[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:16] Speaker B: This episode about Battle Ready connects battle tested disciplines with Teresa Valenzuela's journey from journeyman carpenter to accessibility innovator and founder of well able platforms. The conversation is designed to show there's just how resilient mission, technology and practical execution can turn lives around. You know, here I am with, with Ms. Teresa. I watched her on one of the TED talks earlier. Teresa, welcome to the show.
[00:00:41] Speaker A: Thank you. Thank you so much, Ricky, for having me. I really appreciate you and your, your, your audience in your studio. Appreciate you very much.
[00:00:50] Speaker B: No worries.
[00:00:51] Speaker A: It's time.
[00:00:52] Speaker B: So your career is taking her from physical precision of the trades as a journeyman carpenter director level strategic using AI and data driven insight. So tell me a little bit about you and what you've done.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: So again back it was back in the 80s and 90s when I started building bridges as a carpenter here in San Diego, California. So very proud to be able to say that I have leaving a legacy when I leave and that there will be many bridges that people are going to continue to travel over after I'm done.
I got hurt on the job and so now I'm partially paralyzed from the waist down.
And so I've been using a wheelchair now for 34 years.
And so I had to pivot change. And so instead of bridging physical bridges, I bridge connections, I bridge human connections. Now for the benefit for all, I went ahead and I got into bridging the digital divide as far as providing computers and digital literacy services to the community in need. And there's a big divide between the haves and the have nots in regard to digital literacy. I was fortunate enough to be able to be the keynote speaker for the broadband at Middle Mile. And what that is, is the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative is here in California. We're laying fiber optic cable all the way across so that we can transition over.
So I was able to be the keynote spoker for the state of California for that. And now I'm transitioning to the last mile literally too, as I enter my 60s. Right.
And so. And that last mile has to do with being able to provide charging station EV infrastructure for mobility device users, wheelchairs and mobility device users, mobility scooters.
[00:02:44] Speaker B: Yeah.
So how did your personal and professional experience prepare you to build solutions for people with whose needs, you know, were very much overlooked? How did, how did that happen?
[00:02:55] Speaker A: I lived it. I lived it. I lived it for 34 years. I know what it's like to ride in a wheelchair. I'm very fortunate and grateful for the Americans with Disabilities Act. I wouldn't be able to do what I do without it. But it is, was built, that was in 1990. That world no longer exists.
And then. And the ADA provided it with the very bare basics, the minimum. And so I've always seen that, I've always known that, that there's more that needs to be done other than just the entrance.
Right. And so now I just decided to go ahead and build it myself.
[00:03:36] Speaker B: And so, so how's that journey be going? I mean, so you, you got hurt on the job 34 years ago.
Um, how was the struggle? I mean initially, did you always have a powered wheelchair or was that later on?
[00:03:50] Speaker A: Yeah, that's later on, actually. I just, just getting into it now, I've been, I, I thought that the, the heart, the longer I pushed, the more physical, you know, you stay straight, you stay strong enough to be able to keep pushing. But after 34 years, your shoulders give out, your hands give out, your, you know. And so now I'm transitioning into electric wheelchair.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: Okay. And I know I was watching in the, in the show that you were talking about the five. I call it, I guess it's the five mile bubble.
More like the, you know.
Yeah. You know, in regards to the. Where you can and can't go.
[00:04:27] Speaker A: Yes. Well, the thing is, Ricky, and it's really a mind, mind shift too. It's really a, a sad state of affairs that because your battery only, you could only go about five miles outside of your battery range and there's no gauge to say, hey, you've crossed the line. There's no like on your car, you can see the gauge, you know, you're getting close, you're about to drop. With ours, it just turtle speed, rabbit speed, green light, red light, and then it's dropped. But you could only go out by out, out to about 5 mile radius and then your battery is going to die out or you won't be able to make it home.
But what's interesting about that is I live here next to a senior citizen complex. They come down to the park and they go to cvs.
That's it. Kind of like a self imposed boundary that if you weren't depressed, you are now.
[00:05:23] Speaker B: So, so you said self imposed. So is it because there's nothing else around there or just the fear, the fear of.
[00:05:29] Speaker A: It's called battery anxiety.
So if you ask me, hey, Teresa, you want to go out and have some capacito? You want to, you know, go out? I'd say, yeah, absolutely. And then I would calculate immediately. Did I charge my last night. How much is there? Is it uphill?
What about parking?
Better not go.
So then I end up. My friends don't ask because they know.
[00:05:56] Speaker B: They know that, that you. Unless it's close within that m. Within that 5 mil radius.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: That's right. And so you have to shop in that five mile radius. You have to eat what's available in that five mile radius. You. That's. This is your bubble. Because there is no public charging station infrastructure for 3.3 million wheelchair users.
[00:06:19] Speaker B: And is that nationwide or is that what?
[00:06:22] Speaker A: Nationwide. Nationwide. It gets bigger as we go global.
I'm just focusing right now on national and unfortunately on a daily basis, thousands of those get stranded every day.
And I'm asking when that happens, who can we call?
Nobody.
No one's coming.
No Triple A plan.
[00:06:47] Speaker B: Go ahead. No, no, please. You were saying?
[00:06:50] Speaker A: No aaa, no AAA plan, no social service safety network.
No one is coming.
[00:06:58] Speaker B: No one.
So what, you know, I'm being. I'm kind of embarrassed, but.
So how do you charge a.
Your, your chair? I mean, is it like a plug in and is there nothing you can carry with you to plug in or how does that work?
[00:07:16] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely, there's a plug. You just plug it in. It's just a regular XLR cable that goes to your wheelchair. You plug it in all night long. And many people say, well, hey, how come you just don't carry the charger and then you just, you're able to charge anywhere you want.
Not. So when you have to go up to businesses and ask, hey, do you mind if I sit here for about a half hour to an hour to charge my chair? Not everybody says, yes.
It's an awkward situation to be in, but good luck trying to find somebody. And it's not like you have the charge to be able to go and find somebody. You're on a clock and it couldn't.
[00:07:54] Speaker B: So it just plugs into an outlet.
[00:07:56] Speaker A: Yeah, just a regular charge. Just a regular outlet.
[00:08:00] Speaker B: So your, your goals are to actually put together a station where they can just. The, the outlet will be there.
Do they need their cable? They don't need their cable. Well, or will there be something there to just automatically universally put in into the different chairs?
[00:08:18] Speaker A: Yeah, specifically the XLR cable. So basically it's going to be a box that you're able to pull up next to plug into and it's your regular charger. You have an XLR cable plugs right into your wheelchair and immediately will our Caleb SOS up. Sos Excuse me, OS system.
Our Proprietary software. It won't only supply the, the power needed for the chair, but it'll also read it immediately. Is it the right battery chemistry, the right voltage? And if it's not, it will stop it. Set it down right there. And if so, it's a go and you go ahead and get charged up. And while you're waiting, you got a phone that needs to be charged or a laptop to be used. Then you plug it in and you also have just a regular plug.
So there's options for you to be able to function and to sit there and be active, an active professional.
[00:09:19] Speaker B: So how does being battle ready mean to you in the context of inclusion, innovation and social impact?
[00:09:25] Speaker A: Oh, wow, that's a big one.
Being battle ready is being able to. It's a different battle that I'm facing now today. Not so much more as people anymore, but as far as myself and how I want to show up in my behaviors and how I face my fears, how I.
And I, for me, I have active conversations with myself. Okay, you could have handled that one better.
We could, you know, how are we going to approach this situation when you've got three offers in front of you? What are you going to do?
And I challenged myself so that I could grow.
That's how you grow. You grow out of difficult situations. And I've been in some really hard situations in life.
[00:10:12] Speaker B: You know, it's always sad to see, hear about people's different situations, but I think the beauty of it is you, you've obviously bounced back, you've overcome them, you've had some, some growth throughout, throughout these situations. So that's definitely is good about your situation. I mean, it's good that you have had the intestinal fortitude to move forward.
[00:10:35] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:10:36] Speaker B: And how is that, how's that helping you with, with, with your cause?
[00:10:41] Speaker A: Well, I didn't know I was so resistant, to be honest with you, until I. I've had people come up to me and say, you're pretty bad. You know, wow, I didn't know that you were so powerful. Powerful. What are you.
I'm just showing up. I just didn't die.
You know, I survived and I've survived some very traumatic events in life. And, and that's because I didn't die. But now I look back and I look at the lessons learned, I look back and I look at how I even had a part in some of those things that happened to me.
[00:11:15] Speaker B: You know, when we come back, we talk a little bit about the lessons learned. Has been very powerful reminder that Real leadership often begins with seeing a problem others have accepted as normal and doing something about it. We'll be right back. Teresa, Welcome to Battle Ready. Stay connected to this show or every Now Media TV favorite Lyra on demand anytime you like. Download free Now Media TV app on Roku or iOS and unlock non stop bilingual programming in English and Spanish. If you're on the move, catch the podcast version at www.nowmedia tv. From business and news or lifestyle to culture, wellness, leadership and beyond, NOW Media TV is streaming around the clock. Ready whenever you are. So in the last segment, we were talking with Teresa Valenzuela and shared how her journey from the trades to innovation shaped her mission. Theresa, welcome back to the show.
[00:12:21] Speaker A: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me, Ricky. Appreciate you.
[00:12:24] Speaker B: No worries. So now we're going a little deeper into accessibility.
Can you describe your work as solving the last mile of accessibility for electric wheelchair users? And what does that mean in practical terms?
[00:12:36] Speaker A: Sure.
Well, it's kind of difficult to. I didn't even realize that I had it until I realized I had it. And what that is is I have a unique perspective because I lived it. I know what it's like where the weak spots are at and what people don't see because they're not in a wheelchair. And unfortunately, you don't get to see that something's inaccessible unless you're in the wheelchair.
Right. And so for city planners and things of that nature, the ones that, you know, do the curb cuts and are able to provide the entrances and things of this nature, they do it, but they're not doing it from sitting down in a wheelchair because if they did, our world will look a lot different.
And so I'm really, really trying to get in there to be able to talk to the city planners. I've been fortunate enough to be asked to speak@Autodesk 2026 this year, and that is directly to city planners, to civil engineers, to urban designers to talk about this very issue, that there's a layer that's missing. And that'3.3 mobility device users. 3.3 million mobility.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: Let me ask you something. I'm thinking while you're talking, you know, you're, you're, you said that. So you've been in a wheelchair over 30 years. Yeah. And, and it's taken you that long to even realize that there was a gap, I'm assuming. Is that right?
[00:14:13] Speaker A: Well, I knew there was a gap. There's a gap in all kind. I was looking at it differently. I never thought about adding a layer I always looked at it as a deficit. Oh, you know. Oh, God, you a curb cut. I mean, it's entrance, but it's got a step, it's accessible. The step's not that big. You just got to do a wheelie. What's the big problem?
You know, Or I've been through so many back kitchens just getting into a restaurant, you know, so I've just dealt with it. You just deal with it. And then I said, boy, I'm having a hard time even keeping up. Is it just because I'm getting.
I'm getting a little bit older, so I can't keep up with energy? No, that's really not the issue. The issue is there's no public infrastructure for it.
Because if there was, my life would look a whole lot different.
[00:15:01] Speaker B: And I think based on just what you said, I mean, I think it's been through the years, you've been so accepting because it's just always the way it's been. Right?
[00:15:09] Speaker A: That's right. Absolutely.
[00:15:11] Speaker B: What was that? What was the moment? Was there a moment when all of a sudden you realize, hold on, we need to make some changes? Tell me what that was about.
[00:15:20] Speaker A: Okay, so imagine you're tired.
You just got off of work. You want to get home. You're hungry, you know you're dead, you're done for the day. Driving home and your wheelchair breaks down, your battery dies out. What are you going to do?
There's nothing for you to do.
[00:15:39] Speaker B: And so I'm assuming that happened to you.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: That happened to me. And I sat for three hours. The only rescue. You couldn't call the fire department. You can't call the. Who are you going to call?
Who's coming? Nobody. Not even Triple H come and give you a jump.
So the only way out of that circumstance is two guys in a pickup. So I waited for three hours for two guys in a pickup in a pretty rough neighborhood, cold, late, and tired.
And that's the reality, see? But there is no place for me to call. There's no place that takes statistics and say, oh, you broke down, too, because we don't have public infrastructure, you know, because if there was, the lights would be lit up of how often it happens. But it happened to me, and it. And it kind of just went across my brain. Why isn't there charging stations for power wheelchair users?
That was my moment.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: Oh, wow. So how can AI and data help identify accessibility gaps that may not be so obvious?
[00:16:45] Speaker A: So not only do we supply power to the wheelchair user for the wheelchair, but we also track Dwell time. And what that means is how long are they staying in that location? Because it's already proven that if you stay in a location about 20 minutes, you're more than likely going to buy something.
So if we put that, like say for example, down at the harbor where it's very busy, it's a shopping area, a lot of walking traffic, and we put one of those down there, we would be able to track the data on that, on how long that person stays. And even if they visit any of the Ally Network businesses that are saying, hey, this is a safe zone, you could come and charge here or you could come and hang out here.
And so AI is allowing me to go ahead and track that in a way that's actually never been tracked in the history of the world.
[00:17:43] Speaker B: So you can also be able to use that to motivate, I guess, the store owners or whomever that property belongs to. Say, hey, listen, yes, we have this here. We'll have an asset for people in wheelchairs to be able to visit with each other, charge their vehicles.
[00:18:03] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:18:03] Speaker B: And actually, you know, spend more time, you know, looking at, go to your stores.
[00:18:08] Speaker A: Yes. And then from that, that dwarf time information specifically is for city planners, where I could take that data that we have. What kind of wheelchair, what kind of. That's never been tracked before, what kind of make and model they're using and then being able to take that, provide it to the city planners and then they can find out where the wheelchairs travel and where those deserts are at.
[00:18:33] Speaker B: Wow. So what does inclusive infrastructure look like when it's, you know, designed with real users in mind instead of added, you know, later as a correction?
[00:18:43] Speaker A: It looks like it's a part of the, the environment. It doesn't say, this is for the disabled. Come and sit over here.
[00:18:52] Speaker B: Okay. I just part of, you're part of the solution. You're the real end user. You, you know, you're designing it. You're saying, okay, no, not, don't put it this way, put it this way. Maybe it's looking into the sun or, or maybe it has no, it needs a better cover. You know, somebody sitting there during the day, how's that going to affect them? What happened if it rains outside? So these are all, so these kind of common things, but what's kind of a specific thing that you can think of that just comes out to you that, that somebody that's not forward thinking could think of, but somebody that's actually in a wheelchair would be able to, you know, enlighten us with.
[00:19:32] Speaker A: I'M sorry, I'm not understanding the question quite. Can you say it another way?
[00:19:36] Speaker B: Yeah. No. So what I'm saying is, you know, you're talking about using the, the individual in a wheelchair currently as part of the solution.
[00:19:44] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:19:45] Speaker B: All right.
[00:19:46] Speaker A: And.
[00:19:46] Speaker B: And what would be maybe some insight that they could share that a person like myself who's never, you know, have, has not been in a wheelchair, wouldn't really even think about.
[00:19:57] Speaker A: I would say come and sit in a chair.
[00:20:01] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:20:02] Speaker A: And then you could really feel what it feels like to have to
[00:20:07] Speaker B: across
[00:20:07] Speaker A: the street that has cobblestone because some architect decided to put some cobblestone inside of there instead of a regular street. Why does that matter? Because it really sucks on, on tires. If you're going to go across the street and you got cobblestone, you were going to be careful. You're not going to get caught up in those little grooves.
Really slows us down.
So really, it's kind of hard to answer that question because you really have to experience it to really get it right.
I could tell you about it and you can emphasize, empathize with me, but you can't.
Or you can relate to me, but you can't.
You don't know what it's like until you actually have to push that chair or to travel and to have that wheelchair die out on you and you're stranded. And then you realize how big of a problem you're in.
It's critical.
[00:21:01] Speaker B: No, you know, one of the, one of the themes where I shows. You don't know what you don't know. Right. You don't know what you don't know. That's right. So if you don't know, then how, how can you even ask the questions or how can you direct somebody to a better solution? Right.
[00:21:13] Speaker A: See, so that's where I come in. Because you don't know. As city planners, as designers. Urban planners, let me guide you and let me share my 34 years of experience with you so that you can get it right. And in the end, we'll provide some data reports for you so that you are ADA compliant, because that's what matters here most.
[00:21:36] Speaker B: Sure, sure. So if you wanted to continue the. This discussion, maybe help you guys out in your journey, how would somebody be able to get in touch with you?
[00:21:45] Speaker A: Oh, well, you can visit my website first and foremost. And it is at, well, hyphen Able platforms dot com. Well, Able platforms dot com. And if you go on there, it gives you a little bit about the movement, the In Charge movement, really trying to get whole San Diego. We're starting out in San Diego here, a pilot program. We plan to move across California. And after California, we're going national because this is needed nationally because wheelchair users continue to get stranded on the side of the road with no support whatsoever, this will continue.
So we've got that website and you've also got my LinkedIn profile as well.
So you could go there to Teresa Valenzuela. That's Teresa T E T E R E S a no h
[email protected] and if you don't mind, Ricky, I'm also having a fundraiser right now in order to secure my patents. I have two patents that I'm creating and the patent lawyer and the prior art searches is about $10,000 to be in order to cover that. And so I'm having a fundraiser in order to, in order to be able to come up with those funds so I could secure the idea to move forward and to make a difference in this world. And then you're talking about battle ready. It's battle ready in a different way. Not physically, but to be able to do whatever comes at me, I've got to be able to adjust, to adapt to change.
And with my age and wisdom, I know how to do that now.
[00:23:26] Speaker B: Oh, that's amazing. We'll be right back with you talking a little bit more about accessibility. And it's not a charity, it's something about readiness. We'll be right back.
[00:23:34] Speaker A: That's right.
[00:23:49] Speaker B: So we're back with Teresa Valenzuela. Hey, Theresa.
[00:23:52] Speaker A: Hey, how's it going, Ricky? Yeah. Having a good time here.
[00:23:55] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. So we've talked about the problem and the mission. Now we need to talk about the execution. You know, change does not happen just because an idea is good. You know, the leaders got to get in there. We got to build trust, secure support, align partners and keep moving even when the system is slow to respond. So how has that been going for you?
[00:24:14] Speaker A: Excellent. Actually, Ricky, I, I don't want to, because I'm in discussions right now. I don't want to divulge who's I'm in discussion with at time, but I can tell you it's a big authority here in San Diego and they want to be the first to be able to say that, hey, we're the first ones to put charging stations for the power wheelchair user in San Diego County.
Really? It would be, it would be the first and the second one would begin the network and we would be building America's first intelligent network charging station infrastructure for the world.
And so that's really exciting to me. Very exciting to be able to do that. But yeah, that the charging stations, once they go up, you're going to be able. It's not going to only be just for the disabled though. Just so you know, if you have a phone, you're walking by, you could charge your phone just the same.
Of course, priority is always given to the disabled. And I hope that that's, you know, that people are able to say, hey, you know, hey, make room, you know, somebody's coming with a wheelchair, we could charge somewhere else, that won't be an issue.
But yeah, it's good, it's good.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: So, you know, you spend more than a decade bridging the digital divide and building cross sector partnerships.
[00:25:38] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:25:38] Speaker B: What does it take to bring very different stakeholders to the same table? I mean, what's that look like?
[00:25:45] Speaker A: Takes time. Takes time and coordination.
I'm going to say my average is to be able to coordinate. I'm aware of P3 contracts and that's part public private partnerships.
I've done many of those and being able to coordinate and to make sure that all the missions are in alignment. And what I always, always say that it's not for the benefit of me and not for the benefit of you, but for our customers. And as a result we all win. Right.
You know, but that's how I've always looked at it is, is how could we benefit come together and benefit the, the customer or whoever we're serving. Who could we add value? And the other ones, they're on board anyways. They're already in the conversation. Then it's just a matter of coordinating.
[00:26:34] Speaker B: So how excited are the end users? I mean, I'm sure you've been out talking with, with some of your peers and people you've known or maybe even been in front of other people that, that have you always thought about it but never put a foot forward? What kind of feedback are you getting, Teresa?
[00:26:51] Speaker A: I wish I had your problems.
You've got a good problem, you've got a big problem and I wish I had it.
I'm getting feedback from some major key government officials in regard. I never even considered this.
I never thought about this. I've got feedback from an accessibility officer at a major organization or corporation that said I am the accessibility coordinator and I did not even consider I moved wheelchairs all day long. I never considered how they even get charged.
[00:27:28] Speaker B: Wow. I couldn't even imagine how that was like in their face. All of A sudden it's like especially these big companies.
So you're going to put stations. Are you even looking at maybe bringing some of these big companies?
I know like a couple years back my wife and I went to the Boeing Boeing place up in Seattle. Oh my God, that place went for like ever.
[00:27:52] Speaker A: Oh, I can imagine.
[00:27:54] Speaker B: So what would be some like maybe putting a station in one of those also or location at work?
[00:28:01] Speaker A: Look, Ricky, what I would like to do is just go ahead and inundate it with all, just lay it all over the next to all the bus stops, the trolley stations, the airports, the trains. But all of those types of contract, those are all procurement contracts and that takes time, two to three years. So we plan on starting in the private sector and then after being established in that way, slowly make our way into the city infrastructure. But yes, health centers, Think about the hospitals, think about the senior center parks, you know, the, wherever seniors go.
I don't know if you're aware, but we are facing right now, it's already begun. It's called the silver tsunami.
10,000 people a day are turning 65 years old. We will have 25% of our population will be 65 plus by 2030.
What about all the wheelchairs and mobility devices that they're going to need?
There's no infrastructure.
We don't have the infrastructure ready for them.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
So when you are pushing for change, how do you handle resistance? I mean slow adaption or people who do not yet understand the urgency? How, how, how much of a challenge is that?
[00:29:20] Speaker A: Yeah, there you go. It's a, it's a lot of self talk. It's a lot of just letting it go.
I finally have come to a point in my life where if something doesn't go my way or if we make plans and it doesn't go right, it's, there's nothing I can do about it. I move forward, of course I, you know, make amends or whatever I need to do, but I let it go and move forward. If a decision's on the table and it doesn't go my way or the way that I would have preferred it to go, I let it go.
That has not been the case for me in the past. I've ruminated, what can I have done differently? I've tried to outreach to them in a different way and it didn't work because it wasn't the right time. If it's time that will happen.
Don't force the door open. The door will open.
[00:30:11] Speaker B: Okay. Gotta be patient, right?
[00:30:13] Speaker A: You got to be patient. And it forces you to be patient. It forces you to talk to yourself.
Having a business makes you.
It makes you as a person, who you are and how you're going to show up. And rejection is one of the most, the biggest one that you've got to face and how you're going to deal with that. That I do it by surrounding myself by people that say no, Teresa, that was just one situation out of. Out of many. More will come and more have.
[00:30:43] Speaker B: You know when you say that I used to be an army recruiter a thousand years ago, right?
[00:30:47] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:48] Speaker B: And one of the things we used to teach all of our recruiters is, you know, the word no is just a request for more information.
[00:30:56] Speaker A: I like it. I like it.
[00:30:58] Speaker B: So what role does data play in turning around personal stories into decisions, investments, and even policy conversations?
[00:31:05] Speaker A: Well, of course I like to take that data and I like to actually have those conversations with the individuals that are experiences. I want to know because I too, as a disabled individual, disabled people in, let's just say, mobility users that use wheelchairs, for example, I just started on a board with the Port of San Diego, the Accessibility Advisory Group. And a good thing too, because I've changed my design as a result of it. I wasn't considering the blind, the deaf, the cognitive, all the other abilities that are out there. I was just thinking from the Caleb X Charge, from the mobility perspective.
Well, what if somebody that is blind that came up that wanted to use the cell phone? Well, I need to have braille there too, for them.
So it's taking all of it into consideration as a whole, not just your perspective. It's. It's garnering all the information, listening to people and then adapting where necessary. And that data is key, man.
[00:32:20] Speaker B: You know what, that, that's interesting that she said that. I mean, I mean, I would have never even thought about the braille.
[00:32:26] Speaker A: No, no.
[00:32:27] Speaker B: Everything out there. Right.
[00:32:28] Speaker A: And it's only because I surrounded myself with a group of advisors that have different abilities. Right.
You know, because this is not only for the mobility device users. This is for the veteran.
This is for the senior citizens that are. Don't. Good. Because like I said earlier, if you're. When you're confined to a wheelchair, your, Your world shrinks down and depressed whether you want to or not. This is an option to say that, look, but you can get out and about if you wanted to. You have that choice. Currently, we don't have that choice. Our life is dictated or plugged in to an outlet.
You've got to be by an Outlet to charge your chair.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: Gotcha.
[00:33:14] Speaker A: No way to live, you know?
[00:33:16] Speaker B: So for leaders watching who. Who feel called to solve a difficult problem, what is the first step toward turning purpose into an operating plan?
[00:33:25] Speaker A: Yeah, to be able to sit back and get yourself. Surround yourself with some advisors. You cannot do this all on your own. It's too big. Even if it's AI agents. Now I have Maria and I have Juan Carlos. Maria is Gemini, and Juan Carlos is. Carlos is Claude.
And I've created agents for myself and Accountant and Operations because I don't have that human connection around me all the time. But I've created these agents so that I can get the feedback from. Okay, what is the accountant going to say about this? What is Operations going to say? How is marketing going to handle this? So that I'm getting all of the perspectives and not just one. But yeah, you've got to sit down and lay it all out.
You got to be able, however that looks for you. For me, my living room is about a war zone. And it's basically. It's got on the wall up on top of just a big felt board that has the whole. I could see it all.
I could see where I'm. Where I'm at, all of the legal formation, all of the patent stuff that needs to get taken care of.
[00:34:34] Speaker B: Just.
[00:34:34] Speaker A: I see it all, all on the board. And so that works for me, whatever works for you. But you've got to sit back and you've got to lay it all out. You've got to know every piece of your business.
[00:34:45] Speaker B: Man, that's. That sounds almost exhausted.
[00:34:48] Speaker A: It. It is. But I also want to leave a legacy.
I want to give back to the world. And that's the cost sometimes.
[00:34:57] Speaker B: So it's a fulfillment, right?
[00:34:59] Speaker A: Absolutely. In the end, I'm not just taking. I've given, and that matters. And then not only did I give, I want to know that this is.
This is. I leave a legacy. And that this is only the beginning of what is going to come later in life for other individuals that don't have to be plugged into a wall. Life that way, that way.
[00:35:22] Speaker B: You know, Teresa, this is the kind of leadership that this show is built around. The ability to stay disciplined, communicate clearly, and keep advancing the mission no matter what, even when the path is difficult. Yes. Appreciate you. We'll be right back after this short message.
Welcome back to Battle Ready. You can stay connected to this show and every NOW Media TV favorite live or on demand, anytime you like. Download the Now Media app on Roku or iOS and you can also listen to the bilingual stations in English and Spanish. If you're on the move, you catch the podcast version of www.nowmedia.tv. from business and news to lifestyle and culture, wellness, leadership and Beyond. Now Media TV is streaming 24 hours around the clock for you to come. Check us out now. Before the break, Teresa and I were talking a little bit about how we discuss leadership, how they move forward with the vision to execution. Now we're bringing it all home.
How do you build something that lasts, serves real people and continues creating impact beyond one project, one speech and one moment, and that's about the fulfillment. Teresa, welcome back.
[00:36:43] Speaker A: Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you for having me.
[00:36:46] Speaker B: So what has been the most defining challenge in your journey? How did it sharpen your mission?
[00:36:52] Speaker A: I would say the most defining moment is when I finally said, I believe in you.
I believe in who I am.
Finally where I can say that no matter what happens, I've been through a lot of things in my lifetime. As many of us have very hard things that we've had to deal with. Right, right.
And somewhere along the line in our lives, we picked up that we're not good enough, that we're, we, we don't meet the standard, you know, but we all want to be accepted, we all want to belong, we all want to believe in ourselves. But we don't always do that, do we? We have a lot of selft talk, a lot of self doubt, you know. But I can honestly say that I have come to a full circle where I could say, now I believe in myself. I see the work that I've done in the past, I see where I want to go and I know I have the skills to do it. So I surround myself with leaders, I surround myself with motivators. I take advantage whenever possible of opportunities to be able to share. Thank you for this platform, Ricky. I really appreciate it to be able to share because this isn't just about business. This is about who you are as a person and whether you can dig deep down and find out who you are and be able to take yourself and your family forward. And you can, you will.
[00:38:16] Speaker B: So how do you, how do you measure success when the, the work involves dignity, access, you know, independence and quality of life? How do you measure it?
[00:38:26] Speaker A: Right now I'm measuring that by the quality of my own life.
To be able, how am I balancing my own life and will I be able to go ahead and those. These doors open up in a way that allows others to be able to travel outside, to live spontaneously.
If you're in a power wheelchair. You don't live spontaneous anymore. You don't just say, hey, I'm going for a cup of coffee or hey, I'm going to take a side route and go shopping over here in this area, you can't, you're on the, you're looking at your charger. You've got to make sure you get back home in time, you know, and so you're not living spontaneously. And boy, that's something special when you could just get up and go. I want that for people.
I want that back for our disabled community, the mobility device users.
[00:39:20] Speaker B: Absolutely.
So what do business owners and community leaders need to understand about accessibility as a growth, innovation and a service opportunity?
[00:39:30] Speaker A: Oh, well, just starting with a service opportunity, like for example, with the In Charge movement that I have going, being a part of our ally business network and being able to say that, hey, we are accessible, you are welcome here. Kind of like lighthouses along the way home, if you will. So then that way, that, that's what I came across a survey from San Francisco's feasibility study. They just did it in 2024, specifically on charging stations and what it would take to be able to get those out and about. It didn't happen for them for different reasons, but I took that information and especially the data consumer, and that was that 49% of a thousand users worry on a daily basis about battery anxiety.
67% said, Absolutely, I would use a charging station if it was available, if it was in a safe place, if it was well lit, if their security was taken into mind. And so I put all of that into. Into form so that we feel safe. That's what it's about, feeling safe, safe.
[00:40:41] Speaker B: So it also has to be free of elements, right?
[00:40:44] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, that's the one thing too. And I don't know how I'm going to address that yet, because here in San Diego, for example, we've got pretty good weather all year round. Right. And building an enclosure and things of that nature takes it up a notch in regard to permits and licensing and cost.
And so right now I'm looking at just being able to attach a charger, if you will, to a pole, to be able to attach it to a wall and so that you could just pull up next to it and be able to plug in.
So first we're going to start inside and then we're going to travel outside and go from there and eventually we'll be hitting solar as well.
[00:41:25] Speaker B: So we probably, you probably could reach out and maybe reach out to Some of the companies that do covers. Right. Not necessarily enclosed, but maybe a covered area. Area.
[00:41:35] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, I guess we can. I didn't think about that, but yes, thank you for that, Ricky. That again, we're going in phases. I'm in the precede, fade phase right now, but getting a lot of attention in regard to bringing this new market into light. Many people did not even know that it even existed. You know, however, many of us will be affected, whether it's you, you or whether it's your parents when you get older, when they get older, or you get older, or your, your son, for example, you know, Lord forbid, playing football, got hurt temporarily in a wheelchair. You know, these are opportunities that are available for them. And we, I want to make sure that not only the permanently disabled, but the temporary disabled also have a place to be safe and to say, hey, this is where I could charge my chair and I'm comfortable.
[00:42:30] Speaker B: Cool.
Well, I know that I'm thinking about this and I'm thinking as large as Houston is, that would be amazing here. But then I also think of the heat. Oh, my gosh.
You know, it's, it's, it takes it to a whole different level in Houston.
[00:42:45] Speaker A: Right. So like I said first. Right. I'm going to start indoors at first and see how that goes. And then, you know, then we go outdoors and we'll go from there. But, you know, I've got to work on some grants, some grant funding and some partnerships before we get to that stage. But definitely already planned it out.
[00:43:05] Speaker B: Gotcha. So how can people become better allies or better builders in this space without speaking over the communities that they serve?
[00:43:13] Speaker A: Talk to the disabled people. Talk to your customers. Find out more about them. Not just.
I could tell you one thing that we don't want to hear.
Do you mind if I ask a personal question?
Oh, go ahead. What happened to you?
Why? Is there something wrong with me?
They want to know what happened, right? That's what they, that's what they, they want to know what happened to you. That's like a human curiosity, you know, if you could start. Not start with that, but instead, you know, hey, do you find it difficult to get around in.
[00:43:48] Speaker B: Is.
[00:43:48] Speaker A: Do you find out that is. Is our store accessible to you? Do you have any recommendations?
Just to begin that conversation? You'll get a year full, I bet.
[00:43:59] Speaker B: I bet.
[00:44:00] Speaker A: Yeah. And not. Not necessarily negative either. Just good feedback that you can be able to incorporate.
[00:44:08] Speaker B: So in, in your area where you're talking to people all the time, especially the people that are currently in the wheelchair? Yes. And you're, you're sharing with them your, your vision, right?
[00:44:19] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:44:20] Speaker B: And they're sharing with their peers and their friends.
[00:44:24] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:44:25] Speaker B: So what is that feedback looking like?
[00:44:27] Speaker A: Very positive. I'm actually starting a movement.
I didn't realize it, but I just started the.
My company. I decided to form the company in March and from March to August. Yes, we've been pretty fortunate. Like I said, I'm in discussion with two major authorities here in San Diego and there's going to be a pilot program for sure here in San Diego. And after that starts, I can't see that people wouldn't want to be involved in the movement.
[00:45:02] Speaker B: Sure. So what legacy do you hope creates the electric wheelchair user in the broader accessibility movement? And what's the legacy of your company?
[00:45:11] Speaker A: The legacy is that we, we didn't. We were ready. We were battle ready. Right.
We went through the battles, we did the. We, we fought the wars. We were able to, you know, negotiate when necessary and do what's necessary to keep this for this company in formation and in good standing so that we could go ahead and leave the legacy. In regard to charging stations, in regard to freedom, in regard to independ dependence. Because what we want to be is America's first intelligent network of charging stations in the city of San Diego and then nationwide.
[00:45:53] Speaker B: So if viewers want to learn more about you and want to connect with you or maybe even support your cause, how can they do that?
[00:46:00] Speaker A: Currently I have a GoFundMe going on right now, and if you don't mind, if you can help me support to be able to, you know, be able to submit my patents.
But more importantly, just as importantly, that would be to.
For the patent attorney review.
And so I'm trying to raise $10,000. I know it says 3,000 on the GoFundMe link, but it's actually $10,000. But yeah, that's what we're trying to do. And if not contact me directly, let's connect on LinkedIn and be able to, you know, collaborate and see how we can help each other. Other. Absolutely.
[00:46:39] Speaker B: I'm sure there's that you guys would love somebody that's willing to help you write a grant, right?
[00:46:45] Speaker A: Absolutely. I'm also, I happen to be a grant writer as well, so I learned a lot of things in bridging the digital divide. Okay.
[00:46:53] Speaker B: So.
[00:46:53] Speaker A: But yeah, any, any grant opportunities or even collaborative opportunities talking to even the city of Houston to be able to. Where are you at on this bench venture on this charge movement? Would you like to be involved.
[00:47:07] Speaker B: Right. Okay. Well, Teresa, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Battle Ready. Your journey reminds us of being ready is not only about being strength, being strong under pressure, but it's about preparation, purpose, and the courage to build solutions where there's no obstacles that anybody else can see but you. Thanks again for showing us.
[00:47:27] Speaker A: Absolutely. Thank you.
[00:47:30] Speaker B: To our viewers, accessibility, innovation, leadership are not separate conversations.
They all ask the same question. Are you building systems that truly serve people? When we bring disciplined data and human understanding, together, we can create change that is practical, measurable, and deeply meaningful. I'm Ricky Chavez, and this is Battle Ready. Stay ready, lead with purpose, and keep building that what matters. We'll talk to you soon.
