Driven by Purpose

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan shares an unforgettable moment from America’s Got Talent when his daughter Sydney finally got the chance to meet Howie Mandel. Sydney is a huge AGT fan, but during the taping, her startle reflex kicked in as Howie approached her, creating a moment that could have easily become uncomfortable or overwhelming. Instead, Howie responded with patience, understa...

What would you do if someone blocked your daughter’s wheelchair van and you couldn’t get her in the car? Evan was at his son’s martial arts class when a driver parked in the striped aisle next to the accessible spot. That aisle is where the ramp comes down. Evan was stuck for 15 minutes, and the driver was just getting noodles. He tells the whole story, including what he said when he confronted hi...

What if hiring people with disabilities came with almost no risk for your business? It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Evan is joined by Isaac Shapiro and Mike Gesser, the co-founders of Cleanlogic. They share what the company and the Inspiration Foundation have been doing this month, from their long partnership with HEB and VibrantWorks in Texas to Isaac’s talk at the Texas...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down with entrepreneur, media expert, and creative thinker Matt Gottesman to explore what it really means to find work that feels like your own. From working with major global brands like Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy to building his own media and publishing ventures, Matt shares the lessons, failures, and mindset shifts that shaped...

Halloween is supposed to be fun for every kid, but a house with a lot of stairs can shut some of them out. Evan, Isaac and Mike sit down with Rich Padulo, co-founder of Treat Accessibly. It started in 2017, when Rich’s six-year-old daughter saw a boy in a wheelchair and asked how he would trick-or-treat at their house. They made a lawn sign that night. Today, more than 300,000 homes across Canada...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Steve Way joins Evan, Isaac, and Mike for an honest and hilarious conversation about his journey from public speaking and sketch comedy to becoming a successful actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Now starring in Hulu's Furious, Steve opens up about finding his purpose, following what makes him happy, and refusing to limit himself to one path. Steve also sh...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan shares a deeply personal story about what happened when his wheelchair-accessible van was rear-ended while his daughter Sydney was inside. After the crash, Evan had to navigate an emergency situation while trying to get Sydney, who uses a wheelchair, safely out of a vehicle whose accessibility ramp had been damaged in the collision. What followed revealed...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down with Jeff Bekos, founder of One Dad’s Mission, to hear the deeply personal story that transformed his life. In 2013, Jeff’s 13-year-old daughter Haley suddenly became critically ill and spent 261 days in the hospital, including four months in a coma. During that unimaginable time, Jeff and his family found a home and support at t...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down with Patrick Bardsley, CEO of Spectrum Designs, a nonprofit social enterprise creating custom apparel and promotional products while employing people across the autism spectrum. What started 15 years ago out of a need for meaningful employment opportunities has grown into a thriving business with more than 100 employees and a mod...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down with Dr. Rory Cooper, an Army veteran, Paralympic medalist, engineer, inventor, and National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipient who has dedicated his career to solving real-world challenges for people with disabilities. From reinventing wheelchairs to developing technology that could eliminate painful transfers, Dr. Coo...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down with Richard Fanner, a Clean Logic employee who shares his firsthand experience working in a culture built around inclusion, accessibility, and personal growth. From daily huddles and company fundamentals to finding his place in the workforce, Richard gives an honest look at what it means to be part of a workplace that treats peo...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose , Isaac, Evan, and Mike sit down for a conversation inspired by Evan’s experience at D23, Disney’s massive fan convention in Anaheim. After spending the weekend seeing firsthand how Disney approached accessibility and inclusion, Evan shares why the experience left such a lasting impression, especially as a parent of a child with disabilities. From wheelchair ac...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose , Isaac, Evan, and Mike spotlight the Los Angeles Chargers for getting accessibility right. After visiting Chargers training camp with Evan’s daughter Sydney, who is nonverbal and uses an AAC communication device, Evan shares how the organization, staff, and players created an experience that made his entire family feel welcomed, respected, and included. From a...

In the fall of 2016, John Cronin was finishing high school and couldn't find a job he liked. So he decided to make one. Nine years later, John's Crazy Socks has shipped over 500,000 packages to 94 countries, donated more than $850,000 to charity, employed dozens of people with different abilities, and landed John on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Oh, and he's become sock buddies with a former presid...

What if the best way to help people feel seen was to stop telling them everything is going to be okay? In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Evan Rosenblum and Isaac Shapiro sit down with David Tarnowski, the creator behind Disappointing Affirmations, one of Instagram's most beloved and thought-provoking pages with 2.7 million followers. After being diagnosed with bipolar two and ADHD, Dave found...

At nine years old, Tiffany Yu was in a car accident that took her father's life and permanently paralyzed one of her arms. For the next ten years, she told no one. She wore long sleeves year-round, even through hot Washington D.C. summers, and told people her dad was away on a trip. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Evan Rosenblum and Isaac Shapiro sit down with Tiffany Yu, founder of Diversab...

Deborah Erickson raised two sons, taught at universities, and spent decades building a career, all without ever really learning how to cook. Then she lost her vision in her early fifties and everything changed. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Isaac Shapiro, Mike Ghesser, and Evan Rosenblum sit down with Chef Deborah Erickson, executive chef and founder of The Blind Kitchen. Deborah's story i...

What if the best insights into your child's future came not from you, but from her 10-year-old classmates sitting around a table eating banana walnut bread and Oreos? In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Evan Rosenblum, Isaac Shapiro, and Mike Ghesser sit down to unpack one of the most emotional and eye-opening experiences of Evan's parenting journey. His daughter Sydney, who has severe cerebral...

At 40 years old, Michael Jarmon went into a diabetic coma, had multiple seizures, and woke up to find his vision was gone. What came next was depression, job loss, and a long road back to rebuilding his life from scratch. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Isaac Shapiro, Mike Ghesser, and Evan Rosenblum sit down with Michael Jarmon, a Clean Logic team member whose story is one of the most raw a...

When do you start planning for your child's future? For most parents, that conversation happens somewhere around high school. But if your child has severe disabilities, waiting that long is not an option. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, hosts Evan Rosenblum, Mike Ghesser, and Isaac Shapiro get personal. Evan shares that his 10-year-old daughter Sydney, who has severe cerebral palsy and is no...

What does it take to move $20 billion toward businesses that have been overlooked? For Michael A. Byron, it started with stocking shelves in his uncle's Brooklyn luncheonette at eight years old. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Isaac Shapiro and Evan Rosenblum sit down with Michael A. Byron, former Senior Director of Supplier Inclusion at Walmart and author of The Grace Effect: From Brooklyn...

When do you start planning for your child's future? For most parents, that conversation happens somewhere around high school. But if your child has severe disabilities, waiting that long is not an option. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, hosts Evan Rosenblum, Mike Ghesser, and Isaac Shapiro get personal. Evan shares that his 10-year-old daughter Sydney, who has severe cerebral palsy and is no...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike sit down with Danny Jordan, TV producer turned children's book author and the creator of The Capables, an award-winning empowering book series featuring kid superheroes who live with disabilities. Evan first met Danny at the Festival of Books at USC, where his daughter Sydney and son Bennett ran straight to The Capables booth. That night,...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike take the show on the road for a special Boots on the Ground edition. Isaac just returned from San Antonio, Texas, where he visited Morgan's Wonderland, the world's only ultra accessible theme park, built by philanthropist Gordon Hartman so that families with disabilities could experience a theme park without barriers, stress, or a single...

In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike welcome a very special guest: Rich Rider, the recently retired Warehouse Production Manager at Clean Logic. Rich spent nearly five years helping build one of the most mission-driven production teams in the country, working alongside employees with disabilities to hit numbers that would impress any logistics veteran. But as Rich puts it, t...