6 Business Owners With Autism Who Are Thriving

Anthony Barrett

With a little help from his family and friends, Anthony created a delivery business in Edmonton called Anthony At Your Service in August of 2012. He runs errands for clients, and also picks up and delivers goods. The goal of the venture was to get Anthony more involved in the community by doing meaningful work.

Anthony has some difficulty communicating verbally, but according to his company’s website, “he loves meeting new people, visiting new places, and helping out,” making this the perfect opportunity for him.

Anthony has an aide, Mikey Hamm, who helps him run errands — only Mikey doesn’t help him in carrying packages, he helps the rest of society understand Anthony. “I really like my job because I really like Anthony,” Mikey says. “He’s one of the happiest guys I know.”

Mikey created a YouTube video about Anthony and his business, and now Anthony At Your Service has grown large enough to employ other people with disabilities! Learn more in this video.

Joe Steffy

Joe Steffy has autism and down syndrome, and has run Poppin Joe’s Gourmet Kettle Korn in Kansas City, Kansas, since 2005.

Joe is nonverbal. During his teen years, teachers and counselors told his parents that he would eventually have to live in a group home, and wouldn’t be able to hold down a job because of his short attention span. He proved them all wrong, and in 2005 he became the sole proprietor of Poppin’ Joes. Joe is involved in every step, from popping and seasoning to bagging, and also acts a manager for his part-time workers.

Poppin’ Joes offers several varieties of popcorn, like Old-Fashioned, Karamel, and White Cheddar. The company continues to grow every year, and can now be found at festivals, fairs, craft and car shows, select offices, and other events throughout Kansas and Georgia. Joe helps raise funds for charities, and also sends bags to troops overseas.

JoeSteffy_1200x627Joe Steffy / Via Poppin’ Joes

Chris Tidmarsh

Chris is on the autism spectrum, and graduated from Hope College (Holland, MI) with degrees in Chemistry, Environmental Studies, and French. Yet he struggled to find a job after college due to the social challenges he faced. The thing is, many of his peers on the spectrum had the same struggle, as 90% of adults with autism are unemployed.

So after he graduated, Chris and his mother Jan Pilarski founded Green Bridge Growers, a company that grows vegetables in water — a process called aquaponics. Chris had a deep interest in farming and worked with organic farms in college, so it was a great fit! Now, according to their website, he is “a Master Gardener, a student of agroecology, an avid composter, and a skilled organic farmer.” Chris is Plant Manager for the company, which is located in South Bend, Indiana. The company is deeply grounded in a social mission to grow organic vegetables for their community, and they also hire multiple employees on the autism spectrum!

ChrisTidmarsh_1200x627Chris Tidmarsh (left) / Via Green Bridge Growers

Check out other entrepreneurs we’ve written about, like Matt Resnik (who owns his own baking business) and Brad (who builds things!)

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