Inspirational entrepreneur’s story starts with Mum

Media release:
October 17 2016

Inspirational entrepreneur’s story starts with Mum

Genevieve McLachlan didn’t know she couldn’t or shouldn’t climb trees. Her solo mother was flat out providing a home for her and her brothers and sister and simply didn’t have the time to treat her any differently from her six siblings.

For this Upper Hutt resident Genevieve is forever grateful. She has lived with her optic atrophy and cerebral palsy, hurtling headfirst into a variety of opportunities simply because mostly nobody said she couldn’t.

Now 40 years later and with a successful business under her belt, she is a finalist in the Entrepreneur Award category at the 2016 Attitude Awards. The national awards celebrate the excellence and achievements of Kiwis living with disability and chronic health.

In her first job - answering phones at NZI in Wellington – Genevieve says she was kept well out of public sight and that was not uncommon a couple of decades ago. However, when she began a job with Workbridge and was introduced to assistive technology things were different.

Genevieve went on to study IT and later landed a job she loved with the Blind Foundation. It was there she became increasingly aware there was no help for those coming through its doors with multiple disabilities.

Genevieve set up her own business, Adaptive Technology Solutions Ltd to provide assessments, training and product sales in the assistive technology realm. This means phone consultations, working out action plans, demonstrating products (either in person at a client’s home or office or via video conferencing), providing product trials and ongoing support.

Her first client is proof of her success. An ex-gang member, now blind and with a head injury, he could barely sit still. But she worked through with him and now he is a youth worker.

Genevieve says it’s been financially hard and at times she has wanted to give up. But with the help of her husband Bruce and guide dog Pedro, she has always managed to get back on track. And if she has any other doubt about how valuable her service is, she need only look at her 2016 Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to People with Disabilities.

Now she is in line for an award that will be a huge acknowledgment among her peers. Genevieve will find out if she has won the award at a black-tie gala on November 29 at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds.

There are eight categories in the 2016 Attitude Awards, with some new awards this year: Youth Spirit, Making a Difference, Emerging Athlete, Sporting Spirit, Spirit of Attitude, Artistic Achievement, Entrepreneur and Employer Award. The overall winner of the Attitude ACC Supreme Award is selected from the category winners and a People’s Choice winner and Hall of Fame inductee are also announced at the awards.

Dan Buckingham, Chair of the Attitude Trust, says: “I take my hat off to the judges for managing to narrow down the record number of nominations we had to just 24 finalists, across the 8 categories. Now I’m looking forward to getting to know the finalists as we travel around the country filming with them and sharing their stories.

Thank you to our fantastic family of sponsors who have allowed us to once again shine a light on some great Kiwis living with disabilities doing some phenomenal things.”

Dan encourages everyone to visit AttitudeLive.com in early November to see short films of the finalists and to vote for the person most deserving of the ‘People’s Choice Award’.

The Attitude Entrepreneur Award is sponsored by Westpac. Sue Foley, Director Corporate Affairs says Westpac is incredibly proud to support the Attitude Awards and the Entrepreneur category.

“This category recognises truly inspirational businessmen and women who absolutely epitomise our Kiwi values - a “can do” attitude, the tenacity and passion to reach for their goals and the ability to think outside the square to achieve success," she says.

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) returns as the principal sponsor of the 2016 Attitude Awards. Other sponsors supporting the awards are: Lion Foundation, Drake Medox, Barfoot & Thompson, Ministry of Health, KPMG, Manawanui InCharge, Ricoh, HealthCare NZ, Air New Zealand and NZ on Air.

ACC Chief Executive Scott Pickering says ACC is proud to be principal sponsor of the Attitude Awards for the ninth year, as well as sponsor of the Supreme Award and the Employer Award categories.

“The Attitude Awards are important because they remind us that everyone benefits when we all look at what we can do, rather than what we can’t,” Mr Pickering said. “This year’s finalists have an impressive list of achievements and ACC is delighted to acknowledge New Zealanders who live life to the fullest, achieve their goals and are role models in our communities.”

For tickets to the Attitude Awards gala evening on November 29 contact Terri Cavanagh at terri@attitudeawards.org or phone 09 378 1565.

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Watch previous Awards footage at www.AttitudeLive.com

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