Special-Needs Business Profile: Natural Learning Concepts

Jene Aviram started Natural Learning Concepts in 2002 with her mother, Jocelyn Blum. "We are originally from South Africa and are now lucky to be living in America. We’re a wonderful team and we love working together."

"We manufacture special education materials which get printed abroad and imported into the United States," says Aviram. "Most of our business takes place in the United States, but we have a number of distributors in Australia, Singapore and Canada. What makes us unique is that we provide our customers with something else. We give them hope, inspiration and a new perspective on what it means to have autism. We have learned so much over the years from personal experience, parents and professionals, and we’re eager to share it."

Aviram has two sons, an eight-year-old with Asperger syndrome and a seven-year-old who also has special needs. "I was totally devastated when my son was diagnosed with PDD-NOS/Asperger's," she recalls. "I felt an overwhelming amount of guilt and remorse and most of all, loss. Loss of the typical child I thought I had and all the dreams that go with that. I changed careers from Computer Network Engineering to manage his home program. I learned everything I could about the autism spectrum and soon became fascinated with it. This driving passion is ultimately what led me to form Natural Learning Concepts."

Natural Learning Concepts is a full-time job for Aviram. The best thing about it, she says, is "I love what I do. Communicating with adults on the autism spectrum has taught me volumes. Conversing with parents and professionals helps me understand their needs and the direction my business should take." The hardest thing? "Finding the time to juggle everything and keep up with the growing demands of the business. And knowing there are so many areas where people with autism need help and not having the time and resources for every cause."

"I knew my son would progress quickly if he enjoyed learning," recalls Aviram, of her inspiration to start the business. "I needed materials he could relate to. I couldn’t find them on the market so I began making them. My son learned fast. I kept giving the materials away and making new ones. I soon had professionals and parents calling me with product requests and thus, Natural Learning Concepts was born. We’re committed to producing materials that inspire children with autism to learn."

Aviram considers her business a success, "and I’m grateful for it every day. It is not just my business, it is my life’s work." It's a true family business: In addition to having her mother as a partner, Aviram puts her kids to work. "My son with Asperger’s is a Product Tester and Proofreader. He takes part in pre-testing the materials before they go into production. He’s also a great reader and he enjoys proofing various documents for me. My seven-year-old is very proud to be our Catalog Manager. He helps put address labels and stamps on catalogs."

Aviram hears from the parents who use her products "all the time. Parents are an important part of our business model. They know their children best. They understand autism. They live with the struggles and the joys of raising a child on the autism spectrum. We rely on parents for feedback and suggestions. When they’re happy, we know we’re doing a good job." She adds that, "Receiving incredible feedback gives me great joy and I treasure every e-mail and letter I receive. I feel honored that I’m able to help others on their journey with autism and it inspires me to do more."

As her company grows, Aviram hopes "to expand our range of materials and product distribution. To find more ways to empower those with autism and their caregivers. To provide as many resources as possible to parents and professionals. To be a support to parents who have recently been given a diagnosis, because I remember how tough those days were. We recently began an organization called Autism at Work, to enable adults with autism to find employment with autism friendly employers, and contribute to the workforce using their natural talents and abilities."

"Absolutely," Aviram responds when asked if she would recommend starting a business to other parents. "Autism is a large spectrum. There are many methods that help people with autism. If you have found something that works, produce it. We can all learn volumes from each other. The more we find ways to work together, the more our children will benefit."

When did you find out your child had special needs?

I became concerned about my son when he was two years old. He stopped pointing things out to us. He developed unusual behaviors such as sliding toys up and down the wall. He became attached to strange objects. At one point, he wanted to take a Tupperware lid with him whenever we left the house. He also flapped his hands and squeezed his sides. I voiced my fears to my pediatrician, who told me not to be concerned. My pediatrician thought he was delayed because we have a bilingual household. My son could label everything in two languages, but couldn’t string the words together to form sentences. He had taught himself the alphabet, how to count to 100, and had a keen interest in topics such as the solar system and dinosaurs. Despite his general knowledge, I became increasingly concerned about his odd behavior. This led me to call Early Intervention and get him evaluated.

How is your child doing now?

He is doing incredibly well. He is in a regular class with a paraprofessional. He is very intellectual and researches all his interests. Google and books are his favorite activities. He is absolutely fascinating, and I learn from him every day.

How did you go about getting your business started?

The beginning was very overwhelming. There were so many elements to consider. We needed a printer abroad. We had to learn about customs and importing into the USA. We needed a website with secure transaction processing. A substantial financial risk was necessary to begin the process. We took each item step by step and never lost sight of our main goal.

How do you test your products?

All our materials get an “autism stamp of approval.” Prototypes of materials are tested for appeal and effectiveness with children on the autism spectrum. The items are revised multiple times using direct feedback. Only when each product receives enthusiastic results across the board does it go in production.

What advice would you give to other parents about raising a child with special needs?

Glow with pride every time your child masters a new skill and always encourage your child’s strengths and interests. Take delight in your child’s unique qualities. Feel good about yourself. Having a child with special needs has given you an unexpected set of challenges. You have coped, learned volumes and are the best parent you can possibly be.

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