
What do you do?
I am the founder of Freedom One Life which designs and manufactures next-generation powered wheelchairs. I founded Freedom One Life because I was fed up with being let down by outdated powerchairs that were not fit for purpose. I have led the design of the Series 5 which is a powerchair designed for constant, all-day use and to be as comfortable and reliable as possible.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Founding a business from scratch and growing it to a team of 6, and creating a powerchair from scratch and developing it to be a certified as a medical device. I have also travelled to over 68 countries independently with my powerchair.
What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge both personally and professionally has been how I am perceived and judged by others because of my disability and especially my voice, I am easily dismissed or spoken to in a very demeaning and patronising way, I try to overcome this by staying calm and not getting annoyed, but I can’t say I always manage that! My business has had significant challenges raising investment as many investors are put off by disabled founders, once an investor told my team they would invest if I had nothing to do with the business, which is quite funny to think about them not wanting a wheelchair user to be a part of a wheelchair business! I have overcome this simply by persevering until I met the right people.
Who was your role-model growing up?
I don’t have a specific role-model but I am inspired by people who overcome challenges and go on to create or be involved in meaningful projects that make a difference to people’s lives.
What do you think would help more adults with CP achieve their ambitions?
Perseverance, not being put off by being misunderstood or misjudged and finding a way to communicate that is accessible and comfortable to you, rather than trying to fit expectations. I feel that CP is still one of those disabilities that is stigmatised and largely misunderstood. The more people that get out there, be noisy and raise awareness, the more prejudices will start to fade.