For years, James Geiger kept hearing the same answer.
No.
Even with a bachelor's and a master's degree in hand, James found the search for a full-time career to be an uphill climb. Each application and interview seemed to end in the same place, so he pieced together gig jobs, holding onto hope that someone would finally see what he had to offer.
Living with ataxic cerebral palsy, a condition that affects balance, coordination and fine motor skills, added another layer of challenges to an already difficult job search. James said people often made assumptions before they got to know him.
"People hear me and pass judgment even though I have a master's degree," he said. "They hear my voice and say, 'No.'"
Instead of giving up, James signed up for a coding class. He dove into new skills, built a LinkedIn profile and started sharing his projects, showcasing the AI he was building and connecting with a community that saw both his talent and determination.
One of those LinkedIn posts caught the attention of a member of Lowe's talent acquisition team. James never expected a recruiter from Lowe's to reach out.
"Lowe's said, 'I'm interested in you, so you should apply,'" he said. "And the rest is history."
The Lowe's talent acquisition team encouraged James to apply for the Lowe's Launchpad program, where he continued demonstrating the same drive and technical skills he'd spent years building. At 39, James landed his first full-time, salaried job as an associate product designer at the Lowe's Tech Hub in Charlotte. He packed up and moved from Florida to North Carolina, ready to begin a brand-new chapter.
From his very first day, James said he felt respected.
"The very first day I stepped into Lowe's, no one belittled me or talked down to me. They see me as a human, and that is a beautiful thing."
For James, joining Lowe's was about more than a job title. It was about finding a place where people saw what he could do, not what they assumed he couldn't.
James' story is bigger than any single career milestone. At Lowe's, recognizing talent means looking beyond traditional paths and welcoming people with different backgrounds, perspectives and abilities. Building an inclusive team is not just about opening doors. It's about creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
That is the message James hopes others take away from his journey.
"Whoever you may be, someone will see your talents, value you and not look past your disability," he said. "They'll recognize your disability, but they'll celebrate it."
