Proprietor: Susan Koch, the mother of a 7-year-old with Type 1 diabetes, started
E K Access llc in Spring 2003, using her son Eric's initials as the inspiration for the name.
Business Description: "We make quality insulin pump cases with cool and fun designs," Koch explains. "We consider the safety aspect of our cases to be just as important as the fashion. Our cases were originally designed to withstand the activity of a young child and live up to the fashion sense of a teenager. With this combination, adults also find our cases to be a great alternative to the basic pump case. We carry unique Medical Alert/ID bands and bracelets made to accent our customers' own individual look."
Design Inspiration: "The pump cover that came with Eric's insulin pump was far from 'child friendly," Koch recalls. "We searched for alternatives and did find a few that were geared toward children. Still, I had an issue with some of the style and design. With the valuable suggestions of my two sons, Eric and Jacob, a design was created that is not only child friendly, but safety conscious, and has fashion in mind." Designs include a happy face, flip-flop applique, denim fabrics and sports mofits.
Time Investment: "Starting a business is always a full-time job," says Koch. "It's definitely not an 8-5 job. I actually could use a few extra hours each day if could get it. I am a Registered Dental Hygienist by trade. At the beginning of 2006, I began to work less with Dental Hygiene and spend more time at home with my children and with running E K Access. Fortunately I have a wonderful and incredibly supportive husband, Bob Koch, who has been behind me all the way."
Family Matters: While Eric is the namesake of E K Access, big brother Jacob, 10, also has a presence on the site: He has his
own page showcasing some of his artwork. "This is Jacob's way of contributing to E K Access and showing his support for his little brother," says his mom.
Helping Others: According to Koch, "E K Access proudly contributes a portion of all profits to organizations who provide education and contribute to research to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Children are our future and it is our goal to help provide a better present and a better future for children and adults living with diabetes as well as other medical challenges."
Success Story: Does Koch consider her business a success? "Absolutely! I have received so much positive feedback and wonderful suggestions along the way. I'm a very new business and the more people know of E K Access the more my business is growing. I'm proud to have quality products and that I am able to make my small contribution to make children's, as well as adult's, lives a little more 'normal,' a little more fun."
Looking Ahead: Koch's plans for the future of her business are "to provide the best products I can to my customers, to involve my children in E K Access as much as possible, and to make E K Access well-known in the medical industry as a company with quality products and caring hearts. Ultimately, I want to become more involved in helping educate people about all types of Diabetes and contribute all that I am able to help find a cure."
Business Advice: "If you have the passion ... do it," Koch says to others who are considering starting a business. "It's hard work. It's a whole new education. Most of all it fills your heart. It's good to be part of something the can make someone's life just a little bit better."
More Inspiration and Advice from Susan Koch: How did you get started?
I had a friend (who could sew) that helped me make the first case for Eric. I then had other parents asking me about cases for their children and I ultimately found a person in my area to make up a actual prototype. I found a sewer through another friend and it moved along from there. It's good to have friends!
When did you find out your son had diabetes?
When he was just one week shy of his third birthday, Eric became very ill. It was literally from one day to the next. I couldn't even wrap my mind around it at first. Next thing we know we are in the emergency room with a dehydrated little boy who had a blood sugar of over 600. That day our lives changed forever. Now we live our lives by the almighty carbohydrate and the insulin needed to keep Eric healthy. It's difficult. It's worrisome. It's something that never leaves our minds.
How did your son's diagnosis affect your family?
It is a daily challenge to teach our child to be an independent person while having to depend on us for every morsel that he puts in his mouth. On the other hand, I believe that I appreciate the strong and amazing person my son is even more that I could have imagined. Eric has taken this on with such strength and such acceptance (most of the time). He is truly an inspiration and I truly believe that he can accomplish
anything in his life. He has such a compassion for others, especially those that are sick or in the hospital. This has given him an insight to life that most children just don't learn until they become adults, if ever. I learn from him every day and I thank God that medical science has continued to make living with Insulin Dependent Diabetes easier every day. Hopefully in Eric's life time we find a cure.
What advice would you give to other parents about raising a child with special needs?
Love them. Learn from them. Be patient, help them become the best that they can be. In our hearts there are no limitations.
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