This version of the story includes some corrections from the original.
RIDGEFIELD – A Ridgefield High School junior has come up with a way to battle the depressing national news and vitriol that fills up TVs, laptops and mobile phones on a daily basis. Max Nadoraski sells merch under the Lead the Change name with short positive statements meant to lift the spirits of all.
Some of the positive statements and words you see on his T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and mugs are “Lead the Change,” “Kindness is my superpower” and “Kind is the new cool.” The top sellers are “Walk a mile. Then speak” and “Empathy: The Silent Rebellion Against Selfishness.” He recently just added trucker hats and beanies to his product line.
For Nadoraski, it all started with a simple way to raise funds for Sphere CT, a Ridgefield-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit that helps those with developmental disabilities. That effort has now grown to 19 states and three countries and gives 20% of its revenue to Sphere.
“I have been volunteering with an organization called Sphere,” Nadoraski said. “They had a profound impact on my life. That’s why I started Lead the Change. Me and my mom (Amy Polacko) always joke around and said that they are the nicest people I have ever talked to. I started the business to help them and they wound up being the ones who bought the shirts.”
Max also gives credit to some of his high school teachers. One, in particular, is Jesse Peterkin, a business/senior teacher.
“I met Max this school year,” Peterkin said. “He has quickly made an impression on our business department with his entrepreneurship venture Lead the Change. He is very driven and hard working and we are looking forward to having Max in our classes and business clubs.
“Max’s business is a testament to the modern ‘social entrepreneur.’ It is impressive to see a student successfully merge business with an inspirational focus on positivity. The fact that at such a young age Max is making a difference in the lives of so many people is incredible.”
Max started Lead the Change in July 2025 with no investment at all. He later received a modest $3,000 investment from a judge at Ridgefield’s “Tiger Shark Tank” pitch event at the Ridgefield Playhouse on Oct. 28, 2025, hosted by the Ridgefield Economic & Community Development Commission. His presentation sparked repeated applause from the audience and landed him that investor, solidifying Lead the Change’s place as a rising youth-driven social impact venture.
“There were five other presenters in the Shark Tank event,” Nadoraski said. “Most were adults who started their own business. They were the main presenters and I was the intermission ‘act’ while they were voting on the winner.”
Prior to his Tiger Shark Tank presentation, Peterkin said Max met with the school’s team of business educators to refine his pitch. “We conducted a mock presentation session where we provided feedback on his value proposition and visual storytelling,” he said. “Max was incredibly receptive; he integrated our suggestions and delivered a sophisticated, professional presentation that resonated with the judges.”
Marketing strategy
During his presentation the young Nadoraski pitched his business as an idea to address the problem of divisiveness in the world.
The PowerPoint posited the following problem we all face:
- Too much negativity and division in our world
- Kindness is undervalued in today’s culture
- The lack of a bridge between the societal divide
- Teens struggle to connect with each other
His marketing strategy is straight forward: Social media storytelling on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, reach out to influencers and the press, attend local events and pop-ups and paid advertising.
“What means the most to me is seeing people embrace kindness,” said Nadoraski. “Every time someone wears one of our tees or hoodies, they’re helping support adults with disabilities and showing the world what they stand for.”
The business has started to take off as Nadoraski rolls out his strategy.
Recently, Congressman Jim Himes wore Nadoraski’s “Walk a Mile, Then Speak” design on his flight back to Washington, D.C., and shared a photo on social media. His public support highlighted the reach and resonance of the teen-led brand.
Even more recently, the longtime actor Harvey Fierstein, who lives in Ridgefield, wore a Lead the Change “empathy” shirt after Max sent him a box of the shirts to distribute. And on Martin Luther King Day Fierstein was in the news as he was honored at the Ridgefield Playhouse with the annual MLK Award.
In addition to reaching out to influencers, Nadoraski has physically networked with HAYVN in Darien, a women-based co-working space. “I set up a table there with other local businesses,” he said. “Because of that I have my shirts in two stores in Ridgefield. One is called Flipping Creative and the other one is Nature’s Temptations.”
The marketing has started paying off as Nadoraski described how he wound up with a customer in Hawaii.
“A woman in Hawaii I didn’t know bought six shirts for her family,” Nadoraski said. “I love the fact that Lead the Change is spreading good vibes there and in so many other states.”
For Max, the business’ overhead is limited to paying for his online website and merchandise supplier.
“I had a lot of startup costs,” he said. “But once you get going, it gets better. My store runs through an online store platform called Shopify. Also, I use a print-on-demand company (Gelato) that runs through Shopify.”
He hopes to continue running the business when he attends college next year with aspirations of bringing in $50,000 in revenue. He hopes to get accepted by Fordham University, Fairfield University or Bentley College in the Boston area.
