Pomerado Newspaper Group THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012 PAGE 9
Company helps adults with special needs BY PEIJEAN TSAI Helping developmentally disabled adults live full and independent lives is not only the cause behind the local agency founded by Christina Grant and Bart Thompson, but it’s also a matter close to their hearts. That’s because the Rancho Bernardo couple have a special needs son of their own. Blake, who is Thompson’s son and Grant’s stepson, has Downs syndrome. Through Ideal Care, the supported living services agency run by the husband-and-wife team, Blake has been able to live on his own, renting a room in a house in Allied Gardens and receiving ongoing, onsite assistance to help him be independent. “We started the company because we have a special needs son. It gives us a very unique perspective,” said Thompson. “When I talk with parents who are on the
Ideal Care founders Christina Grant and Bart Thompson with Bart’s son, Blake. Photo by Peijean Tsai fence, it’s much more convincing because I’ve been there — I am there.” It’s a difficult choice for parents to decide whether their developmentally disabled child should stay at home, live in a group boarding house, or rent his or her own apartment or room, said Thompson. Blake initially
tried a boarding house, but it didn’t work out. He has since thrived from independent living, said his father. “It wasn’t a good fit for him. He’s just a bit of a nonconformist naturally,” said Thompson, with a smile. “Now he’s happier. We saw a change in him and he’s grown tremendously.”
“You want your child or loved one to be able to live the fullest life possible,” said Grant, owner and co-founder of Ideal Care. Grant and Thompson formed Ideal Care, LLC in December 2009, star ting programming in Januar y 2010, with Blake as the first participant. Grant has a background that includes ongoing work with special needs children in the Poway Unified School District. Thompson, the agency’s chief financial officer, comes from a business background. As a state-licensed supported living services agency, Ideal Care assists special needs adults with matters such as: housing, budgeting, transportation, hygiene, social and life skills, healthy eating, chores, shopping, and more. The aim is to foster increased independence, self-reliance and self-esteem. Individuals receive a custom See CARE, Page 13
Space firm with Poway ties gets NASA contract A space flight development company with facilities in Poway has been awarded a $215.5 million NASA contract to continue development of private sector version of the space shuttle. The Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corp. was one of three companies receiving additional funding under NASA’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability Program. NASA last week awarded $1.1 billion in program contracts, including $460 million to Boeing and $440 million to SpaceX. Sierra Nevada acquired
A prototype Dream Catcher shuttle was tested in May. Sierra Nevada Corp. photo. Poway-based SpaceDev in 2008. SpaceDev was founded in 2004 and was
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best known for developing the hybrid rockets that powered SpaceShipOne,
the first successful private sub-orbital spacecraft, in 2004. Sierra Nevada’s Space Systems division is headed by Mark Sirangelo, the former chairman and CEO of SpaceDev. Sierra Nevada is developing the 10-passenger Dream Chaser spacecraft to shuttle personnel to and from the International Space Station. An nonpowered full-size mock up of the craft is the early testing stages. The company says it hopes to being shuttle flights as early as 2016.
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Rob Weinberg ASK MR. MARKETING
Several. My favorite involved shrunken heads when I ran an in-house marketing agency for a troubled optical manufacturing firm. Though they employed nine manufacturer’s representatives nationwide, customer outreach rarely connected with the target. We faced the challenge of customers ordering information from six potential suppliers, reviewing two, and making their buying decision. As engineers, customer mindset was typically binary — on or off. If they liked option two and our mailing was number three we were ignored. We needed to jump from the mailbag and scream “PAY ATTENTION!” My solution: a mailer incorporating a rubber shrunken head in a large white box. The personalized letter stated; “THIS is what remains of Mr. Jones — ABC Company’s purchasing agent. Mr. Jones needed a borescope for a critical project and purchased it from another firm. The scope failed at a key point. Hoping to avoid embarrassment, Mr. Jones escaped to a ‘deserted’ island. Don’t let this happen to you!” It then pointed the recipient to their regional representative for additional information. Sadly, the company’s president didn’t understand the creative concept. He examined the head, the letter, and me and said (I’m not making this up) “I don’t get it.” Perhaps other engineers wouldn’t have gotten it either. Yet my gut said sales prospects would reach for the large box first because it was
different, and the contents would have shaken recipients by the scruff of the neck. Even if the package didn’t generate an immediate response, light bulbs would go on when the sales reps said “shrunken head” during a follow-up call. Today’s economy seems to have deleted most creative marketing efforts in favor of doing the tried, the true, and the safe. Mailers, ads and promotions increasingly seem alike as marketers — desperate to make every dollar count — fear risk. This results in every business looking alike, with little reason to choose one product over another. Everyone says “better service,” “better prices” and “better quality.” And when everyone looks similar…YAWN! My advice: Develop your next marketing effort by carefully examining competitors’ activities. Try taking risks and create something really funky to force customers to pay attention to you. The results might surprise you. With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing. Mr. Marketing specializes in developing unique marketing solutions and profitable results. Get his personalized attention at www.askmrmarketing.com.
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