My Recovers is an orthopedic soft goods designer and retailer that focuses on improving the quality of one’s recovery without having to give up being fashionable. The company makes specialty covers for walking boots, arm casts and braces, and crutches in a variety of bright colors and designer patterns that protects an injury and allowsan individual to showcase their unique sense of style. The company even offers the CastCooler which provides instant relief from an itchy orthopedic cast or splint. My Recovers’ products offer one-of-a-kind features and benefits that provide solutions to daily inconveniences such as showering and walking, all the while providing comfort and allowing one to channel his or her energy into healing.
Author: The GrommetA tie-dye arm cover
Tell us your origin story – what was the spark that took you from concept to startup?
I am, in the literal sense, an accidental entrepreneur. A sports injury, combined with an ill-fated chase after my golden retriever, resulted in major foot surgery and me wearing a medical walking boot for several months. The physical ordeal was, of course, aggravating and I improvised with homemade solutions, like duct tape and plastic wrap, to help keep my boot dry and clean, especially in bad weather. The fact that orthopedic boots are just plain ugly didn’t help matters either! The physical aspect, as difficult as it was, didn’t compare to the emotional challenge of being forced on the sideline. I slowly discovered that fostering a positive attitude was one of the few factors of recovery I could actually control and it was liberating not to feel identified as “a patient”. I re-framed my dislike of the walking boot into an opportunity to problem solve. This led me to experiment with fun fabrics to disguise my brace and, not only did I feel stylish, but I also heard a lot of things like, “Wow, great idea. Wish I had one of those when I was stuck in a boot.” What started as a personal challenge grew into a passion to help other people, experiencing similar issues, make the best of a bad situation and improve the quality of their own recovery – be it a dry walking boot or making a fashion statement.
Did you use any source of crowdfunding and if so which one and was it successful?
I did not use crowdfunding. It’s all privately funded thanks to selling my house.
How did participating in Mass Innovation Nights help you?
Mass Inno helped in a number of ways. I started working with Bobbie Carlton, founder of Mass Inno, and she gave me the push I needed to get involved and exhibit my company. I did so early on in the company’s development and it forced me to shepherd all the thoughts and moving pieces into key messages for public consumption. That night was the first forum I had to showcase my products and get feedback not only on the concept, but also the marketing messages. I learned so much! I was expecting an environment like Shark Tank where people would pepper me with questions trying to make me prove my worth and the experience was the opposite of that. Attendees were other entrepreneurs, or people just interested in cool new ideas, and, while they provided constructive criticism, it was in the spirit of helping you propel the business to succeed. As a result of that feedback, I changed a lot of the core marketing content and, as a bonus, one of the Mass Inno attendees was a perfect resource to work on a web project I had in the works. It was an extremely positive experience and, with the way Bobbie is growing the Mass Inno community, many more entrepreneurs will get the same opportunity.
What are the significant milestones you have achieved or need to achieve in the growth of your company?
- The first milestone, of course, was actually developing the product design so it could be manufactured, and replicated, on a larger scale. This was a bumpy process, but proof that we made progress was implementing the Amazon channel last August.
- Implementing the Amazon channel was significant because it proved that we could scale not only in production, but also process. You open yourself up to a huge audience whose comments have a lasting effect on your reputation, good or bad, justified or not.
- Expanding distribution overseas was another big milestone and last year, we added international dealers in Australia, the UK and Canada.
Author: The GrommetTwo of the many varieties of leg cast covers.
Is this the first company you’ve formed and if so – has the experience been what you anticipated? Please give an example of one major eye opening experience that was unexpected (if you’ve had one!)
Though I’ve participated on executive teams in new businesses, this is the first company I have ever formed on my own and the only one where I not only input the money, but also created the physical product I am selling. The experience has been “so much more” than I anticipated in every aspect imaginable. The first major eye opening experience was an unfortunate lesson in the darker side of dealing with big businesses. I pride myself on operating with integrity and, though cautious, assume others will do the same. In my first months of launching, an established, multi-million dollar brace manufacturer courted me for a private label deal and, after getting samples, they put it on hold. Six months later, they were selling my boot cover design on their website. I didn’t have the deep pockets or time to challenge them – I just wanted to pay my bills – so I had to chalk it up to a life learning experience and keep moving.
Do you think as a woman you face any different challenges as an entrepreneur? Did you tap into any women networks for funding (angel investors) or for general support?
I personally haven’t encountered specific obstacles as an entrepreneur due to gender, though I know other women in other industries who have. I do feel that women bring a unique perspective to business, however, and also seem inherently equipped to juggle a lot of moving targets that come with launching a business. More and more of our strategic partners, more by happenstance than design, are women.
