101 Mobility Opens as the 1st Go-To for Mobility Solutions in St. Louis

101 Mobility St. Louis opens as the city’s only nationally branded full-service sales, maintenance, and installation provider of a complete line of mobility equipment, including stair lifts, auto lifts, ramps, porch lifts, patient lifts, power wheelchairs, scooters and more.  Owner, Brad Kolhbrecher proudly represents 101 Mobility’s 23^rd franchisee.

101 Mobility’s national partnerships with trusted brands will enable families across St. Louis to choose from diverse mobility product lines manufactured with specific considerations in mind ranging from dexterity issues to limited space. In a city of stone steps, narrow staircases and turn-of-the-century homes, Brad Kohlbrecher knows that customization is key. His goal is simple,

“There is a great need for mobility solutions in St. Louis and my hope is that we can safely help keep people in their homes.”

As a former Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) of eight years, Brad Kolhbrecher has seen firsthand just how devastating the lack of awareness for mobility solutions can be.

“Throughout my years of experience as an EMT, we’ve had many people have to return to the hospital soon after they were released because their homes were not equipped with what they would need to recover. I’ve seen a lot of senior citizens go to nursing homes as a preventative measure or to recover from a fall. They would go for temporary rehabilitation and end up dying in there. Most St. Louis families simply don’t know that there are products out there to keep their loved ones safe at home. They don’t realize that something like a stair lift costs the same as a month in the nursing home.”

Brad’s own mother-in-law was sent to a nursing home for knee-replacement rehabilitation. She was so unhappy in the facility that she refused to stay. His mother-in-law’s dissatisfaction led him to search for alternate solutions. Simultaneously, Brad was also researching entrepreneurial opportunities when a franchise consultant brought 101 Mobility to his attention. His personal experiences combined with a degree in BioMedics made opening a 101 Mobility franchise in his home of St. Louis a no-brainer.

“It was pretty clear that 101 Mobility made the most sense, all the pieces fit into place.”

Brad and his team of mobility experts will strive to help St. Louis residents maintain their independence and enjoy a high quality of life. 101 Mobility St. Louis is employing an aggressive online marketing strategy joined with focused grassroots efforts to spread awareness about options to increase accessibility for those who are aging or living with a disability.

“We aren’t just selling products but reliable mobility solutions that work for the customer. We will go out of our way to provide solutions for any challenges that a customer may have.”

101 Mobility Chicago Opens to Bring Mobility Solutions to Chicago Doorsteps

Nick and Elizabeth Lopez are proud to announce the opening of 101 Mobility Chicago. Nick and Elizabeth represent 101 Mobility’s 21^st franchisee. The husband and wife team have always dreamed of starting a business that leverages their combined experiences while contributing something more meaningful within the community.

With backgrounds in business and finance, Nick and Elizabeth’s skill-sets are well balanced to start and grow the 101 Mobility business that will service Chicago and surrounding areas. Nick brings twenty years of progressive marketing and sales operations experience to their new venture, gained working in the mobile-telecom industry. Familiar with working in a small start-up environment, he understands the importance and power of true customer service. Elizabeth, with skills in project management and accounting manages the financial operations of 101 Mobility Chicago. Both continue to volunteer and lead in their local community school programs.

The Lopez family makes it a point to stay engaged in their children’s schools and with local community events.

“We’ve always shared with our children the importance of following your dreams, working hard, to love what you do and find ways to give back to your community. So when we found that a 101 Mobility franchise system was available in Illinois it was immediately clear to us that this is a business we wanted to be part of, launch and grow in the broader Chicagoland area.”

Nick and Elizabeth recognize that residents of Chicago and surrounding suburbs are becoming increasingly concerned about the thought of having to leave their home as they age. This means leaving behind familiar faces, comforts and precious memories.

“A certain amount of control is lost when one leaves home and this control provides the underpinning to our feelings of dignity, quality of life and independence. Home provides a strong sense of security. But the incidence of limited mobility in our communities is far more common than most people realize and when a solution is needed to restore personal mobility, 101 Mobility should be the first on the list to contact.”

101 Mobility Chicago is a one-stop shop for accessibility solutions. Nick and Elizabeth Lopez are committed to providing customers with  handshake style customer service paired with a variety of quality mobility products ranging from wheelchair ramps to stair lifts.  The top-notch product offerings are matched with friendly, local authorized service technicians to ensure things are done right the first time. Day by day, the Lopez’ are increasing their reach with a focused marketing campaign and building community alliances with non-profits, state agencies and other organizations concentrated on improving the lives of Chicago’s aging and disabled population. They invite people to call and to ask questions about their mobility or accessibility situation – the 101 Mobility team is there to listen first and offer guidance second.  Nick and Elizabeth further explain,

“We are small family owned business that relies on referrals and we welcome calls from people to ask questions, share stories, their comments and suggestions.”

Call 312.462.0430 or visit http://chicago.101mobility.com/ for assistance or additional information.

Pittsburghers Open 101 Mobility to Improve Mobility Across Western PA

Greg Slepecki, Franchise Owner and his son Brad are proud to announce the opening of 101 Mobility Pittsburgh. These Pittsburgh natives are committed to helping Western Pennsylvania families improve their mobility inside and outside of the home. 101 Mobility Pittsburgh represents 101 Mobility’s 22^nd national franchise opening.

101 Mobility Pittsburgh is a locally owned, family operated business. The Slepeckis were born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and understand the unique mobility needs of residents from the rough, hilly Pittsburgh terrain. They explained how most homes in the area are two to three level homes with upstairs bathrooms and downstairs kitchens, making stair lifts a must-have for those who plan to successfully age in place.

This charismatic father and son team have seen first-hand how people with mobility challenges have become an under-served demographic. It is their goal to provide the reliable mobility solutions that every Pittsburgh resident should have at their fingertips. Greg adds,

“The residents of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas are good people, blue-collar families who just want to stay in the home that they raised their children in.”

Greg recalled a personal experience with his late mother to describe how his parents relied on a stair lift to age comfortably in their home,

“My mother was nearly blind to the point of counting steps…she would count each step as she climbed the stairwell. We searched everywhere for something to help and there was no go-to name or business for mobility equipment in Pittsburgh; I think there is a general lack of awareness for what’s available.”

Prior to joining the 101 Mobility family, Greg Slepecki worked in one of Pittsburgh’s oldest companies as the President of Matthew’s International Architectural Group. He ran seven international manufacturing plants from Australia to Canada, California and New York. From constructing the memorial for Elvis Presley’s grave to engraving super bowl trophies, Greg has been a part of it all. Son, Brad Slepecki is experienced in disaster restoration/construction with a talent for exemplary customer care and relationship building. Brad will join the service and sales teams as Greg oversees the operation. The Slepeckis are also happy to have Primio LaLama join their 101 team as the top sales and technical person.  Primio has been providing Pittsburgh families with 101 Mobility products for over three years.

Brad and Greg believe that their broader breadth of mobility products ranging from wheelchair ramps to porch lifts and more, in-depth product knowledge and franchise support system which allows for more ingenuity, will give them an upper hand over any competition. This Pittsburgh duo is working hard to brand themselves as the number one source for accessibility solutions across Western Pennsylvania with the goal of becoming a household name.

Call 412.428.9485 or visit http://pittsburgh.101mobility.com/ for assistance or additional information.

101 Mobility Opens First Tennessee Franchise in Knoxville

Keith Kregel, Dave and Lori Dean, Franchise Owners, are proud to announce the opening of 101 Mobility Knoxville. This opening will add to 101 Mobility’s 19 franchises nationwide. Keith Kregel and the Deans intend to be Eastern Tennessee’s leading source of trusted residential and commercial accessibility solutions.

Marine corps veteran, retired firefighter (ski-patroller) of twenty years, and paramedic with a degree in EMS Management – this is what Keith Kregel alone brings to the 101 Mobility Knoxville team. Through Keith’s years of service to his country and community, he’s gained valuable skills in customer care, construction, and on-the-spot problem solving. At the age of nine, Keith Kregel’s mother passed away, this vulnerability left him able to relate to those facing life challenges and fueled an earnest desire to make people feel secure and valued.

“I chose 101 Mobility because I wanted to be a part of a sincere company that does business the right way… offering quality support and stand-out products.”

The Deans bring with them a perfectly paired background. In addition to an extensive corporate portfolio, Dave and Lori both obtained masters degrees; Dave’s strong-suit is business and marketing while Lori’s expertise is in the finance and accounting. Dave and Lori Dean currently run a successful retail appliance store in Tennessee which has been in operation since 2004. The Deans feel that opening a 101 Mobility franchise will be an excellent complement to their existing appliance repair and installation company. More recently, the Deans have a son who has committed to serving our country as a United States Airman. Their son indirectly helped them to realize the importance of taking care of our military veterans that need mobility solutions.

When asked why Eastern Tennessee, Dave shared a personal story to explain how important it is for them to serve a growing yet overlooked sector of their community,

“My parents reached a point in their lives when getting around the house became difficult.  We looked at eliminating steps, adding grab bars, modifying the bathrooms… During our research, we quickly realized that there wasn’t a local place to go or someone to talk to that we could trust. 101 Mobility is the answer for anyone wanting intuitive mobility advice and solutions.”

Keith, originally from Long Island, New York adds that Eastern Tennessee is a great place. It is where he raises his two children along with his Knoxville native wife and even coaches the local football team.

“There are good people here; we aim to provide customer service second to none and quality mobility solutions to make lives better here in Tennessee.”

101 Mobility Knoxville will strive to help clients maintain their sense of freedom and dignity by installing top-tier mobility products ranging from stair lifts to wheelchair ramps and more. Call 865.896.9425 or visit http://knoxville.101mobility.com for assistance or additional information.

101 Mobility Open in Dallas/Fort Worth

(Dallas, TX)—Gordon and Jennifer Raney of Dallas are the owners/operators of 101 Mobility’s latest Texas Franchise serving the Greater Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex. 101 Mobility Dallas/Fort Worth will join the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio franchises in a recent string of 101 Mobility openings across the Lone Star State.

The Raneys bring with them years of experience in corporate America. Jennifer Raney formerly worked in sales and marketing for brands such as Rubbermaid and Deloitte; Gordon Raney in corporate finance and commercial real estate, with names like PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Invesco, respectively. Both are graduates of Tulane University, and met while pursuing their undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance. Jennifer went on to earn her Master’s in Management (with a focus on nonprofits) from NYU; and Gordon received his MBA from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. “We both come from a professional services background and we bring our many years of focus on superior client service to our 101 Mobility clients here in North Texas,” says Gordon Raney.

When asked what attracted them to 101 Mobility, the Raneys stated that it was the youthful and energetic brand, in an industry typically saturated with a more muted approach toward providing mobility solutions for the disabled and mobility-challenged. Other factors are 101 Mobility’s corporate infrastructure, support, and focus on customer service.

The Raneys share a particular interest in helping their neighbors achieve independence through offering a wide array of mobility solutions. “Our goal is to improve our clients quality of life everyday! Both Gordon and I have faced mobility challenges in our own families,” says Jennifer Raney. “We truly enjoy working with each of our clients and their families to help them overcome their own mobility challenges in order to maintain their independence in their homes and throughout their daily activities. It’s one of the most rewarding things we do.”

101 Mobility Dallas/Fort Worth will focus on helping clients age-in-place by selling, installing, and servicing ramps, stair lifts, automobile lifts, patient lifts, vertical lifts, barrier-free baths and offering complete home modifications to incorporate total accessibility solutions. 101 Mobility is one of the nation’s largest sellers and installers of personal mobility products from well-known brands such as Bruno, Harmar, Liko, and many more.

101 Mobility is also a leader in providing services to our United States Veterans through the U.S. Veteran’s Administration. The Raneys are especially excited to have the opportunity to give back to our Military Veterans. “My mother has served our veterans for nearly 30 years as a nurse at the V.A. hospital,” says Gordon Raney. “Jen and I are honored to have our own opportunity to serve our veterans by providing them with the mobility products and solutions that will best meet their needs and allow them to achieve their lifestyle goals.”

101 Mobility is the franchising world’s first full-service sales, service, and installation provider of a complete line of mobility and accessibility products and equipment, including stair lifts, auto lifts, ramps, porch lifts, patient lifts, power wheelchairs, scooters and more. Short and long-term rentals are also available for home, office, and institution. By working with patients to identify which home health care devices best suit each individual’s needs, 101 Mobility provides an alternative to group homes and rehabilitation centers by allowing patients to live self-sufficiently in their homes.

For more information, visit www.101mobility.com or call 214.484.7181.

101 Mobility Opens Franchise in Austin Market

New Company Fills Niche for Empowering the Disabled and Mobility Challenged in Austin

(Austin, TX)—Husband and wife team Bruce and Debra Dowden of Cedar Park are the owners/operators of 101 Mobility’s latest Texas Franchise serving Austin and surrounding areas, from South Austin to Waco. 101 Mobility Austin will join the Houston and San Antonio franchises in a recent string of 101 Mobility openings across the Lone Star State. As lifelong Texans, the Dowdens bring over three decades of management, purchasing, and finance experience to the organization. The Dowdens are active members in their community, and look forward to serving their neighbors with quality of life products that positively address personal mobility issues; allowing people to stay in their homes or “age-in-place”, despite facing everyday challenges such as stairways, raised porches, and other obstacles.

The Dowdens share a particular interest in helping the senior community, and felt that 101 Mobility offered a well-rounded model for assessing and supplying the mobility and accessibility needs of the seniors and mobility-challenged in their market. “Our goal is to be able to look back at the end of the day and see that we have helped people”, says Debra Dowden. “Through that, we hope to add value, not only to our lives, but to the community as a whole.”

101 Mobility Austin will focus on helping clients age-in-place by selling, installing, and servicing ramps, stair lifts, automobile lifts, patient lifts, vertical lifts, barrier-free baths and offering complete home modifications to incorporate total accessibility solutions. 101 Mobility is one of the nation’s largest sellers and installers of personal mobility products from well-known brands such as Bruno, Harmar, Liko, and many more.

101 Mobility is also a leader in providing services to our United States Veterans through the U.S. Veteran’s Administration. The Dowdens are especially excited to have the opportunity to give back to our Military Veterans. “Having  Veterans in our family, including a daughter and son-in-law that are currently serving on active duty, has made this opportunity to work with Veterans very special to us”, says Bruce Dowden.  “We consider it an honor to help those that have served and are proud to do so.”

101 Mobility is the franchising world’s first full-service sales, service, and installation provider of a complete line of mobility and accessibility products and equipment, including stair lifts, auto lifts, ramps, porch lifts, patient lifts, power wheelchairs, scooters and more. Short and long-term rentals are also available for home, office, and institution. By working with patients to identify which home health care devices best suit each individual’s needs, 101 Mobility provides an alternative to group homes and rehabilitation centers by allowing patients to live self-sufficiently in their homes.

For more information, visit www.101mobility.com or call 512.650.0354.

101 Mobility Opens First Franchise in D.C. Metro Market

New Company Fills Niche for Empowering the Elderly & Disabled in D.C. & Northern Virginia

Life-long resident Matt Riordan is the owner/operator of 101 Mobility’s new 101 Mobility Franchise serving the D.C. Metro market and Northern Virginia. Riordan brings over a decade in franchise development experience having worked on both sides of the business (franchisor and franchisee). Riordan grew up in Alexandria and has a long history of working and living in this fast-paced market. When asked why he chose the 101 Mobility brand, he said, “I evaluated over 100 franchises over the past five years and wanted something that serviced the growing senior demographic and allowed me to use my business and marketing experience and entrepreneur passion. I felt like I hit a “home run” when I learned more about the 101 business model and brand.”

The 101 brand is one of the nation’s fastest growing and leading mobility solutions providers. It is “solution driven” and offers a “one-stop-shop” approach to anyone with accessibility or mobility needs. Riordan and his team will work closely to serve the needs of America’s Veterans, people seeking to age-in-place and/or increase their ability to move freely inside and outside their homes. He will also work closely with caregivers, churches, non-profit organizations and commercial businesses. “That is the rewarding part. I can help people live fuller lives by staying in their own homes and increasing the quality of their lives,” Riordan stressed.

The demand for mobility and accessibility products and services is growing rapidly as the population across the Country and in key states like Virginia see significant growth in people age 65 and up.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Virginia is one of the fastest growing markets for older demographics. The 2010 census reported a 40% increase in the population age 85 or greater and a 23% increase in the population age 65 and over from 2000 to 2012. For perspective, the overall population grew 13% during that same time period. The D.C. metro area also saw growth in some of those areas.

Clients come to101 Mobility for all their mobility needs; from ramps to stair lifts to patient lifts, to auto lifts and more. Not only does the company sell, service and install products, they also offer a number of product lines such as stair lifts and ramps for rental. In ad

101 Mobility Introduces Bruno’s New Elan (SRE-3000) Stairlift

101 Mobility is proud to add another top quality Bruno stairlift to their product line, the new Elan SRE-3000 stairlift. This straight rail stairlift offers homeowners exceptional value for the price. The Elan by Bruno comes loaded with many standard features normally only associated with top-of-the-line models.

With the new Elan SRE-3000 stair lift, you will once again be able to safely use the stairs in your home. Enjoy quality features including:

• Safety sensors that stop the stairlift whenever an obstruction is encountered
• Continuous charge strips along the rail ensure safe use even during power outages
• Height adjustable, offset swivel seat for safe exit at the top of the stairs
• Can be installed to within 5” of the wall
• Can be installed on either side of the stairway
• Fold up armrests, seat, and footrests - Takes up only 12” of space when all are in the fold-up position
• Comes with 2 wireless call/send controls

The Elan stair lift has been specially designed for those homes that have a narrow hallway or entry way area at the bottom of the stairs. The “Flip-Up” folding rail option on the Bruno Elan stairlift enables you to release the bottom portion of the rail and fold it up and out of the way. The locking lever can be released with the push of your foot or walking cane and the light weight rail easily folds up with the assistance of a gas spring leaving the walkway at the bottom of the stairs clear.

At 101 Mobility, we are proud to carry the finest mobility products available today. The Bruno Elan stairlift is sure to become one of our most popular offerings as it allows homeowners the ability to age in place and live independently in the homes they love.

For more information on the Bruno Elan stairlift, please contact the 101 Mobility location nearest you.

101 Mobility Opens First Franchise in New York

New Company to Empower Rochester’s Aging & Disabled Population

(Rochester, NY)—Life-long Rochester resident Miguel Millan is the owner/operator of 101 Mobility’s new Rochester franchise serving Rochester and surrounding areas. Millan brings over 10 years of experience in the medical field to the organization. He is a life-long resident of upstate New York where he dedicated himself to serving as a NY State Medic. He has also worked over eight years with a local, well-known physician and with Lincare, a supplier of respiratory services.

Millan said he has always been an advocate for patients by helping them navigate insurance issues and overcome language barriers.  He noted, “I feel strongly about doing the right thing. I want to help clients and make sure they get the best deal and the best products and services for their individual needs.”  Millan noted a desire to focus on the durable medical equipment (DME) industry due to the growing need and the opportunity to be a “one-stop-shop” for aging-in-place and all home modification needs. He will be working with aging and disabled patients to identify which home health care devices best suit their needs and provide them the freedom to live self-sufficiently in their own homes. 101 Mobility also offers mobility products for commercial use at businesses, schools, hospitals, rehab clinics, government complexes and anywhere that has public access.

Millan commented, “My team and I are committed and passionate about helping Rochester’s older population “age-in-place” while they continue to enjoy the freedom and independence they deserve. Upstate New York is such a beautiful place to live. We want clients to enjoy it for their entire lives.  They’ve worked hard and deserve the type of quality-of-life living at home in Rochester offers. And, as a leading provider of auto lifts offering such well-known brands as Bruno and Harmar,  we can help clients with wheelchairs, power chairs and scooters have total mobility outside the home.”

Bringing 101 Mobility to Upstate New York offers residents the perfect solution for any mobility need such as ramps, auto lifts, stair lifts, patient lifts, vertical platform lifts, barrier free baths and so much more. We have the expertise, the local presence and the strength of a national leader like 101 Mobility,” added Millan.  In addition, all installations are done by an experienced, trained installer and short term rentals as well as long-term rentals are available for many products.

101 Mobility is the franchising world’s first full-service sales, service and installation provider of a complete line of mobility and accessibility products and equipment, including stair lifts, auto lifts, ramps, porch lifts, patient lifts, power wheelchairs, scooters and more. By working with patients to identify which home health care devices best suit each individual’s needs, 101 Mobility provides an alternative to group homes and rehabilitation centers by allowing patients to live self-sufficiently in their homes. For more information, visit www.101mobility.com or call 585-270-5689

101 Mobility Introduces Bruno’s new Chariot (ASL-700)

With the Bruno Chariot (ASL-700), 101 Mobility will help you keep your small, fuel efficient vehicle and still be able to transport a scooter or wheelchair. And, you can easily equip multiple vehicles as long as they have a Class I or II trailer hitch.

Empower  yourself to take your wheelchair, power chair or scooter wherever you travel. The Chariot backs up without effort using 360 degree caster wheels. It has its own suspension and follows the car precisely and there is no extra weight or force on the car. When attached to many cars, It is often no longer than a minivan thus allowing easy parking in most garages.

Put a trailer hitch on multiple vehicles and get the ultimate in flexibility. You decide which car to take when. With a hitch, the Chariot ASL-700 can be part of your travel plans wherever you go.

The new Chariot ASL-700  from Bruno takes transporting a wheelchair or scooter to a whole new level. It gives users the flexibility to go where they want and drive what they want.

A few highlights of the Bruno ASL-700 Chariot include:

• The Bruno ASL-700 Chariot is specially designed to meet the needs of those who wish to transport their scooters or power chairs behind a small or mid-sized car.
• When used in conjunction with a smaller car, together they are shorter than a full-sized pickup truck.
• Together a car and Bruno Chariot will fit in most garages.
• The Bruno ASL-700 Chariot can be used with three and four wheel scooters, mid-wheel drive power chairs, front- and rear-wheel drive power chairs, and manual wheelchairs with seating systems.
• Swivel wheels and independent suspension means you don’t have to worry about ‘jackknifing’. The Chariot goes where you go!
• The easy fold, self-leveling, drive on/off platform is designed for your safety.
• The ASL-700 Chariot’s self-tensioning retractable  belts can easily be connected with just one hand.
• Running/brake lights and turn signals make night driving safe.
• Comes with one button operation with on/off key and manual backup for easy operation.
• All Bruno car lifts are eligible for reimbursement under the terms of the Mobility Programs offered by most major vehicle manufacturers.

101 Mobility is a proud Bruno dealer and looks forward to offering this new, innovative product to clients across the Country.