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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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.

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).

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]

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)

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.

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.