7 minute read
INDUSTRY LEADER
MICHAEL HUGHES HAS BEEN GETTING READY TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE FOR A LONG TIME
Written by: DOUG HENSLEY
It’s almost as if Michael Hughes had been preparing his entire life for this job.
First there were significant family influences, and then there were open doors at just the right time. When the stars finished aligning, Hughes found himself part of the executive team at Motion Composites, serving as the company’s U.S. national sales director.
“I have a couple of family experiences in my life,” he said. “I have a second cousin, who I have always thought of as an uncle. He was a Marine and a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Then four months after he got home, he was in a car accident that left him with a T-7 spinal cord injury and using an ultra-lightweight wheelchair for the next 50-something years of his life.”
What Hughes saw, though, wasn’t someone confined to a wheelchair, but instead someone able to live life to the fullest because the wheelchair opened pathways of accessibility.
“He helped teach me how to swing a golf club, how to shoot a basketball, and he did all from a wheelchair,” Hughes recalled. “That ultra-lightweight wheelchair allowed him to live life. He played wheelchair basketball for the Chicago Bulls affiliate. He was extremely inspirational to me.”
The same is true for another second cousin, whom Hughes has watched battle muscular dystrophy.
THE CHANGE TO ULTRALIGHTWEIGHTS HAS ALWAYS APPEALED TO ME. I HAD MORE OF A POWERCHAIR BACKGROUND BEFORE.
“Just watching him and how he has taken it all in stride and doing the best he can to live a normal life has been remarkable,” he said. “Those are two people who have heavily influenced what I do and why.”
The opportunity to be part of a company that specializes in ultra-lightweight wheelchairs was something Hughes wanted to be a part of. Motion Composites prides itself on innovation and creativity to bring leading-edge products to its clients. Hughes had been with another company for 10 years and was professionally happy, but everything neatly fell into place about 18 months ago.
“I valued my experiences there tremendously, and I still have a lot of friends there,” he said. “The change to ultra-lightweights has always appealed to me. I had more of a powerchair background before.”
Product was only part of the company’s charm, though. Hughes was also attracted to its culture and peoplecentered focus.
“It is still a small company with the ability to adapt and do things quickly,” he said. “We have not reached a point where I have to go through eight layers to get something done. The overall culture is incredible. Eric Simoneau is our CEO. He is extremely passionate, and that passion runs through the entire company. It’s a combination of things, but I have really enjoyed the year and a half that I’ve been here.”
Likewise, part of his job’s appeal is how no two days are exactly the same. In addition to his responsibilities as a sales leader, he is also engaged with numerous others who are involved in Complex Rehab Technology.
“One day I may be in my home office in Rockwall, Texas, where I’m behind a computer,” he said, “and other days I will be traveling on the road with our sales team. I meet with providers, with Assistive Technology Professionals (ATPs) and do presentations for clinicians at major rehab hospitals. It’s very different from day to day, and that is one of the reasons I love doing what I do – the constant change of pace.”
ULTIMATELY, EVERYTHING STARTS AND ENDS WITH THE CLIENT ... EVERYTHING WE DO AT MOTION COMPOSITES IS DONE WITH THE IDEA TO BECOME 'EVERYONE’S FAVORITE MOBILITY COMPANY.’
“Ultimately, everything starts and ends with the client,” he said. “Everything we do at Motion Composites is done with the idea to become ‘everyone’s favorite mobility company.’ As the manufacturer, I don’t necessarily have a lot of interaction with the end user, but I do with providers, ATPs, clinicians and reps in the field. Building those relationships day by day is important because everything is about building trust.”
Hughes said all industries got something of a wake-up call during the COVID-19 pandemic, and an even greater premium was placed on corporate trustworthiness.
“I think every industry can relate that 2020 to 2022 was really challenging,” he said. “Being able to communicate accurate and trustworthy information may not have always been what someone wanted to hear, but we always tried to communicate accurately. People can handle bad news as long as they don’t think they are being lied to. I’ve tried to build my career on being trustworthy and being up front with people.
“I like to think I have established a reputation in this industry. It is not about getting the next sale. It is about building trust with someone to keep their business for the next three to five to 10 years.”
Those values have also been influenced by his family. Hughes remembers his grandfather gave him some of the best and most practical advice that still guides him today.
“It was more or less, ‘Choose your words wisely and watch your tongue because you only get one chance to make a first impression,’” he said. “I try to lead by example in everything I do. People make judgments very quickly, and you must be able to present yourself and your company in a certain fashion very quickly.”
Hughes is optimistic about the industry’s future, seeing even better days ahead for people who make their living in it – and for those who might one day find their way to it.
“You can enter our industry and make a good living depending on your passion, and you don’t have to have a college degree,” he said. “I want to see more younger folks in this industry, and I am excited for what we’re doing and where it’s going.
“I would also like to encourage industry stakeholders to advocate for our industry and the clients we serve. We are more organized and jointly focused than we ever have been, but we need more voices.”
CONTACT
Michael may be reached at M.HUGHES@MOTIONCOMPOSITES.COM
