Drew Ann Long: the journey and creation of Caroline's Cart

Summary

Podcast Summary: Tony Mantor: Why Not Me? Episode: Drew Ann Long: The Journey and Creation of Caroline's Cart Date: November 5, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode features an inspiring conversation with Drew Ann Long, the creator of Caroline’s Cart—a revolutionary shopping cart designed for individuals with special needs. Sparked by her experiences as a mother to her daughter Caroline, Drew Ann recounts her relentless journey to bring accessibility to the retail world and her continued advocacy, including her nonprofit, Caroline’s Cause. The discussion dives deep into the innovation’s origins, industry obstacles, impact on families, and the broader issues surrounding disability, empathy, and inclusion worldwide.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Origin Story: From Family Need to Universal Solution

• Drew Ann shares her background as a mother of three, with her middle daughter, Caroline, born with severe disabilities (02:27).
• The realization: Once Caroline outgrew standard shopping carts, there was simply no special needs cart available anywhere (03:15).
• Drew Ann’s reaction to the gap: “That has got to change because the special needs population is the world’s largest minority group. We are worldwide. And I knew if I needed it, that others needed it too.” [Drew Ann, 02:54]

2. Facing Rejection and Building a Prototype (03:33-08:14)

• She approached all four U.S. shopping cart manufacturers—every single one initially told her “no.” (04:03)
• With a background in accounting and business, Drew Ann decided to “figure it out,” driven by necessity and belief (04:27).
• Prototyping hurdles: first non-functional prototype cost $28,000 (05:00-05:34); second, usable prototype via a university engineering department cost $80,000, draining her family’s savings and even their retirement account (06:26-06:38).
• Further setbacks: Local stores finally allowed demonstrations, but when taking the product back to manufacturers, she again received a “no”—twice (07:40).
• “I cried all the way home. Six and a half hour drive. And I thought, this can't succeed without the manufacturer, of course.” [Drew Ann, 07:46]

3. Grassroots Growth and Breakthrough (08:14–10:20)

• Unable to interest big retailers, Drew Ann focused on mom-and-pop stores, placing the first sale at Sunset Foods in Chicago (09:15).
• Strategic expansion: Drew Ann built a national grassroots movement, getting the carts into local stores one by one to generate demand (09:33).
• The turning point: After a year, the main manufacturer (who had previously rejected Drew Ann) called her back due to increasing demand from Walmart, Target, and others (09:46).
• “That is how Caroline’s Cart not only went nationwide, but went international as well.” [Drew Ann, 10:17]

4. Financial and Emotional Costs, and Finally Profit (10:20–11:41)

• Total personal investment reached $500,000 across seven years before seeing any returns (08:16, 10:38).
• “It was a one way income stream, and that was income out of my bank account for about seven years… But yes, I do make money on it now, yes, praise the Lord, I do.” [Drew Ann, 10:38]
• Landmark moment: Walmart’s nationwide rollout in 2024 brought renewed momentum and put pressure on other large chains (11:02).
• However, some major corporate holdouts include Costco, Walmart Canada, and Walmart Mexico, who “don’t see the need” (11:02, 12:14).

5. Advocacy and the Power of Community (12:27–15:21)

• Drew Ann describes ongoing advocacy efforts, and the importance of “decision-makers living our world” to understand the impact (12:27).
• The diverse users of Caroline’s Cart: While designed for special needs, senior adults unable to use scooters are the second-largest user base (12:29).
• “It is maddening to me… I always think the people that are the decision-makers, they don't live in our world. Clearly, they don't.” [Drew Ann, 13:07]

6. Giving Back: Caroline’s Cause Foundation (13:23–15:21)

• Inspired by the lack of scholarships for siblings from special needs families, Drew Ann and her husband created a scholarship program awarding $5,000 to college-bound students with a special needs sibling (13:23).
• “It’s a win, win, win.” [Drew Ann, 14:37]
• The challenge: Over 72 unfunded scholarships last year; seeking national sponsors and donors, while operating with “zero overhead” (15:21).

7. Business Model and Unique Entrepreneurial Challenge (16:43–17:55)

• Caroline’s Cart is retail-focused—cannot be sold directly to individuals, only to retail stores (16:57).
• “I developed a product that the consumer wanted, but the consumer could never buy it. I had to go to the retailer. So that made it infinitely harder…” [Drew Ann, 17:06]
• Unlike most entrepreneurs, she did not have a direct-to-consumer market, making advocacy and retailer buy-in essential for success.

8. Frustrations and Rewards (18:13–19:59)

• Most frustrating: “The lack of empathy and experience that decision makers have in the special needs world.” [Drew Ann, 18:13]
• Most satisfying: Receiving heartfelt emails and photos from families and seeing the product make a positive impact globally—such as Caroline’s Cart making it to grocery stores in Dubai (19:59).

9. Reflections and Calls to Action (20:56–26:50)

• The “aha” moment: “Why hasn’t this existed before?” A design born in 10 seconds, overlooked for decades (21:30).
• Protecting her IP: Drew Ann now owns all patents and trademarks, U.S. and international (22:17).
• Advice for listeners: “Take the risk… If you believe in it enough, like I believed in Caroline’s Cart, the risk will be ultimately worth it.” [Drew Ann, 22:42]
• Contact: DrewAnnSpeaks.com for speaking, nonprofit, and advocacy opportunities (23:43).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On initial disbelief:
  “There had never ever been a special needs shopping cart. And I really could not believe that.”
  — Drew Ann Long [03:05]

• On perseverance:
  “They did not live in my world. It was not a priority at all… If they had walked in my shoes for 10 minutes, they would never have told me no.”
  — Drew Ann Long [04:03]

• On financial sacrifices:
  “We drained our savings… had to go to our retirement, my husband’s 401k— which you’re never supposed to touch. But we didn’t have a choice.”
  — Drew Ann Long [06:40]

• On emotional impact:
  “Cried all the way home. Six and a half hour drive.”
  — Drew Ann Long [07:46]

• On inclusion:
  “There is not one person that cannot identify with Caroline’s cart. We all will be caregivers. We all might be the one who needs the caregiver… The frustrating part is getting to the right person and trying to make them just have a glimpse into what my family and millions of families deal with every day.”
  — Drew Ann Long [18:13]

• On overseas reach:
  “...we sent a container of Caroline’s cart to Dubai. So when I sit and I think, gosh, I’m just a small-town Alabama girl with an idea, and now my idea is in grocery stores in Dubai…”
  — Drew Ann Long [19:59]

• On empathy:
  “That is someone who never was touched with disability in any way, shape or form. It was cancer. His wife dying from cancer. And he had me a necklace made because they appreciated what I did so much.”
  — Drew Ann Long [25:10]

• On risk and belief:
  “Take the risk… If you believe in it enough… the risk will be ultimately worth it.”
  — Drew Ann Long [22:42]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Background: 02:21–03:27
• Realization of the Gap: 03:27–04:03
• Manufacturer Rejections & Early Prototyping: 04:03–08:14
• First Sales & Grassroots Expansion: 09:15–10:20
• Big Breakthrough with Major Retailers: 09:46–10:20
• Financial Realities: 08:14–08:30, 10:20–11:41
• Advocacy & Corporate Obstacles: 11:41–13:07
• Foundation: Caroline’s Cause: 13:23–15:21
• Business Model Uniqueness: 16:43–17:55
• Frustrations & Rewards: 18:13–19:59
• Memorable User Stories: 24:10–25:27
• Advice & Contact Info: 22:42 (advice); 23:43 (contact)

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Tone and Language

The conversation is candid, passionate, and motivational—reflective of Drew Ann’s journey as a parent-advocate turned social entrepreneur. Both host Tony Mantor and Drew Ann Long maintain a tone of empathy, admiration for perseverance, and hope for broader change.

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Closing Thought

Drew Ann’s story is not merely about inventing a cart—it’s about transforming everyday life for families and individuals often overlooked by mainstream society. Her persistence through setbacks, the profound impact on users’ lives, and her continued advocacy underscore the power that one person’s vision, informed by lived experience and compassion, can have in making the world more inclusive.

Key Takeaway:
If you see a need, take the risk to make a difference—no matter how many obstacles you face, your persistence can create positive change for countless others.

Transcript

[A]

Happy holidays. Want to give your host a gift? Consider subscribing, rating and reviewing the show this holiday season. It really helps the show grow. From all of us at Believe, have a merry Christmas, everyone, and a happy holiday.

[B]

Welcome to why Not Me. Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide hosted by Tony Mantour, broadcasting from the heart of Music City usa, Nashville, Tennessee. Join us as our guests share their raw, powerful stories. Some will spark laughter, others will move you to tears. These real life journeys inspire, connect, and remind you that you're never alone. We're igniting a global movement to empower everyone to make a lasting difference by fostering deep awareness, unwavering acceptance, and profound understanding of autism and mental health. Tune in, be inspired and join us in transforming the world one story at a time.

Hi, I'm Tony Mantour. Welcome to why Not Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide. Joining us today is Drew Ann Long, the visionary founder of Carolina Caroline's Cart. In a world where differences are too often misunderstood, she has transformed challenges into opportunities, reshaping the landscape of accessibility and inclusion for people worldwide. Inspired by her daughter Caroline, who has a severe disability, she created a revolutionary accessibility solution that transformed retail for those with special needs. Her relentless vision was proves that one person truly can make a difference in this world. She's here to share her journey with us. And what a journey it is. So before we dive into our episode, we'll be back with an uninterrupted show right after a word from our sponsors. Thanks for joining us today.

[C]

Oh no, I'm excited. This is great. This is going to be great.

[B]

Well, thanks. If you would give us a little background on what it is that you do.

[C]

Okay. So I'm a mom of three. My middle daughter Caroline was born with severe disabilities. Doesn't walk, doesn't Talk. She's now 24, but years ago, when she was about 8 years old and outgrew all the different carts at the stores, I thought, well, I need to now put her in a special needs shopping cart. Surely there's a special needs shopping cart. There's so many different variety of carts. So I had my manager look into it at a local Publix. He agreed. He said, well, yeah, there, there probably is. I'll go ahead and buy it for you since you shop here. So he did his homework, I my homework and lo and behold, there had never ever been a special needs shopping cart. And I really could not believe that. I thought, well, that has got to change because the special needs population is the world's largest minority group. We are Worldwide. And I knew if I needed it, that others needed it too.

[B]

Yes, that makes total sense. Now that tells me on how you came up with your idea of doing this. Can you tell us how it came about, that you made it a reality?

[C]

Oh, well, I would need about two weeks to tell you that story. So I'll try to give you the quick version.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

If you've seen Caroline's cart and if anybody needs a visual of it, you know, my website is caroline'scart.com. that's one of my websites. I have several, but that should pop up a picture. And it's a very simple design. I literally drew that on a piece of paper. There's no electronics, very simple. You know, just took out the little baby seat and just put in a larger seat for an older child all the way, you know, through adult years. So I drew that out and I took it to four shopping cart manufacturers in the United States. There's only four. And all four of them told me no.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

They did not see the need. Just shocking. They had walked in my shoes for 10 minutes. They would never have told me no. They did not live in my world. It was not a priority at all. I mean, I tried to explain to them there's a huge gap in this retail world of shopping, and this is a product that I believe would be successful. I didn't want anything. I didn't want money. I just wanted them to do it.

[B]

Yeah, I can understand that. So what happened next?

[C]

So when they all told me no, I was left with, okay, I'm either going to let go or I'm going to do it. I'm going to figure out how to do it. So I have a business degree, worked in accounting. My whole career was now a stay at home mom of three little kids. My husband traveled, and I had to figure it out every step of the way. I had to figure out the whole process.

[B]

So once you put this idea together, then you were ultimately turned down. Was that the moment that it all clicked? The inspiration kicked in. You decided then to do it on your own?

[C]

Yes, yes, I. It took me about a year to get a prototype. And, you know, people always say, you know, it took about seven years to get Caroline's cart off the ground. And people often ask me why it took so long. Well, I didn't have the luxury of going to an office every day. I was a mom first. My husband traveled for a living. I was at home with three littles and I had to do this when I could. So it took me about A year to find a prototype. It was in Indianapolis, Indiana. It cost $28,000, and you couldn't even sit in it. But it was an actual physical product. Brought home to my living room, to my dining room, took pictures. And on May 11th. I'm sorry, of May of 2011 is when I took pictures of it. And I went to social media and it exploded. I was getting messages from people, not kidding, all over the world saying, where can. Who has this? Because this is how I'm going to grocery shop. And I didn't even have a manufacturer, really. Just started there, and from there, I had to find a manufacturer, but I couldn't find one. And it was very difficult. It cost a ton of money, and it cost many years ticked off the ground. But I just figured it out.

[B]

You know, that's a lot of work to go through for sure. Now, once you had the prototype, how long did it take until you had a physical product that you could show and use?

[C]

It was several. Okay. Well, after I got that first prototype that you couldn't fit in, and I started Facebook and Instagram and started building that demand, I thought, well, I've got to have something that I can take a video in, something that I can demo something that I can use and be out in public.

[B]

Okay, that makes sense.

[C]

So I had to have another prototype, and I went to my local college, university, engineering department just to make me a prototype that you could sit in. Cost $80,000.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Yeah. I never. I never dreamt. I mean, my husband and I did not have this kind of money. We had to. Of course, we drained our savings. We took every extra, extra paycheck, bonus, everything we poured into it. We never vacationed for years. And eventually we had to go to our retirement. My husband's 401k, which, you know, you're never supposed to touch, but we didn't have a choice. So I actually got one that I could sit in and took it to a. You know, none of the big stores would let me in. They're like, you can't come in here with that. You know, the Walmart of the world, Publix. So I found a mom and pop store, locally owned in Birmingham, Alabama. They let me in to take videos and photos. Pictures. I promoted the heck out of that. The demand is getting bigger all over the nation, and people are want to know where to get it. So I took prototype number two back to corporate America, back to a shopping cart manufacturer. There's four. I narrowed it down to one. I thought, well, I don't want to get four Nos again, so let me just pick one. So I picked the largest. They're in North Carolina. I took prototype number two, told them that I had a lot of demand for this, that people wanted it, and they told me no a second time.

[B]

That's a really tough pill to swallow. So how did you handle it? What was going through your mind?

[C]

Cried all the way home. Six and a half hour drive. And I thought, you know, this can't succeed without the manufacturer, of course. So just from Internet and, you know, just doing all I could, I found a manufacturer in Georgia. This manufacturer had never made a shopping cart. They had made lumber carts. If, you know, rolling lumber carts are.

[B]

Yeah, sure do okay.

[C]

So he made me 100 carts, 100 Caroline's carts, and it cost $100,000.

[B]

Wow, that's a big ticket.

[C]

So the financial strain of this was tremendous. I really thought that this would cost 20, 30,000. I'd be rocking and rolling. In the end, I'll tell you, it was a half a million dollars to get it off the ground. A half a million dollars.

[B]

Wow, That's a huge leap for you to do. Was that for everything?

[C]

And that's with all the patents, you know.

[B]

So you did this. You took a leap of faith. Once you got all the orders in, did it finally start to sell?

[C]

Oh, absolutely not. So once I had my 100 carts, actually was only 88 carts because there was a fire at the manufacturer. That's another story. So no one would buy them. Like, I would go to Walmart and all the big stores and they said, we're not going to buy that. Number one. We only buy from one shopping cart manufacturer. And it was the one in North Carolina that had told me no twice. So I had to see the market to build the demand. The only way I thought I had a chance was the locally owned small stores. So my first sale, I went to the web and I got a list of nationwide mom and pop stores. And I would call them and I would tell them my story. And my first sale was in Chicago, Illinois, at Sunset Foods. And that was sale number one.

[B]

So as with anything, when you get that first sale, that's the big one. What happened after that?

[C]

Then I strategically tried to place the cart all over the nation to have a nationwide grassroots effort to build the demand.

[B]

That's a great plan. Now the big question, did it work?

[C]

So it took about a year. Took about a year to sell 88 carts. And then several months later, probably six, eight months later, my phone rings and it Was North Carolina. I'm like, oh, I wonder who this is. So as the manufacturer calling me, saying it's now time for you to come back. We are interested now. We now have Walmart and Target and all the big stores, all the big chains calling us wanting Caroline's cart. So I went on my third trip back to North Carolina and that is when I got a manufacturing contract. And that is how Caroline's cart not only went nationwide, but went international as well.

[B]

Wow, that's a great story. Now with all that money invested, needless to say, you need to get a return on your investment. Did this finally work out to where you could actually start to see a return on your investment, then ultimately a profit?

[C]

Yes, it took about seven years. It was a one way income stream and that was income out of my bank account for about seven years. So then it took several years for me to make make money to pay myself back, of course. And then Caroline's cart has been in the market since 2012, 2013. So yes, I am now. I do make money on it. Yes, praise the Lord, I do.

[B]

Well, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, you put in your hard earned money to get this thing up and going.

[C]

You know, there's still a lot of Runway left. I work on it every day. There are still corporate chains that have said no, like Costco. Sam's has done a nationwide rollout. Costco refuses. They don't see the need. So I still have work to do. But it has really, you know, exploded over the years. Last year In July of 2024, Walmart did a nationwide rollout. So if anyone is listening and hasn't seen Caroline's cart any Walmart in the United States has it. The big supercenters as well as the smaller grocery stores, neighborhood markets. So you can see it, we're in every single one. That really did breed new life into it. Put us back on the map. I believe it's starting to put pressure on these stores that have said no for so long.

[B]

Number one, I think it's great that it's finally doing well for you. With that said, it really amazes me all the attention that autism, mental illness and those with special needs are getting that these corporations would have a deaf ear and a blind eye to what's going on out there.

[C]

Right.

[B]

So what's happening now? I mean, you finally got it out there. It's doing well. What's the next step? What are you doing to expand it to make it better and get it out to even more people?

[C]

Well, okay, so Walmart Mexico, Walmart Canada, yes, they're Walmart's, but they're different. They have a different board of directors, different leadership team. They have said no to Caroline's cart.

[B]

Wow, that's totally baffling.

[C]

Oh, yes. And you know, it just people like you and me and probably all of your listeners are like, that doesn't make sense. Who would say no to a shopping cart? That not only helps the disabled community, you know, we track users. The second largest user of Carolina are the senior adult that can't drive the scooters. It is maddening to me and I have been doing this for so long now. Why would Walmart Canada say no? Why would Walmart Mexico say no? So I'm still out there fighting every day and doing all I can to change the minds. I always think the people that are the decision makers, they don't live in our world. Clearly they don't. Otherwise it wouldn't be so hard.

[B]

It is totally amazing. I think you're right there. Now let's change gears just slightly. You've got Caroline's carts doing really well. Now. I believe this gave you the opportunity to start up a foundation to help people with scholarships.

[C]

When my daughter in 2016 went to college, we were looking for scholarships. One thing I thought was, you know, because there's so many scholarships out there, I really thought, well, is there a scholarship for the special needs family, maybe for if you have a special needs sibling? There wasn't. And we searched and searched. So my husband and I thought, wow, what a great thing. If we could start a nonprofit to give back to the community of people that helped get Carolyn's cart off the ground. And what community is that? That's the special needs community. Without social media getting my word out, but without the backing and the special needs families all over, you know, the United States and beyond that were going to their store and saying, hey, you need Caroline's card? We need it for our family. I need Caroline's cart here. I need Caroline's card here. So we decided to start a nonprofit called Caroline's Cause. What it does is if you have a family dynamic like mine where you have typical kids and a special needs child, we award a one time $5,000 scholarship to a entering freshman of college.

[B]

Wow, that's a wonderful way to support families. Providing that extra financial boost can make a huge difference in helping kids pursue their college dreams. That's just great.

[C]

We say it's a win, win, win. It's a win for the mom and dad because it gives them some financial help. A win for the student because it helps get their education off the ground. And it's a win for the special needs child because they are the star of the show. You can't even apply for a scholarship if you don't have a special needs sibling. So we're getting that off the ground. I had over 72 unfunded scholarships this past year. So I'm really, really working hard trying to promote and get national sponsors for Caroline's cause. One corporate sponsorship, one only costs $5,000 for a corporation, that is nothing. I don't take a salary. I have zero overhead. This is just something. This was my give back project to the special needs community.

[B]

That is just so awesome. I mean, I'm sure you realize it, but it has to be said, you're changing lives, you're helping lives. That's a truly great thing to do. Now, with any business, you have a business plan. You've got Caroline's carts up and going. What's next? What do you see for the next three to five years for everything you're involved in?

[C]

Sure. Well, for Caroline's cart, it is absolutely continued growth. I always say that I won't be done until we are standard door equipment. What that means is anytime a store opens, they order about 250 regular carts. They order about four to six fun carts, and they order four to six electric scooters. I want Caroline's cart to be that same standard store equipment. And we're not there yet. That is my goal. And again, international. I mean, we're in about eight or nine countries now, but I'm still not in Walmart Canada. I'm still not in Walmart Mexico. And that just doesn't make sense. So continued growth for that and for Caroline's cause, you know? Sure. Again, continued growth. My vision is to never have an unfunded scholarship. Never have an unfunded scholarship. So anyone listening that wants to make a donation to Caroline's cause, That's my website, Caroline's Cause. We take Venmo, PayPal, all the things. And we are looking for corporate sponsors that we can also promote on all our channels and put on our websites as well.

[B]

Yeah, that's great. Great plans. Now, if I Google Caroline's carts, I see this website that's got all these different things on it, and it makes me wonder, do you get people that contact you and want to buy them as well?

[C]

We cannot sell to individuals. No. We can only sell it to retailers.

[B]

Okay, that makes sense. So this is basically a Retail focused business.

[C]

Right. I'm glad you said that because, you know, so many people go on Shark Tank and so many people bring products to market. That's great. I'm different. I'm the unic. And here's why. I developed a product that the consumer wanted but the consumer could never buy it. I had to go to the retailer. So that made it infinitely harder because Caroline's cart comes off their bottom line. Walmart doesn't buy Caroline's cart, mark it up and sell it.

[B]

Right, that makes sense.

[C]

So it made it infinitely harder. So imagine that you create something that you get thousands and thousands of emails that people want and would buy it in a second. Got to say, oh, well, you can only use this great thing that you want if you go to your store and use it. So I'm glad you brought that up. That did make me the unicorn, I think, of entrepreneurs bringing a product to market because most products are sold directly to the consumer and I didn't have that option.

[B]

Yes, that makes total sense. With all the trials and the tribulations that you went through getting this to the stores, what's the one thing that was the most frustrating? And then what's the one thing that was probably the most satisfying?

[C]

I think the most frustrating thing from day one is the lack of empathy and experience that decision makers have in the special needs world. You know, you may not have a Caroline in your life, a severely disabled child, but there is not one person that cannot identify with Caroline's cart. We all will be caregivers. We all might be the one who needs the caregiver. Anybody can identify with Caroline's cart and very, very maddening and frustrating. When a buyer looks like Costco and says we don't see the need, that doesn't make sense. I'm calling them out because I maybe I haven't got to the right person, but to me there's no excuse. Anybody can point out a problem. The problem was there was not a special needs shopping cart. Now there is a solution to that. This is for the autistic community. This is for the disabled community. This is for the senior adults. I could go on and on. This is for your neighbor whose child's 10 and broke their leg and just needs to ride in the car because the car's too hot and they can't sit in the car. Not one customer has ever bought Caroline's car and not been happy with it or returned it or said, you know, it never got used. It's been the exact opposite. They start off with one. Oh, we need three or four more. So the frustrating part is getting to the right person and trying to make them just have a glimpse into what my family and millions of families deal with every day.

[B]

Sure, I get that now. That was the frustrating part. Now let's turn this around and make it about satisfaction, about pride. It doesn't have to be your first sale. That's always a great memory. What is? Something else that you just remember that you say when you think of it, this was all worth it.

[C]

Well, of course. Anytime I get photos and emails and letters, it never gets old because I'm one of these families, you know, I speak their language. I know how hard it is to raise a child with a disability. So I love getting all of those. I think one of the most exciting times was a couple summers ago. I believe it was two summers ago, we sent a container of Carolyn's cart to Dubai. So when I sit and I think, gosh, I'm just a small town Alabama girl with an idea, and now my idea is in grocery stores in Dubai, I mean, that's just hard for me to wrap my head around.

[B]

Sure, sure, that makes sense. I think I'd be the same way myself. Now, don't take this wrong, but with everything that's going on with autism, special needs, disabilities, mental illness, the elderly that needs all kinds of help, short term illness, the list goes on and on. I'm really shocked. This has not been thought of before this.

[C]

Oh, absolutely. No offense taken. I say it's the aha moment before Caroline's cart hit the market. And just in my small circle of friends and family, I would just take my drawing. Everybody was like, well, duh. Well, why doesn't that exist? I mean, that's just the simplest thing that just got overlooked. You're exactly right. Why? Why has this never been out there? Why?

[B]

Yeah, it just doesn't make sense.

[C]

Doesn't make sense at all.

[B]

Now, when you first designed this, how long did it actually take you to get the design in your mind?

[C]

Honestly, it was. You see it, it's so simple. You know, getting it from my head to a piece of paper took 10 seconds. I'm like, okay, big figure here, big C, boom, done. That took 10 seconds. Second. Now, you know, it's a lot harder to get it come to life, you know, for sure. But the design is just so simple. My husband and I say all the time, how did this get overlooked? And you know, what is so maddening is I took my stick figure drawing to four shopping cart manufacturers, didn't want to dime didn't own the patents. I was literally just saying, hey, you need to do this. We all need it out there. Here you go. And none of them will listen to me. They wouldn't listen to me.

[B]

Yeah, that's just so crazy. Now, you do have the patent now and you own all the rights to the name and likeness and all that stuff, right?

[C]

Yes, I do. Right. I own. I own trademarks, patents, US and international. Yes.

[B]

That's great. The main thing is that you've covered yourself for everything that you need to. In closing, what do you think is very important that our listeners here about what you've done, what you're doing, what you continue to do, and of course, what you're doing with the foundation.

[C]

The first thing that just came to my head is take the risk. Whether that is in developing a product like I did, whatever you're doing in your life. So many things that we are faced with are risky. Do we want to put the time, the money, the effort, let's just say it costs no money. If you believe in it enough, like I believed in Caroline's card enough up, the risk will be ultimately worth it. So I didn't say it would be easy. I look back and I see that I became the ultimate risk taker. That's a scary thing. And, you know, I'm sure we've all taken risks, but it didn't work out. I was at a stage in my life with Caroline and I believed in this product and I thought, you know, if it fails, it fails. But I. I have to do, I have to know. I've got to give this a shot. So take the. Take the risk. Ask.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. I completely agree. I did the same thing myself. Now, how do people find you if they want to look and see what you're doing or reach out to you? What's the best way?

[C]

The best. The way to contact me is my website, my personal website, and it's my name, so I'll say it. It's Drew Ann speaks.com d r e w a n n speaks. S p e A K S Drew Anne Speaks.

[B]

That's great, Great information. So you mentioned earlier that people would send you emails and correspond with you on Instagram and all that. What are some of the better ones that you've gotten?

[C]

Oh, I mean, all tremendous. I mean, absolutely all tremendous. I want to share something I got last month. I'm on LinkedIn and I got a private message and someone asking me for my address. Well, you know, you have to be Careful who you give your address to. So I said, you know, I need more information. And it was a man who said, I want to send you a gift. My wife used Caroline's cart. That's all he said. So I gave him my address. I go to the mail several weeks later, and this man had made me a Caroline's Cart necklace with a handwritten note that said, my wife developed cancer later in life. She was always so weak and frail. She loved to be out in the community. And of course, being a woman, she loved to shop. Thank you for creating Caroline's Cart. So my wife, in her last months of dying with cancer, could still be a part of everyday things that she loved to do. Thank you for making Beauty from Ashes. I mean, wow.

[B]

Yeah, not only wow, but that's pretty powerful.

[C]

That's pretty powerful. And that is. So let's think about that. That is someone who never was touched with disability in any way, shape or form. It was cancer. His wife dying from cancer. And he had me a necklace made because they appreciated what I did so much.

[B]

That is exactly what these CEOs and board members of these big corporations not only need to hear, but need to understand. From that, you better believe it.

[C]

I posted. I scribbled his name off of it, and with his permission, I posted the necklace and the handwritten card on my LinkedIn, hoping just for that, like, hey, this right here, you don't think Caroline's cart is needed? Please read.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, that is a huge impact for that type of scenario. The interesting part is when you see the cart, you think of the special needs. You think of all the people that it could help. But that particular situation, that would not be the first thing that you would think of.

[C]

Oh, never, never. That is someone, again, like I said, who's never been touched with disability, yet his dying wife required it to shop.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, this has been a tremendous story. It's been great information, great conversation. I really appreciate you taking the time to join us today.

[C]

Oh, I. Look, I. This is what I do. This is how I get the word out. This is how I reach corporate America and I reach these retailers, because I know I've learned to network and everybody knows something. So if any of you are listening, please reach out to me if there's any opportunities where I can come speak, raise money from my nonprofit or sell cards. That's what I do.

[B]

Yeah, that's just so great. Well, thanks again.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to our show today. We hope you enjoyed it. As much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. If you know someone who has a story to share, tell them to contact us at WhyNotMe World. One last thing, spread the word about why not me. Our conversations are inspiring guests that show you are not alone in this world.

[A]

Happy Holidays. Want to give your host a gift? Consider subscribing, rating and reviewing the show this holiday season. It really helps the show grow from all of us at Believe. Have a Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy Holiday.

If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow.

[B]

Pro.

[A]

Thank you for listening.