08/22/2023
READ RYAN'S STORY
Home. Healthcare. Food. Transportation. These are the basic and fundamental human needs that those working can provide for themselves as well as for those who depend on them. If you really think about it, work provides dignity. Unfortunately, there are approximately 80% of degreed individuals on the autism spectrum that are currently unemployed.
That’s a staggering fact. Let that soak in.
Now, why do I know that?
To know those statistics and to feel impassioned enough about creating a business (or a few businesses in my case) means you would need to experience or understand the path of someone on the autism spectrum — to understand what they have overcome in the face of rejection and the scars that one might get along the way.
It was my son, Ryan.
What did I learn about individuals on the autism spectrum from raising Ryan?
An accurate diagnosis can take a long time
Social isolation is common (making friends is very tough and getting bullied is common throughout the school years)
Success can be found in activities that are neat and orderly (like marching band or coding)
Low-paying jobs can be found (but are often accompanied with a lot of rejections in the search process)
Things are gratefully a bit different today. Children are diagnosed sooner. But back then, I learned that I needed to embed myself in the spaces where Ryan grew up so he could thrive. It was early for autism. In short, I became an entrepreneur out of necessity.
Our path
Ryan suffered from epileptic seizures, so I started off working in an early childhood center to be with him. From there I moved up to a Teacher’s Aid and then to running the center. I went from running five centers to running a region over a few years.
As Ryan grew, so did I. The early childhood center’s allure wore off for Ryan when he wanted to stay after school for activities in the fourth grade. Enter my first business venture — a for-profit operating out of the school facilities for after school activities. Sure, it took some convincing for the school boards, but the parents needed the service. I grew that business to 400 locations, which is still running today under Kindercare.10,000 kids didn’t have to be latchkey kids due to that program. And Ryan was safe.
When Ryan got out of college, a journalism major and a talented writer, I was working in aviation staffing where it was easy to place him in positions where he didn’t have to interview. So, he took tickets, pushed wheelchairs, and greeted passengers post 9-11. When I moved to an administrative staffing company, Ryan moved too. He worked as a temp for Kaiser for four years well below his skill level and without any benefits but he avoided interviews and the rejection that always came with them. I could save him from a few bad experiences.
Ryan returned to college several times and received several certifications in IT, development, and programming. A job was always promised but never materialized from these programs. As I began my start-up for overlooked talent, I met several Autism-sourcing companies and gave Ryan their website addresses. One did an amazing job of getting to see the Ryan who I know.
They put him into their program, and months later found him a full-time job in software testing with good pay, benefits, and a career path. He got a new apartment, started exercising, eating healthy, and … began smiling again. Recently my husband and I were invited over to Ryan’s apartment for dinner. Our 38-year-old son had never done that before. Ever. Ryan had never felt proud of the place he was able to afford or competent enough to host anything.
It’s been two years, and Ryan continues to impress his employer. He has begun talking about a promotion and his long-term goal of being a developer. Me? I think I have stopped holding my breath for the next disappointment to hit my son.
In truth, Ryan’s life greatly impacted my own. We grew-up together. And I developed not only the understanding of individuals on the autism spectrum, but empathy because I knew Ryan was so much more than a socially uncomfortable outcast. He is a brilliant developer. I could write a book about the experiences I’ve had while raising Ryan. Developing empathy took a childhood, adolescence, and adulthood journey where I walked alongside him (when permitted). And it extended to other overlooked talent groups, which brings me to where I am today and why I see overlooked talent so differently.
To quote Ryan: “It’s my stubborn belief that everyone I encounter is doing the best they can to survive on this pale blue dot.”
Kathy A Hardy
Former CEO, Co-Founder, Serial Entrepreneur, Speaker, and creator of programs where overlooked talent can thrive. September 23, 2021
