In the Beginning...
LIKE MOST CONSUMERS, I AM EXTREMELY TIRED OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE FALSELY MARKETED AS BEING “BUILT TO LAST” OR MAKE THE FALSE CLAIM THAT “IT REALLY WORKS”.
THE FIRST THOUGHT OF A CUP HOLDER FOR WALKERS AND WHEELCHAIRS CAME TO ME AROUND CHRISTMAS 2013.
It was around this time that my mother-in-law’s health was declining and my family and I had her move in with us. She used a walker to get around and it didn’t take us long to see the difficulties she was encountering in her daily life. My mother-in-law loved her coffee, but without a third hand for assistance she had trouble getting it from Point A to Point B – as most of us would if we needed a walker to get around. We scoured land, air and sea (along with the internet) to solve the problem.
We purchased two different cup holders online specifically designed for walkers and wheelchairs. In no time, it became clear you needed to be an engineer to figure out how to assemble and install the two different style holders. After constant retightening, readjusting, and simply not living up to expectations, it was clear these products were poorly designed and manufactured.
Like most consumers, I am extremely tired of products that are falsely marketed as being “built to last” or make the false claim that “It really works!”. What to do? Well, out of this frustration came an idea – an idea that led me to design my own cup holder.
I knew that when designing this cup holder, there were three main components I knew it needed. First, I wanted it to be sturdy, stable, and able to withstand tough, everyday use. Second, I wanted to ensure that it would be able to hold different sizes – whether it be a cup or bottle. Third, I wanted it to have an attach/detach function for cleaning or transporting.
I knew that transferring this concept from my head to paper was the first step towards making my idea a reality. But before I had the chance to take my next steps, life threw me a curveball and all hell broke loose.
