By There has to be a way to combine Sean’s love of movies with his need to socialize and become more independent, Theresa DeMarco thought as she tossed and turned in bed, worrying about her middle child, Sean.
Sean was on the spectrum, and his shyness was made worse by a stutter…except when he was talking about movies.
Since he was a toddler, Sean was an insatiable movie fan. Mention a film—like Toy Story or Happy Feet—and he could quote the dialogue word-for-word. Suddenly, an idea sprang to her mind as she lay awake. I’ve got it! she thought.
“We can buy posters for all your favorite movies and frame them,” Theresa said as she shared her idea with Sean the next morning. “Then we can sell them at street fairs and talk with other movie lovers.”
Sean was all for it, and a few weeks later, they carried the framed posters they found online to a local block party.
Sean was nervous around all the people…until a man approached and said, “I’d like to buy these three,” and handed Sean a $100 bill.
“When can we do this again?” he asked enthusiastically.
Sean and his mom continued framing and selling more posters. But as the crowds at the street fairs grew larger, Sean grew increasingly uncomfortable, until finally he spoke up, “Mom, I can’t do this anymore.”
“We need to find a different way, but how?” Theresa pondered aloud, but it was Sean who found the answer.
One afternoon, Sean asked thoughtfully, “Are there any other people like me who are running businesses to make them more independent?”
“Yes, and you even know one of them,” Theresa said, remembering a field trip Sean had taken to visit John Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome who started a company called John’s Crazy Socks.
Theresa figured there had to be others, and on AutismSpeaks.org she found a list of neuro-divergent entrepreneurs. “Maybe we can open a shop and help sell their products for them,” she suggested, and Sean had the perfect name for it: “We’ll call it the ‘One for All Shop,’” he said, which is the motto of his favorite anime superhero, All Might.
Theresa found a small storefront, and they opened accounts with a dozen neurodivergent creators, who offered to sell to them wholesale. They set up displays and opened a OneForAllGifts.com web store.
Theresa posted an invitation on social media, and their grand opening was an overwhelming success. Sean talked about movies with customers, and rang up sales for others buying Crazy Socks, pet treats, soaps, candles and items handmade with love.
Today, four years along, the One for All Shop is still growing. Sean, who just turned 27, opens and closes the shop on his own and ships out orders.
“Helping customers has taught me how to speak with people about more than just movies,” he says with a smile.
“Operating the shop has made such a difference in my son’s self-confidence,” Theresa says. “With his future looking brighter every day, I sleep a lot better at night.”
