b2b

"This problem that Jeff is solving, this was the exact problem that we faced in boardrooms and management meetings across the country 45 years ago relative to minority races and our search for sensitivity and diversity.... We would be sitting in a meeting and ask the questions, how would this make a person of color feel? Or, is this or that offensive to a person of color?

40 years ago when we tried to answer these questions we would look around the boardroom table and see nothing but white faces among us....not a single person in the room was in a position to answer those questions that we needed answered.

Today, businesses are facing this exact same problem relative to serving their disabled customers and their families. As business owners, serving your disabled customers isn't only morally correct, it's good business, so there is a desire, it's just often tricky."

F. L., vP OF HR.

"I was trying to do business with a supplier who, for silly political reasons relating to a local country club, didn't want to do business with my company. When this CEO finally moved on to greener pastures, I wanted to immediately reach out to the new CEO because the fit between our two companies was perfect.

I got nervous when I learned that the new CEO was disabled, which was something I didn't have experience with. Knowing that all business is built on relationships, I wanted to take him to dinner but didn't know what the do's and dont's were, what topics were off-subject, if I should even ask about his disability, and so on and so forth.

I was so scared that I foolishly let two years go by without reaching out to him.

Then I discovered Jeff and his work and the back-and-forth consultation sessions, and we spent 75 minutes on the facetime on my phone together one afternoon. I explained my fears to him and Jeff answered my questions on my hypothetical situations. He explained that no one is perfect, and that includes dealing with individuals with disabilities. People make mistakes, and as long as you have the right attitude and approach, then your actions will generally be well received by a reasonable person. What a relief it was to hear that and it was more impactful, frankly, to hear it coming from Jeff.

By the time my conversation with Jeff was over I was completely confident to take the meeting, and had no qualms holding the restaurant door open for his wheelchair, or moving a chair to the side at our table for his wheelchair, or picking up his napkin for him when it fell off the table. I don't need to tell you whether or not we started doing business together after that dinner, because you already know the answer."

J. S., FROM C.T.I. (EMphasis added).

b2c

"When I have a question about serving my disabled customers, I just call Jeff, so that I don't have to guess or hold a round-table discussion or start posting on internet boards, or try to find a disabled friend who I have a close-enough relationship with to ask random questions. 

Jeff gives me answers that no one else will to questions most people are too afraid to ask. Because of that, I can serve my clients, and therefore my business, even better."

M. G., c.o.o. OF D.A.C. (emphasis added).

"What drives me nuts is when I seek out help from others, primarily online and on websites and such, and then instead of getting answers all they do is tell me that my question is offensive and that I'm a jerk for even asking.

It's like, can't you see that I'm only asking this question because I'm trying to help my disabled customers. Why are you shaming me for having the audacity to ask a question? This is business, only the strong survive. Now I just call Jeff a couple times a year."

S. C., THIRD-GENERATION department STORE OWNER

"Now that I've discovered Jeff I find myself calling him or emailing him constantly with sticky little issues involving a sensitive situation. If I ever get sued under some disability-discrimination theory of tort, the first person I'm going to tell my lawyer to depose is Jeff."

T. S., OWNER OF TWO ATLANTA HOTELS. (emphasis added).

employee confidence

"My ice cream shop has high counter tops and glass cases. Three employees came up to me and said they get anxious when a customer in a wheelchair asks for a sample, do they come all the way around the counter, lean way over? They didn't know what would be the polite thing to do.

They were so afraid of offending someone, that it stunted their ability to exercise good judgment. And two of these three employees were my "A" team, great employees.

So we hopped on a FaceTime call with Jeff right then and there and talked it out. My employees got to ask the questions they wanted answered, and Jeff not only answered their questions, he also took the time to explain to them that it's all in their positive attitude. After 20 minutes of back and forth with Jeff, my employees didn't only know what steps to take, they also had the confidence  they needed to maintain a smiling attitude while working with disabled customers.

I can't tell you how helpful that was for my employees -- getting immediate and exact answers to all of their questions. How else can you get that?"

C.B. FROM T.I.C.E. (Ny, NY) (Emphasis added).

MOTIVATION & relationship building

"There's a certain confidence and joy I get from FaceTiming with Jeff. He's been through so much adversity in his life, that talking to him is like a breath of fresh air. I can be a nervous wreck about a meeting for a week straight, but nothing gets me in the right head space like talking to Jeff about my meeting and the opportunities that it will give me. Suddenly being grilled by my boss' boss in front of a room full of my superiors doesn't seem so intimidating. It helps me put things in perspective."

J. M., FROM S.G.S. 

INVALUABLE BENEFITS

Speed – You don't have to post on a message board, and wait days for a response that may or may not come.

No Books – You and your employees have enough to read already. The last thing you need is more textbooks, workbooks, and pamphlets.

Feedback– direct feedback in a two-way conversation. Direct consulting.

FaceTime –  With FaceTime video chat you and your employees can demonstrate actions for Jeff, show him physical things which  might present physical barriers, etc.  

Flexibility – You can have a 1-on-1 conversation with Jeff, or Jeff can talk to your entire team at once, and everything in between.