Risk Free Assessment
These past few weeks have been hard for me. John’s career news and announcement to our team was bittersweet. We are sad to be losing such a dynamic leader here at Ablr. His smile, jokes, and inspiration will be missed around the office. However, we are so excited and proud of this next stage in his career.
I sat down with John Samuel expecting to write a blog announcing his new role as the next Director of the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind. I expected to hear about leadership strategies, employment initiatives, and his vision for the future of North Carolina. Instead, our conversation became much more personal. We spoke about confidence and fear. We talked about the importance of taking control when life feels overwhelming and all hope feels lost. Most importantly, we talked about the people John hopes to serve in this next chapter of his career.
After spending nearly a decade helping break down barriers through Ablr, John has never forgotten his mission: making the biggest impact possible for people who are blind, low vision, and deafblind. This isn’t a story about a new role. It’s a story about dedication and helping those around you.
Taking Control
One thing I’ve always admired about John is his willingness to share the difficult parts of his story. It is easy to see everyone’s successes. There are awards, speeches, videos, announcements, LinkedIn posts etc. It’s easy to look at someone’s accomplishments and assume the journey was straightforward. Johns wasn’t.
After building a successful business overseas and coming back to the United States to get his MBA, John found himself struggling to find employment. While his classmates accepted job offers and advanced their careers, John faced inaccessible applications, declining confidence, and uncertainty about what his future would look like.
“I knew I had a lot to offer, but the lack of confidence almost kept me from being myself. I didn’t even want to leave my house,” John admitted. At one point, John questioned whether he could continue using a computer, provide for his family, or even be the husband and father he wanted to become.
He described this season of life as one of the darkest periods he has ever experienced. Then something changed. Listening to podcasts and learning from successful blind professionals helped him realize that waiting for opportunities wasn’t enough. He had to take control of the things he could control.
“I wasn’t going to find success or luck if I was sitting in my house and not doing anything,” John noted.
So, he started small. He did ten pushups. The next day he did more. Then he challenged himself to walk to the end of the block. Getting to the end of the block may not sound like much to most people, but for John, it represented progress.
“Each day, as days went on, I started reaching new milestones, new accomplishments. No matter how small they were, they were accomplishments,” he reflected. That mindset continues to shape how John approaches both his personal life and his professional career today.
Making the Biggest Impact Possible
When John joined what would eventually become Ablr nearly a decade ago, his goal was simple. As he recalled, “My goal was to remove barriers for people with disabilities in all aspects of life.”
Through digital accessibility services, disability inclusion trainings, and workforce development programs, John has helped thousands of individuals and organizations create more inclusive opportunities at home and at work. But throughout our conversation, one theme continued to emerge. Impact.
“As I look at the next stage of my career, one of the things that I want to do is make the biggest impact possible.” For John, the opportunity to become the next Director of the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind was one he simply could not pass up. He added, “This allows me to make the biggest impact possible that I believe I can do right here in my home state.”
A Message to North Carolina Consumers
When I asked John what he wants consumers of the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind to know about him, his answer immediately became personal.
“One of the things about me is I am a child of North Carolina. This is my home. This is the place I went all around the world to find myself.”
There is something powerful about hearing someone speak so passionately about finding their way home. John understands the experiences many consumers are facing because he has lived them himself.
“I am someone who’s lost their sight. I am someone who saw their dreams vanish with getting that news,” he shared.
He understands the fear that often comes with vision loss, but he also understands the resilience that exists within the blind and low vision community. “This community has a sense of resiliency, this sense of grit and compassion,” he observed.
More than anything, John wants consumers to know they have someone in their corner. “I want our community to know that I am someone who will be there for them, who’s doing it to help make an impact and help break down those barriers for every single North Carolinian who has a visual impairment, for their families and for their loved ones. And I’ll be there to hear them and listen to them.”
A Message to North Carolina’s Counselors
The success of the Division of Services for the Blind begins with the counselors who work tirelessly every day to support consumers across the state. When I asked John what he wanted counselors to know about him as their future leader, his response reflected both humility and excitement.
“I want them to know that I can empathize with what they’re going through.”
While John recognizes that he cannot fully understand every challenge counselors face, his experiences at Ablr have provided him with a unique perspective on the barriers they work through every single day. “I’ll be there for them. I’ll be there to listen and to support them,” he expressed with determination.
He went on to explain that he wants to help counselors build stronger relationships with employers and community partners while helping reduce unnecessary burdens wherever possible. “None of this can be possible without them,” John acknowledged.
This is an exciting time for the state of North Carolina and the Division of Services for the Blind, and I can tell how committed John is to ensuring counselors have the support they need to continue changing lives every day.
A Message to the Youth of North Carolina
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to watch John work with students in our Futures Program, then you know this next section won’t surprise you. The youth have always held a special place in John’s heart.
“The youth are so important to me and to our state,” John emphasized. Throughout his time at Ablr, John has spent countless hours helping young people understand that their future is theirs to define.
His message to them is simple, they have a choice.
“They have a choice to pursue higher education. They have the choice to pursue employment. They have the choice to sit at home. That’s their choice.”
I love this perspective because John isn’t telling young people what they should become. He’s empowering them to make their own decisions while helping them realize what is possible. John was adamant, stating, “I want young folks to know that it’s your choice. I’m going to be there. I will be there for you to help make sure that you choose what’s best for you.”
Perhaps my favorite quote from our entire conversation came when I asked John what advice he would give his younger self.
“Don’t ever dampen your dreams.”
He continued:
“Don’t let fear stop you. Don’t let fear control you. Don’t let anyone control you.”
He concluded: “You may not be able to control your blindness, but you can control your actions.”
John wants every young person in North Carolina to know that he believes in their potential. “I believe that you have high potential. I believe that you have the opportunity to make a real difference.”
A Message to Employers and Community Partners
John’s vision for North Carolina extends far beyond the Division of Services for the Blind.
He believes that North Carolina has one of the greatest untapped talent pools in the country. “The blind, low vision, and deaf blind community is a talent pool that’s been underserved and untapped,” John pointed out. As employers continue searching for talented individuals to join their organizations, John wants them to understand that those individuals are already here. “We have that talent right here in our home state,” he highlighted. More importantly, he wants employers to understand that individuals who are blind and low vision are ready to contribute.
“They are ready to work, ready to shop, ready to participate in our economy and the economic development of our state.” Building relationships with employers and community partners will continue to be a major priority for John as he begins this new role.
He wants North Carolina to become the number one place in the country for people who are blind and low vision to live, work, and thrive. That vision starts with ensuring individuals have opportunities to succeed and that employers understand the incredible value they bring to the workforce.
Final Thoughts
As we wrapped up our conversation, I asked John if there was one final message he wanted to leave with us as he steps into this next chapter of his career.
“My decision to leave Ablr and to take on my new role as the next Director of the Division of Services for the Blind for the State of North Carolina is based on my love for our community. It’s a very difficult decision, but one I know is the right time and right place for me to make the biggest impact. Get ready. We’re going to make a huge impact together, and it’s going to be an amazing journey.”
After hearing John’s vision for the future of North Carolina, I have no doubt that this is only the beginning of that journey. We are rooting for you, John!
Love,
The Ablr Team