NFIB

Standing Up to Adversity
03/ 27/ 2002

by Karen M. Kroll

Most people wouldn't put the words "cool" and "wheelchair" in the same sentence. Jay Johnson, the founder and CEO of FENA Design Inc., in St. Cloud, Minn., plans to change that. His five-employee firm has designed a wheelchair that incorporates cutting edge ideas with industrial design. Equally important, the chair allows its users to both stand and sit. The result is a device that offers important health benefits and also looks pretty cool.

Johnson's interest in developing a new wheelchair is more than just business as usual. An auto accident 11 years ago left him almost completely paralyzed. "You have no idea the importance of standing until you can't do it," he says. In addition to boosting self-esteem, standing helps ward off pressure sores and aids blood circulation. After his accident, Johnson tried some of the standing wheelchairs on the market, but found them clumsy and unreliable.

Convinced he could do better, Johnson started FENA Design in 1992. His tenacity and vision have helped him weather the highs and lows of the past eight years. In addition to his physical limitations, Johnson began FENA with big plans, but little cash. He enlisted the help of his alma mater, St. Cloud State University, which provided FENA with engineering software, office space and access to faculty. In return, St. Cloud shares in the income FENA generates. FENA also has raised about $1 million in grants and from investors.

Currently, the worldwide market for standing wheelchairs is a measly $1.2 million, reports Johnson. However, he contends that the lack of interest reflects the fact that the technology hasn't budged for several decades.

FENA aims to shake things up through innovative engineering and sleek design. His device, the Vertran, is undergoing necessary FDA testing and should be on the market soon. It's price is expected to be $18,500, which is just a few thousand dollars more than many sitting wheelchairs.

Eventually, Johnson plans to branch out into other products, such as pediatric wheelchairs. He predicts revenues of $50 to $60 million within five to seven years. The potential rewards, however, transcend the bottom line.

"I want to leave my mark on the world," Johnson says, "and help a small segment live healthier, happier lives."

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Reaching people with disabilities

Most sources put the number of Americans with disabilities at about 50 million, or nearly one in five Americans. To be sure your business doesn't overlook this market, Craig Gray, director of employment programs with the Washington D.C.-based National Organization on Disability, suggests:

Use people with disabilities in your advertising. Include the "wheelchair" symbol in your marketing materials.

Determine how accessible your business is by calling a local independent living center. (You should be able to find one in the Yellow Pages.) Most have experts who consult with businesses.

October is National Disability Awareness Month. For more information, contact the U.S. Presidential Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities, (202) 376-6200.

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This article originally appeared in the September/October 2001 issue of MyBusiness Magazine, NFIB's member magazine.

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