In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Isaac Shapiro, co-founder of Cleanlogic and the Inspiration Foundation, who was recently honored by retailmediaIQ as one of the people who made a difference in 2025. Shapiro shares his journey of building a successful purpose-driven brand and his personal mission to advocate for the disability community in the corporate world.
Among the topics they discuss are:
- The Origins of Cleanlogic: Shapiro shares how his mother, who has been blind since age seven, inspired the brand. Cleanlogic produces bath and skincare products with inclusive packaging that includes braille.
- The Inspiration Foundation: Founded in 2005 alongside the brand, the foundation originally provided grants to help blind individuals learn new technologies. It has since evolved to launch the Inspiration Foundation Seal, which certifies and recognizes companies that actively hire individuals with disabilities.
- The Business Case for Inclusive Hiring: Shapiro highlights case studies of companies like Walgreens and VF Corp, noting that employees with disabilities often show higher productivity and loyalty. He points out that while one in four Americans has a disability, only 36% are employed—representing a massive, untapped "new frontier" for talent.
- A New Podcast: Shapiro introduces his new podcast, Driven by Purpose, which aims to tell the stories of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and champions of disability hiring. The show also explores complex topics like brain health (mental health) and the personal impacts of neurodiversity.
Individuals and companies looking to learn more about the Inspiration Foundation Seal or seeking guidance on hiring people with disabilities can visit inspirationfoundation.org.
