jmspeak.com.
