A 21-year-old entrepreneur is on his way to closing out the year with more than $1 million in revenue from his small business, and he just happens to have Down syndrome.
John Cronin, 21, of Huntington, New York, wanted to make people happy with colorful socks.
He told his father, Mark Cronin, about his idea, and together they set up an online store to sell socks. The company is called John's Crazy Socks.
The company launched in December. The father-son duo decided to introduce “awareness” socks to support people with Down syndrome and autism. A portion of the proceeds from the business’ sales benefit the Special Olympics and the Autism Society of America.
ABC News reported that the company had its biggest month yet in March, earning more than $350,000 in revenue. They were featured on the website The Mighty in February, which helped propel their sales significantly. Overall, the company, which produces more than 850 sock styles, has earned more than $500,000 since its inception five months ago.
“It completely wiped us out,” said Mark Cronin.
This month, they hired more employees and moved to a larger space to accommodate the increased demand.
The father and son said they enjoy working together.
"Being John's partner, seeing him come up the learning curve, is just wonderful. He works very hard," Mark Cronin told ABC News.
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