小企业让“伟大的户外”更容易接近

凯莉·特切尔12岁的时候, she awoke one early morning to the sounds of paramedics coming up the stairs in her home. 她的母亲曾严重中风. 这最终影响了她母亲生活的方方面面, 包括她的行动:从那时起, 她依靠轮椅.

Twichel was forced to grow up fast as she, alongside therapists, helped her mother to rehabilitate.

因为这些早期的经历, Twichel realized the challenges people with disabilities and their families face doing everyday tasks and accessing recreation—especially outdoors.

“Independence and accessibility are central to a person's livelihood,” says Twichel.

近年来，人们对户外活动的兴趣激增. 事实上, according to a March 2021 report commissioned by the Outdoor Industry Association, 53 percent of Americans over the age of six participated in outdoor recreation in 2020—the highest rate on record. With more visits to nature comes more need for accessible access to the outdoors.

而 美国残疾人法案(ADA) mandates that public beaches be accessible, there are few specific directives. 和, even with standard accessibility accommodations like handicap parking and walkway ramps, getting onto the actual sand of a beach can be extremely difficult for those who use mobility devices like wheelchairs. In California, where the beach is central to a lot of people’s lives, 四分之一的人报告 有残疾的人，在这些人中， 10%报告 疾病预防控制中心表示，他们的残疾与行动不便有关.

“他们要做的是, 一对夫妇会像抱孩子一样抱成年人, or they'd have to transfer into a big beach wheelchair if there was one available. 大多数时候都没有，”特切尔说. “They can't even push themselves in these beach chairs—usually two people have to push them.”

在她乐于助人的鼓舞下，Twichel创立了 访问Trax, a company that empowers people with physical disabilities to get outdoors by making portable, 可折叠的道路，可达室外地形.

建设通往海洋的通道

In 2016, Twichel and her co-founder volunteered at a Western Surfing Association event and brought two handmade prototypes of their mats to test out. 这些垫子是研究生院项目的一部分, but after seeing how they enabled surfers with wheelchairs to independently get themselves to the water, 特切尔知道她必须让生意成功.

毕业后，她向澳博官方网站app(澳博官方网站app)寻求支持. “我的联合创始人曾亲自在大通银行办理银行业务, 所以他说, “让我们选择我们已经了解和信任的银行吧,’”特切尔说.

Senior Business Consultant Peter Jackson became her mentor after they met at a local business accelerator event. As part of a 澳博官方网站app business growth program for entrepreneurs, Twichel was able to take advantage of invaluable coaching opportunities. Working with 追逐, she learned how to break into new markets and how to make her business lendable.

“Kelly came looking for ways to develop and grow her business in both the public and private sectors but didn’t have a strong working knowledge of how to become lendable to access capital and how to use her “why” to win business,杰克逊说。. “I created a plan for her to support her business by focusing on two areas of mentorship: Access to Capital and Business Development. 她把所学到的一切都带到了实践中。”

访问Trax is now an annual sponsor of the World Para Surfing Championships.

Beto Gurmilan, Adaptive Surfer

更具包容性的户外活动

几年前的夏天, Twichel was at the beach setting up a rental of her wheelchair-accessible mats, when she noticed a man in a wheelchair hesitating at the top of the path she had just laid down. “试试吧，”她鼓励道.

“我不知道. 我的椅子很重.” Within minutes he was laughing and flying down the pathway towards the water, 他的妻子看着他, and marveling at what they hadn’t been able to do in many months due to his diagnosis of ALS.

“你能感觉到他的幸福，”特切尔说.

这就是为什么支持访问Trax这样的公司是如此重要. 世界范围内对Twichel无障碍海滩垫的需求正在增长.

In May of 2023, the 访问Trax was named the winner of the MetroConnect export accelerator program. 由澳博官方网站app赞助. This program was created to help small and mid-sized businesses grow and scale globally. 用这25美元,000年奖, 访问Trax hopes to expand its presence in markets like Canada and Australia.

了解更多关于澳博官方网站app的信息 支持小企业发展.

了解更多关于澳博官方网站app的信息 advocates for and helps drive inclusion for people with disabilities globally through the firm’s 残疾包容办公室.

本页上的推荐是唯一的意见, 发现, 或者演讲者的经历，而不是澳博官方网站app银行的经历, N.A. 或者它的任何分支机构. These opinions, 发现 or experiences may not be representative of what all customers may achieve. 澳博官方网站app银行.A. 或者它的任何分支机构 aren't liable for decisions made or actions taken in reliance on any of the testimonial information provided. 澳博官方网站app银行.A. 不隶属于访问Trax，亦不对其负责, 不提供或认可第三方产品, 服务或其他内容. 参与者补偿.