By Krysten Brenlla
For Alex Norman, family is everything. That’s why, when his father’s health started declining, Norman and his mother, Toni Randolph, did everything they could to make sure his father was comfortable.
“My mother was 100 percent able-bodied in her late 70’s, and my dad was in his late 80’s. They tried assisted living facilities, but it wasn’t the right fit for them. We were struggling to find the right solutions,” said Norman [pictured above].
Norman’s parents decided to sell their house and try living in a condo. However, they had several challenges when looking for their new home – there wasn’t a real estate agent that was knowledgeable about his parents’ health conditions and needs, and when they moved in, there was no recommendations on service providers who could help with design or construction for his father’s needs.
“It was like pulling at straws to figure out the right solutions,” Norman said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the latest data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System show that over 70 million adults in the United States reported having a disability in 2022. To put it in perspective, that’s 1 in 4 people.
That’s why Randolph decided to find her own solution with the launch of Access Perfect Homes, a full-service real estate team that helps buyers and sellers who are seeking a more customized residence for their individual needs.
To help even more families, Norman and Randolph took it a step further with the launch of Access Built in 2021, a tech-enabled design build startup that connects residential and commercial property owners with specialized design, construction, and advisory resources for individuals with special needs and disabilities.
“The goal with Access Built was to solve for the last meter – when you move in, what are your conditions and how can your environment best suit your needs so you can live comfortably and safely?,” said Norman, who serves as the CEO and co-founder of Access Built. “We wanted to understand how we can make a positive change in people’s lives.”
If a client was looking to customize their home with accessible features, Access Built’s team of assessors start by understanding their clients’ needs and features that already exist on the property. Whether in person or through Access Built’s virtual platform, the specialized and trained assessors will conduct a thorough walk-through assessment to gain insight on how the client intends to use their space.
After the in-person or virtual assessment, the client then receives a personalized solution with a comprehensive design packet that’s tailored to the client’s needs and projects. Then, the client is referred to a vetted contractor who understands accessibility.
“Through Access Built, we wanted to make it easy for people with adaptive needs who are looking for adaptive resources,” Norman said. “After that, people can live more freely and independently.”
For the future, Norman and his team at Access Built are looking forward to utilizing advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence, to enhance designs. They’re also looking to expand beyond residential properties to service industries like retail, hospitality, airports, buses, and train terminals.
“We’re just one company trying to help solve a larger problem that will affect us all,” Norman said. “We’re working to solve for scarcity of accessible live, work, and learn spaces.”
As a former New Yorker, Norman and his team at Access Built have taken the Miami and South Florida world by storm. From participating in EndeavorLAB’s recent cohort, to mentoring previous Endeavor cohorts in Miami and Detroit, Norman says that, before moving to Miami, he never realized how interconnected and accessible South Florida was for leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
When asked to give advice for those looking to start their own business ventures, Norman shared that mentorship is key.
“The best advice I ever received as an entrepreneur was from my mother – connect with people who have no interest other than seeing you succeed,” Norman said. “That’s the most for me.”
For more information on Access Built, visit their website at: https://www.accessbuilt.com/. To learn how you can participate in Endeavor Miami, visit their website at: https://endeavormiami.org/.
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