
Life

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22nd October 2014
03:00pm BST

My aim initially was to provide a range of products that were practical and functional yet fun, friendly and age-appropriate. The research showed there was a huge gap in the market for products that catered for the needs of someone in a wheelchair or with special needs that also wanted to look fashionable and cool. Existing products were functional but boring so my idea was clear.
I have always had a vision about GaryB. I pictured having a small workshop and GaryB vans driving around delivering my products, but now this seems so much closer to a reality and really is a huge possibility. I am so proud of my product and have always known that they do exactly what they’re supposed to do, which is unusual as so many times you buy something with great expectations and you are left disappointed and out of pocket. The life experience has really come into play in designing my ranges as I have designed products that I have to be happy to use on my son.
It has taken years to get to where I am now and it hasn’t been without its hitches. As I've said, it all started with a blanket and that was eight years ago. I developed the GaryB Blanket set originally and then the Bandana Dribbler. These were my two products and with these I decided to dip a toe in the water and do the Fingal 'Start Your Own Business' course. It gave me a great insight into what what I needed to do to turn this dream into a reality.
I think the decision to start GaryB has been the biggest challenge. There were a lot of things to consider, having Gary with so many needs as well as two other kids. I didn’t want to feel anything would have to give and compromise my time with them. But at the end of the day I was ready to do something else and push myself in another direction. It is something I love and feel I am good at so it is a win win situation.
I have had many proud moments so far. Each time I accomplish something, I am super happy with myself because this is so different for me and not natural at all. At times I really feel out of my comfort zone but each time I do something it gives me great satisfaction. To date there have been a couple of things that really stand out such as appearing on TV3 and launching my new website. It's exactly the way I imagined it. Another highlight was featuring in Spokeout Magazine. I think I'm growing as a business person and taking it all in which makes me feel very proud as well.
GaryB is unique in many ways. I have first hand experience of the kind of products and the quality that is needed for my products and my target audience. I have empathy with my customers and understand their needs as well as how difficult it is to find the perfect accessory at a reasonable price.
To find out more about GaryB Wheelchair Accessories, visit the website here or check out the Facebook page. To suggest other great Irish women to feature in this series, please do get in touch.Explore more on these topics: