This 28-Year-Old Entrepreneur With Down Syndrome Runs the World's Largest Sock Company. Here's How He Started It. The eight-year-old company recently hit a record number of orders.
By Sherin Shibu Edited by Melissa Malamut
Key Takeaways
- John Cronin founded John’s Crazy Socks after graduating from high school.
- The company has now fulfilled over two million orders and is reportedly the world’s largest sock company.
- Cronin, who has Down Syndrome, runs the business with his family.
John Cronin, a 28-year-old entrepreneur with Down Syndrome, started John's Crazy Socks in 2016. The Farmingdale, New York-based company now sells more than 4,000 different types of socks and has hit a major milestone: over two million orders fulfilled, per a report published Wednesday by the New York Post.
The socks on offer range from holiday-focused to Harry Potter-branded. There are also special designs that raise awareness for Down syndrome and autism, and gift packs, like a women's dog rescue gift containing three different pairs of dog-themed socks.
Cronin, his parents Mark and Carol, and his older brother Jamie run the business together. It has grown to become the world's largest sock company, per the Post.
Cronin co-started the company with the mission of "spreading happiness." He handwrites a thank you note and includes two free pieces of candy with every order. At the start of the company's journey, he would even hand-deliver orders to customers. Over the past eight years, John's Crazy Socks has donated nearly $800,000 to charities, including the Special Olympics.
"Thank you to our customers," Cronin said, per the New York Post. "Thank you so much for helping my company."
How John's Crazy Socks Began
Mark Cronin explained in an interview with Canvas Rebel last week that the business began when John was exploring his options after high school.
"John could not find anything that excited him," Mark said. "This is an unfortunate reality that there are just not enough good options for people with different abilities."
John wanted to go into business with his dad and landed on the idea of selling socks. The father-son duo decided to build a website, get some inventory, and set up a Facebook page with some promotional videos starring John. The first day they opened their virtual storefront, on December 9, 2016, they got 42 orders. In the next two weeks, they got 452 orders.
"We did not know how fast it would grow, we did not know how large it would grow, but we knew we could make this business work," Mark stated.
John's Crazy Socks was built on five pillars: inspiration, giving back, fun products, making it personal, and creating a great place to work.
"We may not be outselling Target and Walmart, at least not yet, but we have more choices than anybody else," Mark said. In addition, the company employs 34 people, 22 of whom are people with differing abilities.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 22.5% of people with disabilities were employed last year.
Related: I'm Disabled — And Here Are 3 Meaningful Ways Your Company Can Foster a More Inclusive Workplace
