Investing In Accessibility
Investing In Accessibility
Podcast Description
We aren't waiting for change, we are investing in it. Investing in Accessibility is dedicated to exploring the intersection of accessibility, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. Join hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher as they speak with entrepreneurs and thought leaders who are focused on empowering people with disabilities and creating a more accessible world.Kelvin Crosby is CEO of Smart Guider Inc., which develops navigation technology enabling deafblind individuals to travel independently. Known as The DeafBlind Potter, he funded his first invention, the See Me Cane, through pottery sales. Kelvin lives with Usher Syndrome type 2 and is a staunch advocate for accessibility.Chris Maher is the Founder & General Partner at Samaritan Partners, a public benefit venture fund that invests in the disability sector. Chris founded Samaritan after spending 25 years as an operator and multi-time CEO at a variety of venture capital backed companies, and 20 years raising two daughters with disabilities.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various topics such as accessibility innovations, entrepreneurship in the disability sector, and impact investing strategies. Episode examples include discussions on the evolution of technology in accessibility with Steve Ewell from the CTA Foundation and personal stories from Kelvin Crosby about his journey and advocacy work. The show emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals with disabilities and highlights future possibilities for accessibility initiatives.
We aren’t waiting for change, we are investing in it. Investing in Accessibility is dedicated to exploring the intersection of accessibility, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. Join hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher as they speak with entrepreneurs and thought leaders who are focused on empowering people with disabilities and creating a more accessible world.
Kelvin Crosby is CEO of Smart Guider Inc., which develops navigation technology enabling deafblind individuals to travel independently. Known as The DeafBlind Potter, he funded his first invention, the See Me Cane, through pottery sales. Kelvin lives with Usher Syndrome type 2 and is a staunch advocate for accessibility.
Chris Maher is the Founder & General Partner at Samaritan Partners, a public benefit venture fund that invests in the disability sector. Chris founded Samaritan after spending 25 years as an operator and multi-time CEO at a variety of venture capital-backed companies, and 20 years raising two daughters with disabilities.
In this episode of Investing in Accessibility, co-hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher continue “Tales from the Innovation Showcase,” a special series of conversations recorded at the Accessible Innovation Showcase at The Schoolhouse Hotel, home of The Accessibility Lab.
For the fourth episode in the series, Kelvin and Chris sit down with Lee-Anne Reuber, founder and CEO of Sekond Skin Society, an inclusive fitness and wellness platform designed to make movement more accessible for people of all abilities.
Lee-Anne shares her journey from a 22-year career supporting people with disabilities to opening a yoga studio and ultimately founding Sekond Skin Society. She explains how the platform was designed to move beyond traditional adaptive fitness by offering multiple versions of the same class so people with different abilities can exercise together. She also discusses how the company is creating new opportunities for people with disabilities to become fitness instructors and leaders in the industry.
The episode then moves to the stage, where Lee-Anne demonstrates Sekond Skin Society at the Accessible Innovation Showcase and shares her vision for bringing more accessible and inclusive wellness experiences into hotels and the broader hospitality industry.
At the heart of our conversation is a simple idea: when we design fitness and wellness to include every body, we create a better experience for everyone.
Links & Resources:
Lee-Anne Reuber: LinkedIn
Sekond Skin Society: Website
COMING SOON!
American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.
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