Author: Chris Elliott (CEO, Make Waves Collective)
I can’t work.
I’m a good worker, for whatever that’s worth.
But I can’t work.
It’s not because I don’t have the skills or because I’m not willing to put in the effort. Anyone that knows me knows that if you need to get something done right and fast, you come to me. When I’m doing something, there’s no stopping me until the task is done. But still, I can’t work.
I’ve worked a handful of jobs in my lifetime. Retail, labour, and logistics management, among others. I’ve always been employed. Some of the jobs paid well. Not all of them, but some. I liked working in most of these fields. That was never an issue. But for some reason, I’ve never been able to stay indefinitely. To make a career that provides the stability that my autistic brain craves.
Backstory
Before coming up with the idea for Make Waves Collective, there was a period of soul-searching that needed to be done. I had just left a job that didn’t value me as a person despite claims that they did. The constant pattern of getting a job that interests me, working way too many hours for a long period of time without a break, getting walked over by management, then burning out and spiralling couldn’t keep happening. My wife and family deserve better than that. I deserve better than that.
Having recently been diagnosed with ADHD and autism amongst a couple of other things that are less relevant to this blog post, I was coming to the understanding that I am disabled. That “failing” in these jobs wasn’t my fault. The system that is capitalism defines success in a way that fails to accommodate neurodiversity or personal values.
For a while, I contemplated looking into long-term disability and seeing if that was a path that would finally allow me to live. In doing this, I had to define what my disability truly is. What am I not able to do that jobs require?
Well, I can’t do things that go against my personal morals when told to do so. Mind you, my morals are mostly to stand up for others, not to discriminate based on race, gender identity, disability status, socioeconomic status, etc. so you wouldn’t think this would be a big deal but it is (thanks capitalism).
I need control over my own schedule and not be made to overwork simply because those responsible for staffing haven’t prepared adequately or have chosen to take advantage of the fact that they know I’m going to get the work done so that they can save on payroll.
I need 2-way communication when coming up with a plan for tasks if there is anyone besides me involved in the decision-making process. My brain is very literal so if I’m not confident that we’re on the same page, I can’t focus on the task because the anxiety of not being sure that I understand the assignment makes me unable to function.
Above all, I can’t have people assert their dominance over me to make sure I know my place. Hot take but I believe all people are created equal. Still, I’ve never had a job where this wasn’t an issue.
So to recap, I can’t do the wrong thing, work myself to death, read minds, or be belittled. Sounds pretty simple.
A job that ticks all of these boxes does not exist under a capitalist, for-profit model. I can go down a rabbit hole explaining my thoughts on this but that’s a story for another day.
I want to work. I just need a role that allows me to work without compromising my existence as a person in order to be a worker.
Enter Make Waves Collective
One thing about me is that I use small acts of rebellion in order to be ok with the systems that I see as problems but can’t immediately change in the world.
That’s where the idea of Make Waves Collective came from. A proof-of-concept that businesses can put people over profits.
The world wants to make me work for a company for the next 35 years to make money for someone else while cyclically running me into the ground? Or alternatively to not work and not be able to keep a roof over my head?
Fuck that shit.
I’m starting my own company to prove that there’s no fucking need for greed and ableism and that we CAN work together to make the world a better place without taking away anyone’s humanity.
That’s what Make Waves Collective is.
An apparel and promotional products company that pays everyone the same liveable wage and splits any profit evenly between everyone. No wealth-hoarding or superiority complexes with us.
Our people are people first. Instead of this facade of unlimited paid time off that guilts people into not taking time off, we make it necessary to go be a person with enforced minimum amounts of paid vacation time. The 40-hour work week was implemented by Henry Ford out of a scheduling convenience so that can go to. We work a maximum of 32 hours a week which is considered full-time.
Most importantly, we have a flat hierarchy and use the sociocratic method for decision-making so that EVERYONE is on board and NEVER has to do anything they don’t believe in. The fact that this is a novel idea is blowing my mind as I write this. I use the title of “CEO” as a tongue-in-cheek way of pointing out that titles mean nothing if you actually are equal.
Conclusion
In a world that often demands conformity and compromise, I've come to a resolute understanding: I can't work in a way that betrays my principles, ignores my humanity, and perpetuates a cycle of burnout. The journey of self-discovery led me to recognize that my "failures" were not a result of personal inadequacy, but rather a system designed to exclude those who refuse to conform.
The idea of Make Waves Collective emerged from a need for change—a small act of rebellion against a system that prioritizes profits over people. This venture is more than just an apparel and promotional products company; it's a testament to the possibility of doing business differently, placing human values ahead of financial gains. At Make Waves Collective, we reject the status quo of inequality and ableism. We believe that everyone deserves a liveable wage, the right to time off without guilt, and a voice in decision-making.
Make Waves Collective embodies a vision of work that is both fulfilling and respectful of our shared humanity. It's a vision where work is not a means of mere survival, but a pathway to self-expression, collaboration, and growth. I'm embarking on this journey to prove that it is possible to create a business that values people over profits, that recognizes individual worth and collective potential and challenges the confines of traditional capitalism.
So, here's to a future where work doesn't strip us of our essence, where success is measured by the positive impact we have on one another, and where we come together to make waves of change, one conscious decision at a time. I can't work in a system that devalues who I am, but I can work to redefine the system itself. And that's exactly what Make Waves Collective represents—a ripple of hope in a sea of conformity.