Dyslexia Awareness Month - October 2021
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, so we wanted to mark this occasion by bringing awareness and discussing Dyslexia. Our Founder Josh has been working with Made By Dyslexia a very important charity to him, which sees him speak alongside Richard Branson to discuss Dyslexia and entrepreneurship and making the best of yourself. We want to raise more awareness of dyslexia and show you the super powers and strengths, stopping those negative stereotypes.
Please watch Made By Dyslexia’s video below, which Josh describes as an honour, appearing alongside Richard Branson to discuss dyslexia, entrepreneurship, and being the best you can be! It’s certainly a tick off Josh’s bucket list.
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, so we wanted to mark this occasion by bringing awareness and discussing Dyslexia. Our Founder Josh has been working with Made By Dyslexia a very important charity to him, which sees him speak alongside Richard Branson to discuss Dyslexia and entrepreneurship and making the best of yourself. We want to raise more awareness of dyslexia and show you the super powers and strengths, stopping those negative stereotypes.
Please watch Made By Dyslexia’s video below, which Josh describes as an honour, appearing alongside Richard Branson to discuss dyslexia, entrepreneurship, and being the best you can be! It’s certainly a tick off Josh’s bucket list.
Read more about Dyslexia and Josh's Journey here:
#MADEBYDYSLEXIA
“I was always the bottom of the class in school, even though the school supported where they could, with extra time and tutors, I spent most of my school years starting businesses, side hustles from buying and selling, organising club nights and overall getting into trouble! I was suspended a few times, and nearly expelled – luckily not!”
- Josh, Stand4 Socks Founder
As many as 1 in 5 people experience dyslexia, which affects how someone learns and processes information. Often the strengths come in creation, problem-solving and communication, where struggles appear in spelling and reading. The experience of dyslexia and it’s strengths allow excellent thinking skills and big picture perspectives. Considering that as many as 40% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, this way of thinking can be greatly beneficial.
Josh agrees with this, saying that “my creativity and entrepreneurship is my biggest skill set, seeing things differently to others”. This realisation is highly beneficial to Josh considering the frequent struggling through schools for those with dyslexia, despite the extra support where possible. Josh found himself struggling with school and being bullied for being “thick or slow”, which is too often the case for those struggling and unable to access their true potential whilst at school. Josh describes his school life following officially being diagnosed with dyslexia at age 8.
Kate, Founder at Made By Dyslexia said of Josh, "Many dyslexics become social entrepreneurs, creating businesses that help to solve some of our greatest problems, like Josh. It’s wonderful to have Josh join our team of ambassadors to help us shine a light on Dyslexic Thinking and how we can all use it to create positive change". Thanks to Kate for shining a light on this important cause and celebrating the wonders of dyslexia! Please see more about Kate and Made By Dyslexia here, and grab her book!
Following on from many famous dyslexics, or as Josh recalls about meeting Sir Richard Branson, “huge inspirations and successful dyslexic, but things called an ‘entrepreneur’ too”, he founded Stand4 socks! We agree with Made By Dyslexia that dyslexics are game-changers who provide solutions we didn’t know we needed. We can look to people like Steve Jobs, Apple to see this! Josh has taken a simple idea into an idea with a positive impact, helping thousands of vulnerable people across the UK, with the aim of making the world. Dyslexia can fuel ideas and passions with natural creativity. Josh discusses how this impacted Stand4 Socks:
“Starting stand4 socks was a natural fit for me, having left graduate jobs I ended up on benefits and in the social system, I decided to focus on my ability and not my disability. Being creative and designing socks, building websites and combining social problems with everyday products”.
As one of Josh’s inspirations and fellow dyslexic entrepreneur, Richard Branson stated that his dyslexia helped shape Virgin by “thinking big but keeping the message simple”. At Stand4 we want to provide a similar mindset, and that is thanks to Josh!
As we begin to see dyslexia providing an important and needed stamp on the world, it’s important to also bring awareness to those who struggle with dyslexia to help everyone to properly understand dyslexia and it’s superpowers. We’re keen to raise awareness so everyone is able to thrive.
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