Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Foster.
Hi Joseph, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Roll Mobility was born when I was volunteering in Breckenridge Colorado for a US Paralympic training camp for Biathlon and Nordic Skiing. We tried to take some of our athletes who use wheelchairs out to dinner. First, we called the locations to make sure they could accommodate five people in chairs. We were assured they could. We settled on a restaurant that mentioned they had an elevator to make it down to the bathroom. When we arrived what we found was much different. There were stairs to get through the front entrance, the aisles weren’t wide enough to wheel through, and the elevator was a relic from the 60’s in which the athletes didn’t fit.
I was amazed at the lack of information available to people regarding access for those with mobility issues. The athletes just laughed it off. They told me “This is what happens every single time we go to a new place.” Phone calls and drive-bys and a general disregard for how universal design helps all of us. Have you ever used crutches, or walked with a stroller? Ever made a delivery with a dolly or hand cart? Curb cuts and ramps become a best friend in those moments. We thought to ourselves- there has to be a way to get that information from people who know to the people who need it.
So we created the Roll Mobility App. Now anyone has access to community-driven reviews that provide objective data for the accessibility of the world around them. We launched in Denver, but we have reviews in multiple countries. The app is already set up in both English and Spanish, and more languages are being released. Our motto is “Go Further Together” because we know, we all get more out of life when we help each other.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Anyone who has tried to create something that doesn’t already exist knows there are huge hurdles to be overcome. We have stumbled many many times in the journey towards having the living and breathing app that exists today. Even recently we made an update that killed the entire thing, it simply stopped working for some lines of code.
Thankfully, we hadn’t completely released it!
Our biggest challenge has been meeting a group of people who have been marginalized and have been promised so many things before. We fight the uphill battle of asking them to trust us when they have seen their wants and needs pushed to the sidelines. One of our core tenants has been- we are here to listen to what people want.
It’s an exciting prospect to know that as more people use the app it will change and grow in ways we never thought of. We came up with the idea, but the lack of ego on our team is incredible. We strive to provide something that people will see themselves in. Something that helps this community expand and find its voice.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been lucky enough to have met people who have had a difficult time in life, but choose to see the possibilities in every situation. Through Roll, I work with all manner of humans who have bodies that don’t function in a way that is seen as normal. But they continue to push to do the things they love. We strive to help them get to those things more easily and with less hassle.
One of the things I know about myself is that I’ve cultivated a passion for people. I heard a great quote recently- anyone is boring if you ask them boring questions. Being curious about people has served me so well in life, I love hearing what drives and motivates people. Being able to give them tools so they can share their passions with others has been an incredible journey.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk is a part of life. Embracing the unknown and pushing into new places is an incredible opportunity. But it’s hard- especially as I’ve gotten older the risks of living out your passions seem to cost more. One of the things that has helped me so much is the mantra of “failing faster.”
How can we fail fast enough to get to the “aha” moment? How do we surround ourselves with people who tell us to go for it when we are feeling small? I don’t have all the answers, but I am lucky enough to be surrounded by people who support and cheer for me even in what may seem like a failure at the time.
We try to let curiosity be the driver of success and this has been so helpful in defining my journey as a risk taker. We find if you let the fear of winning or losing become too important it leads you to push into positions that might not benefit you. When curiosity is the driver you can wonder “what if” and question things without ego.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rollmobility.com
- Instagram: @rollmobility
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rollmobility/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@therollapp
