As part of this year’s theme for Disability History Month: Livelihood and Employment, this blog celebrates the resilience, ingenuity, and achievements of disabled entrepreneurs who have transformed obstacles into opportunities, establishing thriving businesses on their own terms.
Entrepreneurship has long been a powerful path to independence, creativity, and financial empowerment. For many disabled individuals, it offers a unique opportunity to bypass traditional workplace barriers, create flexible working conditions, and turn personal challenges into platforms for success. As part of this year’s theme for Disability History Month: Livelihood and Employment, this blog celebrates the resilience, ingenuity, and achievements of disabled entrepreneurs who have transformed obstacles into opportunities, establishing thriving businesses on their own terms.
Through these stories, we explore how disabled business owners are not only challenging stereotypes but also paving the way for a more inclusive economy. Their journeys illustrate that entrepreneurship can be a profound vehicle for empowerment—breaking down stigmas, fostering innovation, and advocating for accessibility in ways that traditional employment often overlooks. This collection of inspiring narratives showcases the talent, vision, and determination of disabled entrepreneurs who have harnessed their strengths and redefined what it means to succeed in business.
John Cronin – John's Crazy Socks
John Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, co-founded John's Crazy Socks with his father, Mark Cronin, in 2016. John wanted to start a business after high school, and his love for colourful socks led them to the idea. They began with a mission to spread happiness, and their company grew quickly. Today, John's Crazy Socks is a multi-million dollar business that sells a vast array of unique socks and employs people with disabilities as a part of its mission. John's story not only reflects success in entrepreneurship but also advocates for inclusive employment and positive representation of people with disabilities in the workforce.
Alvaro Silberstein – Wheel the World
Alvaro Silberstein is a wheelchair user from Chile and the founder of Wheel the World, a travel company focused on accessible adventure travel for people with disabilities. After a car accident at age 18 left him paralyzed, Silberstein found that adventure travel was often not accessible for those with mobility impairments. Determined to change that, he founded Wheel the World, a company that offers travel packages and adventure trips specifically tailored to disabled travellers. His business not only gives people with disabilities a chance to explore the world but also raises awareness around accessibility in the travel industry.
Aaron Fotheringham – WCMX (Wheelchair Motocross) Professional & Merchandise Business
Aaron Fotheringham, also known as “Wheelz,” was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. Despite his disability, he pioneered wheelchair motocross (WCMX), performing extreme tricks and stunts typically seen in BMX. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create a successful merchandise line, where he shares his brand of adaptive action sports with fans. Fotheringham’s journey shows how a passion and talent can turn into a thriving business, inspiring people with and without disabilities worldwide.
Lizzi Larbalestier – Founder of Going Coastal Blue (UK)
Lizzi Larbalestier, who has hearing impairments, launched Going Coastal Blue, an eco-conscious coaching and consulting business focused on sustainability and wellbeing. Lizzi combines her passion for the ocean with her coaching expertise to create programs that encourage connection to nature while fostering personal growth. She also advocates for deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals, helping businesses implement practices that embrace accessibility. Through her work, Lizzi inspires others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams, proving that hearing loss doesn’t limit one’s ability to lead and innovate.
Caroline Casey – Founder of The Valuable 500 (Ireland)
Caroline Casey, who is legally blind, founded The Valuable 500, a global business initiative dedicated to putting disability inclusion on the leadership agenda. Recognizing a lack of disability representation at the executive level, Caroline created an organization that works with CEOs worldwide to promote accessibility and inclusion in the workplace. Her initiative has gained traction with hundreds of companies committed to disability advocacy, illustrating how one person’s vision can spark a movement toward systemic change. Caroline’s work with The Valuable 500 redefines the power of entrepreneurship, using it as a force for social impact.
Haben Girma – Lawyer and Disability Rights Advocate (U.S.)
Haben Girma, the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, is a lawyer and public speaker who runs her own consulting and advocacy business. Haben uses her platform to help companies understand the value of accessibility and to train them on best practices for including disabled individuals in the workforce. Her journey from Harvard to a celebrated advocacy career emphasizes that disabilities don’t hold people back from making a meaningful impact. Haben’s entrepreneurial approach to consulting and public speaking helps dismantle misconceptions about disability, driving change across industries.
LaMondre Pough – Founder and CEO of Billion Strong (U.S.)
LaMondre Pough, who has spinal muscular atrophy, is the CEO of Billion Strong, a global identity and empowerment organization created by and for people with disabilities. Billion Strong is dedicated to uniting and amplifying the voices of over a billion people worldwide with disabilities. LaMondre’s mission is to reshape how society views disability, promoting an empowering narrative of diversity, inclusion, and strength. Through Billion Strong, LaMondre is building a powerful community that celebrates disabled individuals’ contributions to society, turning his personal experiences into a global advocacy initiative.
Steve Gleason – Founder of Team Gleason (U.S.)
Steve Gleason, a former NFL player diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), founded Team Gleason, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with ALS. Steve’s foundation funds assistive technology, advocacy, and support for ALS patients, including advanced communication devices. He has worked alongside tech giants to develop cutting-edge tools, ensuring that people with ALS can continue to live fulfilling lives. Steve’s transition from athlete to tech innovator and advocate is a testament to resilience, showing how personal experiences with disability can fuel groundbreaking advancements in assistive technology.
Sinéad Burke – Founder of Tilting the Lens (Ireland)
Sinéad Burke, a disability advocate with achondroplasia (a form of dwarfism), founded Tilting the Lens, a consultancy focused on accessibility and inclusive design in fashion, education, and the built environment. Sinéad collaborates with major brands, like Gucci, to make fashion more inclusive for people of different body types and abilities. Her work is a testament to how entrepreneurship can extend beyond profit-making to drive social impact, raising awareness and setting new standards for inclusivity in design. Sinéad’s consultancy encourages companies to rethink how they create products and spaces, broadening the scope of accessibility.