Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

I started Dance Happy with my two friends because I had a hard finding a job due to my disability. Most employers took one look at me, saw I have Down syndrome, and assumed I wasn't capable of doing certain things, without giving me a chance first. I am extremely capable, but need some support on the job to help me be as independent as possible. We started Dance Happy together to show the world what's possible for people who are normally overlooked, when they're given the opportunity to succeed.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated to prove everyone who ever doubted and judged me because of my disability wrong and to show the world what people like me ARE capable of doing. I want to be the first person with Down syndrome to reach milestones in my industry. So far, my brand has been featured in Oprah Daily's O List, carried by Nordstrom, Madewell, Aerie, and over 100 other boutique retailers, and featured on QVC (to name a few accomplishments), none of which have ever been done by someone like me before.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Market demand for our products has significantly increased and we're in the process of expanding our production capabilities, which includes hiring and creating more jobs for people with disabilities. We do all printing, cutting, and sewing of our products in-house, so we now need to purchase more equipment. This money would help offset the cost of purchasing new adaptive printing equipment, which is critical to operations of our inclusive workplace but is also very expensive ($35k+).