There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to making a difference.

That’s what Jed Seifert, co-founder of print-on-demand firm Stakes Manufacturing (asi/88974) in Eastlake, OH, has realized over the past five years, since he made a commitment to build an employee base with people of all abilities – particularly those with physical and cognitive challenges.

More than 15 years ago, Seifert, formerly an enterprise software salesperson serving Fortune 500 companies, went into business with Vince Bartozzi, a close friend who was working in the music and entertainment industry. They started creating print-on-demand vinyl device skins, and landed a number of coveted official licenses for celebrities like Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian, as well as brands like SpongeBob SquarePants and South Park.

In 2012, they sold that business and partnered with Cleveland-based commercial printer Jakprints (asi/233076) to offer print-on-demand apparel to many of the same high-profile entertainment clients. Strategic partnerships and the acquisition of Jakprints’ print-on-demand division led to the founding of Stakes Manufacturing in 2019. Twelve months later, they had tripled the size of the business and began to offer DTF printing in addition to DTG and screen printing.

Counselor Bess Cohen Humanitarian of the Year recipient Jed Seifert spoke with Promo Insiders last year about how inclusion benefits both employees and employers, and the many career resources available.

Now, Seifert is on a mission, not only to continue expanding his team with employees of diverse capabilities, but also to prove that what might be considered obstacles don’t necessarily have to hold people back. In fact, he says, many members of this community are ready and willing to work hard in a variety of different roles.

The inspiration for a diverse staff (about 10% of Stakes’ 250 employees have a disability) mainly originated with Seifert’s brother Darren – born with Fragile X syndrome, he’s worked in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s mailroom in Washington, D.C. for nearly 25 years. It’s allowed him to become financially independent and fulfilled.

“We can offer life-changing employment opportunities,” says Seifert.

While stigmas and misconceptions linger, many of Seifert’s best performers and those with perfect attendance records have a disability.

“Some of our top employees have autism, for example,” says Seifert. “The industry’s been struggling with finding new hires, but here’s a whole group of people who are ready and willing to work. They’re some of my most reliable, upbeat and grateful employees.”

Meanwhile, Seifert says maintaining an inclusive environment benefits the entire team. “Everyone can feel safe, provided for and comfortable asking for accommodations,” he says. “For example, we put measures in place to make sure no one was burned on the DTF machines. Plus, younger generations want to work at places that are making a social impact, not just T-shirts.”

“The industry’s been struggling with finding new hires, but here’s a whole group of people who are ready and willing to work. They’re some of my most reliable, upbeat and grateful employees.”Jed Seifert, Stakes Manufacturing

Now, Seifert is spreading the word, particularly to the print and promo industry, through speaking engagements (such as the PRINTING United Alliance Expo in Las Vegas two years ago) and connecting industry companies with valuable resources at the state and local levels, including education and job placement. Stakes was also named the 2022 National Employer of the Year by the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), a Maryland-based advocacy group, and has partnered with the Cuyahoga East Vocational Education and Consortium (CEVEC), a program that gives students an opportunity to work as part of their transition from school to the workplace.

“We had a vision that’s become part of the fabric of our business,” he says. “It’s changed the culture of our company, and I’d like to see industry-wide change.”

In addition to a more inclusive industry, Seifert wants state and federal rules and regulations to be amended. For example, some health assistance programs cap hours worked per week and dollar amounts in checking accounts for workers to maintain eligibility. In some states, those with disabilities are still paid under the minimum wage. And these policies haven’t been updated to account for inflation.

“Meanwhile, everyone else gets the opportunity to work hard and lift themselves up by the bootstraps,” says Seifert. “There are still a lot of ceilings over those with physical and cognitive challenges, and they’re forced to make decisions if they want to earn more money.”

And while things have come a long way, Seifert says prejudices still hinder progress due to lack of exposure – like assuming those with disabilities are only suited for low-skill, repetitious work.

“We still tend to put people in boxes,” says Seifert. “They actually can do super high-level tasks, like some who are very detail-oriented and great at speed and accuracy. They’re not always more likely to make mistakes, and they don’t always cost companies money or performance. Let’s get people to talk about it more.”