Autism is a disorder with symptoms including impaired social interaction, delayed or disrupted verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behavior. Autism can be caused through genetics or by agents that cause birth defects. Famous people with autism include Albert Einstein and other historical figures who are suspected to have had autism, which wasn’t classified as a disorder until the 1940s. Einstein is thought to have had autism because he experienced language delays and educational slowness. Other historical figures who are thought to have had autism include Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, and Mozart. Hole front woman Courtney Love was diagnosed with a mild case of autism as a child. Daryl Hannah has struggled with autism all her life and says the disorder made her “terrified of fame.” Author Temple Grandin is one of the most famous women with autism. Grandin works for the causes of animal rights and autistic rights.

 

John D’Eri kept asking himself a question many parents quietly dread: What will happen to my child when I’m no longer here to support him?

His son Andrew is autistic, and after finishing school, finding meaningful work proved nearly impossible. Instead of accepting that reality, John and his other son Tom decided to create their own solution.

They bought a struggling car wash in Parkland, Florida, and completely rebuilt it — not as a charity project, but as a real business designed around structure, clear expectations, consistent routines, and proper training. They focused on what their employees could do well, rather than what they couldn’t.

That vision became Rising Tide Car Wash.

Today, the company employs more than 90 people with autism — making up about 80% of its workforce — and has helped launch over 250 careers. The business didn’t succeed in spite of its workers. It succeeded because it was built around their strengths.

Sources: Rising Tide Car Wash, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, PR Newswire/Rising Tide release.

How many people would thrive if more workplaces were designed around strengths instead of assumptions?