John Cronin (entrepreneur)

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John Cronin
Born
John Lee Cronin

1996 (age 27–28)
Alma materHuntington High School
OccupationCo-founder of John's Crazy Socks
Years active2016 – present
Parent
  • Mark X. Cronin (father)
Websitejohnscrazysocks.com

John Lee Cronin is an American entrepreneur and advocate who happens to have Down syndrome.[1][2][3][4] He is the co-founder of John's Crazy Socks,[5] a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness.[6][7] Cronin is the first entrepreneur with Down syndrome to win the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and is also the recipient of the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. He was named an alternate to the U.S. National Snowshoe Team for the Special Olympics World Games in March 2017.[8]

Early life and education[edit]

Cronin was born to Carol and Mark X. Cronin.[1] Cronin has two older brothers, Patrick and James.[9]

Cronin began his education in the pre-school program at ACDS and moved on to the Huntington School system, which he completed in June 2017. During his last three years, Cronin split his days between Huntington High School and Wilson Tech, where he studied office skills and retailing.[1] After school, Cronin participated in the Grand-Friends Club and the Relay for Life events. Wilson Tech also named Cronin their Outstanding Student of the Year.[8]

John's Crazy Socks[edit]

In the fall of 2016, Cronin entered his last year of high school. He began looking for work after high school and could not find anything he liked. Instead, he suggested to his father, Mark X. Cronin, that they go into business together.[10] After rejecting John's initial ideas of a "fun store" and a food truck, John suggested they sell socks. The pair opened John's Crazy Socks on December 9, 2016.[3][10][11]

They grew the business into what has been called the World's Largest Sock Store.[12][13] They are known for employing people with differing abilities — more than half their colleagues have a differing ability[14][15] — and for their Giving Back Program that donates money to groups like the Special Olympics,[16] the National Down Syndrome Society and the Autism Society of America.[6][7][17][18]

Cronin became "sock buddies" with former President George H.W. Bush[14] and the two exchanged letters and socks. President Bush tweeted out pictures of sock that Cronin had sent him and wore socks he gave him to the funeral of his wife, Barbara Bush.[4][19][20][21]

Cronin has been recognized as the EY Entrepreneur of the Year[22][23] and the Long Island Chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization named him Young Entrepreneur of the Year.[24] He was named the Millennial of the Year by the Long Island Business News.[25]

Cronin is a frequent speaker at business events and schools and universities about business.[26] He has delivered two TEDx Talks.[27]

Cronin has been profiled in two documentaries: Sock Guys[28][29] and Igniting Impact.[30][31]

An advocate for people with disabilities[edit]

John Cronin is a well-known advocate for people with differing abilities.[14][15] He has testified twice before the U.S Congress[32] and spoken twice at the United Nations.[33] He received the 2022 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award from the Viscardi Center.[6][34] Cronin serves on the Board of the National Down Syndrome Society[35][36] and is a member of the CEO Commission for Disability Employment.[27][37][38] In 2019, he was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in New York and became the first entrepreneur with Down syndrome to win the award.[39]

Filmography[edit]

Documentary[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2019 Igniting Impact[30][31] Self
Sock Guys[28][29] Self

Personal life[edit]

John lives with his parents in Huntington, New York.[1]

Awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Quezada, Veronica (April 25, 2017). "How This 21-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Is Making Six Figures Selling Socks". Money. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "Meet John Cronin With John's Crazy Socks | Special Olympics Arizona". specialolympicsarizona.org. October 5, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Father and son build six-figure sock empire". NZ Herald. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Jacobson, Lindsey (April 26, 2018). "President H.W. Bush honored wife with 'crazy socks'". ABC News. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "THE FATHER AND SON BEHIND JOHN'S CRAZY SOCKS ARE FIGHTING FOR DISABLED RIGHTS". Mission. July 25, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Taubert, Eric (January 18, 2023). "John Cronin of Huntington Receives the 2022 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award". Living Huntington. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Sock business is booming for man with Down syndrome". ABC News. May 3, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Slater, Ivy (December 24, 2018). "Her Success Story: Her Success Story 48 - Mark and John Cronin". slatersuccess.libsyn.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  9. ^ Brown, Mickey (June 1, 2023). "Proud Dad Business Owners". 1800Flowers Petal Talk. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Social entrepreneurs and founders of John’s Crazy Socks spark inspiration in Carleton University students". Sprott School of Business. April 2, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "Man with Down syndrome owns multi-million-dollar sock business". CTVNews. April 12, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Duellick, Alex (May 18, 2022). "The World’s Largest Sock Store â€" John’s Crazy Socks!". Canadian Retail Solutions. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Case Study: John's Crazy Socks - The World's Largest Online Sock Store & Card Isle". cardisle.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "John's Crazy Socks Creates Special Gift Pack To Support Texans Impacted By Winter Storm Disaster - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. March 10, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  15. ^ a b DeSantis, Michael (February 2, 2023). "LI's John's Crazy Socks Named 'World's Most Inspirational Enterprise' By Magazine". Farmingdale, NY Patch. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "John's Crazy Socks: Creating New Opportunities | TD Stories". stories.td.com. October 18, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  17. ^ York, Special Olympics New (November 22, 2021). "Athlete John Cronin, Co-Founder of John’s Crazy Socks, Surpasses $100,000 in Donations to Special Olympics New York". Special Olympics New York. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  18. ^ Cheetham, Joshua (January 13, 2018). "The million dollar sock entrepreneur with Down's syndrome". BBC News. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "John's Crazy Socks Founders to give lunchtime talk during Bush School 25th Anniversary Celebration Week". The Bush School of Government & Public Service. August 30, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  20. ^ McAtee, Paige (April 23, 2018). "Bush Honors Wife With Socks Gifted By LI Man With Special Needs". Huntington, NY Patch. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  21. ^ Venkatraman, Shai (April 26, 2021). "Business owner with Down syndrome builds multimillion dollar enterprise in socks!". Newz Hook | Disability News - Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  22. ^ Starzee, Bernadette (June 6, 2019). "John’s Crazy Socks named a finalist for EY award | Long Island Business News". libn.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  23. ^ "John's Crazy Socks co-founder becomes first person with down syndrome to win EY Entrepreneur of the Year award | Fox News Video". Fox News. June 25, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  24. ^ "Local Announcement: John’s Crazy Socks Delivers Custom Socks to EO â€" Long Island". Huntington, NY Patch. March 23, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  25. ^ "30 Under Thirty" (PDF). libn.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  26. ^ Brodsky, Robert (November 9, 2019). "'Follow your dream,' John's Crazy Socks co-founder tells business students". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  27. ^ a b "John and Mark Cronin | Keynote Speaker | AAE Speakers Bureau". www.aaespeakers.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Inspiring Short Documentary About Long Island Company, John’s Crazy Socks, Now Available to Watch For Free". longisland.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Huysing, Peter (August 2, 2019). "Sock Guys". Gig Harbor Film Festival. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Impact U Film | Igniting Impact". impactu.film. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  31. ^ a b "The D-Word: Igniting Impact - documentary film". d-word.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  32. ^ Mannarino, Dan; Rosario, Veronica (March 30, 2021). "Entrepreneur calls for unity with crazy socks initiative". PIX11. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  33. ^ Creitz, Charles (April 1, 2021). "New York entrepreneur with Down Syndrome wants to unite Congress through socks". Fox News. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  34. ^ "2022 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards Bestowed". The Viscardi Center. December 13, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  35. ^ "Meet Our Board Members | National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)". ndss.org. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  36. ^ "John Cronin | Conferences". conferences.shrm.org. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  37. ^ Planer, Orange. "IDRAC Session 4. John and Mark Cronin, Nov 10 - 9:30am SLT". Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  38. ^ Hargrove, Cybrieme (August 3, 2021). "Digital Arts Student Designs Socks for Autism Awareness". New York Tech. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  39. ^ "John Cronin, Man With Down Syndrome, Creates Sock Company John's Crazy Socks". The Mighty.

External links[edit]

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