Today we’d like to introduce you to Tish Scolnik.
Hi Tish, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
GRIT empowers people with physical disabilities to be active outdoors. We’re known for our line of manual all-terrain wheelchairs called the GRIT Freedom Chair, which uses our patented lever system to make it easier to propel yourself on rough terrain. It all started when I was a freshman at MIT and I stumbled into a seminar on wheelchair design. I had been interested in medicine and trained as an EMT in high school, but through this class I learned how engineers can help people too, and I found my calling. I ended up majoring in Mechanical Engineering and collaborating with a few classmates on a new wheelchair design. Through several years of a user-driven design process that involved countless prototypes and trials, we eventually launched the GRIT Freedom Chair on Kickstarter and delivered our first units in 2015. From there, we built out our product line and honed our e-commerce business. And along the way, we’ve gotten to work with amazing people and organizations, all with the goal of helping more people with physical disabilities enjoy the outdoors.
While I didn’t always know that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, you could say it’s in my blood. My parents are entrepreneurs and I grew up around their businesses. I have such vivid memories of hanging out in their office and wandering around watching everybody at work. So when I graduated from college and felt we were close to having a real-world changing product on our hands, I had to jump in. Having grown up in an entrepreneurial household means I fully expect the lines of home and work to blend together. While I can strive for balance, they’ll just never be fully separate, and that’s okay.
Looking back, I have grown tremendously as a leader since starting GRIT. I owe a lot of that to my team, which has evolved over the years as the business has changed. As a type-A person, it was (and sometimes still is!) hard to hand things off to other people. But that was really put to the test when I gave birth to my son in 2020. While I didn’t fully step away for as long as I probably should have, I majorly pulled back from the day-to-day. Aside from a few little hiccups, everybody thrived, and I was able to finally get back to the strategic thinking that was usually pushed aside.
I’m so excited about what’s next for GRIT! Over the past few years, we’ve been listening to our customers, and they have been asking for more — more products, more gear, more resources, more opportunities to connect. Now that they’re spending so much time outdoors again, they also want to camp, fish, ski, climb, exercise, and more. We’re currently partnering with like-minded suppliers in our industry to expand our e-commerce platform, where individuals with disabilities will be able to find a curated collection of products, resources, and opportunities for adaptive recreation!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I had known how much of a roller coaster it is. The highs are so high, but the lows can be so low. And sometimes you can’t see the twists and turns coming. I think entrepreneurship gets glamorized in the media, and we don’t talk enough about how hard it is. When I talk about blood, sweat, and tears going into our product, I really mean it.
Our road has been as bumpy as the rough terrain we help our customers access! There are certainly growing pains with expanding a business. And like any company that makes physical products, we’ve worked through our fair share of supply chain challenges and manufacturing issues. The production challenges in the early days of COVID were particularly acute. With dramatically longer lead times we were stretched financially and also slipping on delivery dates to customers. And there’s nothing worse than disappointing a customer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a mechanical engineer and the founder of GRIT. GRIT helps people with disabilities live more active lives. We’re known for our line of manual all-terrain wheelchairs called the GRIT Freedom Chair, which uses our patented lever system to make it easier to propel yourself on rough terrain. It has been amazing to see customers doing extreme things like Spartan Races and the Camino de Santiago, but even more rewarding to hear about the everyday family adventures that we helped make possible, like apple picking. And to take it even further, a few years ago we released the GRIT Junior which is our kid’s model. It’s incredible to follow along as they more fully participate in school activities, camps, and family trips. Our focus on centering our customers throughout our growth is something I’m most proud of.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’ve found success focusing on short-term needs and goals. While it would be great to find a single mentor who can guide you through multiple aspects of your career/business over an extended period of time, it’s kind of a needle in a haystack. Thinking through a 6-12 month timeline and focusing on what support you need within that timeframe narrows it down and makes it more approachable for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gogrit.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritfreedomchair/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GRITFreedomChair/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gogrit/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@goGRIT
