Judith Pothier

Like many disabled entrepreneurs, owning her own business was not a life-long dream for Judith Pothier. Yet, after several unsuccessful attempts in the traditional work environment, Judith came up with an idea for a business that she felt had potential. Combining a variety of support options, Pothier Innovations has become a reality and in turn has given Judith a whole new purpose in life.

Injured in a serious car accident as a teenager living in Oklahoma, Judith struggled with multiple medical problems for years. Having experienced work-related discrimination due to her disabilities, Judith decided to confront the system head on by becoming a rehabilitation counselor. In order to complete her master's degree, she moved to Eugene, Oregon to find a necessary internship. While she eventually decided against a career in counseling, it did provide her with a thorough understanding of the system and a platform for her to find her voice and begin advocating for herself and others.

As her disabling conditions continued to worsen, Judith found herself in continuous pain and forced to take numerous medications that left her miserable. She rarely left her house and had little reason to hope that her future offered much promise. Through a series of serendipitous events, she found Lane MicroBusiness and decided to take the risk of self-employment.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, Judith found herself frequently cold and wet, which her disability only intensified. She pitched her idea of the "Ultimate Blanket" to Shawn Winkler-Rios of Lane MicroBusiness. The "Ultimate Blanket" gives sturdy outdoor protection that contributes to confidence and independence for people with disabilities who are on the go. It is made of a water resistant exterior material that does not get entangled in mobility chair wheels, while the fleece interior provides warmth and comfort. Judith was immediately impressed with the professionalism of Lane MicroBusiness and with Shawn's business savvy, forcing her to think in terms of feasibility, marketing, and accessing capital.

Simultaneously, she had to convince her skeptical rehab counselor to invest in her enterprise. Shawn agreed to attend one of her meetings with her counselor. Together, they convinced him that Judith was serious and with the necessary supports and planning; her business idea would work. Today, Judith's counselor sends other interested clients to Lane.

Establishing an adequate support team and leveraging all the available services was an essential component to Judith's success. No one organization, service provider, or program on its own could supply all that Judith needed. Lane MicroBusiness tested the feasibility, assisted Judith in writing her business plan, as well as provided several vital links to funding- including an Individual Development Account, a Trickle Up grant, as well as tapping into the resources of the Abilities Fund. These were supplemented by the support of vocational rehabilitation, which paid the legal fees associated with obtaining the patent and various assistive technology devices that are essential for Judith to operate her business from home.

Despite the fact that Judith Pothier had never planned on starting her own business, she insists that being a disabled entrepreneur has allowed her to grow into the confident, outgoing person she always knew she could be. No longer will Judith settle for merely existing on public benefits, Pothier Innovations has given her a renewed sense of control over her future, on which no price tag can measure the value.

Contact Judith Pothier to find out more about the Ultimate Blanket and other products from Pothier Innovations at:
Pothier Innovations
Springfield, OR
541-741-4449
pothier_innovations@msn.com
www.ultimateblanket.com coming soon!