Meet Martin Slyngstad | Founder, Athlete, Public Speaker, Book Author, and Award Winning Disability Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Martin Slyngstad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Martin, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from San Jose, California, growing up with autism it was not easy. Teachers, and peers didn’t understand it as much so I dealt with bullies everyday. Fast forward to today, I used that bullying as fuel to get to where I am now. I am a published author, Disability Advocate of the year in San Jose, Business Owner, Public Speaker, and Special Olympics Athlete. was it easy? No, but I never gave up and trusted God.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company Spire Autism trains teachers how to teach autistic students, train first responders how to approach us during an emergency, speak at different conferences, and collaborate with sports teams on autism acceptance. It was not easy at first, but with perseverance, I keep going. One lesson I learned was to be patient because running a business takes time. I want the world to know, autistics people can run a business, and that I want people to know, especially autistics to know they can achieve anything they want, and know that they can achieve anything.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting, I’d make sure they got the full San Francisco and San Jose experience. We’d start in SF with coffee at Ritual and murals in the Mission, followed by burritos at La Taqueria and lounging at Dolores Park. At night, we’d catch a Giants game at Oracle Park or have dinner at Nopa and cocktails at ABV.

The next day would be all about icons: Baker Beach for Golden Gate views, a walk across the bridge, picnic at Crissy Field, and exploring the Palace of Fine Arts. Dinner would be North Beach pizza at Tony’s, followed by a hidden bar in Chinatown. We’d dive into SF’s quirks on day three—brunch at Zazie, shopping in Haight-Ashbury, then museums and a boat ride in Golden Gate Park. That night, live music at The Independent or Great American Music Hall. Day four, we’d head to San Jose. Brunch at Bill’s Cafe, then the Winchester Mystery House and a stroll through the Rose Garden. We’d end with jerk chicken at Back A Yard and maybe a Sharks game at SAP Center.

Next, a hike at Almaden Quicksilver, a visit to the Computer History Museum, and lunch at Falafel’s Drive-In. We’d hit up Miniboss for arcade games, garlic noodles, and drinks. Day six takes us to the East Bay—breakfast in Berkeley, a walk through UC Berkeley and Tilden Park, then murals and shopping in Oakland. We’d relax at Lake Merritt and finish with soul food at Brown Sugar Kitchen. If it lined up, we’d catch a Warriors game. Our last day would be low-key: brunch at Plow, snacks and shopping at the Ferry Building, a cable car ride, and maybe the Alcatraz night tour.

Mix in a Niners or Earthquakes game if it fits the season, and you’ve got the ultimate Bay Area week.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, church family at EVPC, and many others.

Website: spireautism.com

Instagram: martinsautismlife and spire autism

Youtube: Martin’s Autism Journey

Image Credits
Image Credit: Martin Slyngstad