From phones to cars to medicine, technology has touched every part of our lives. One of the things made to be intrinsically useful for humans and to be reused is medical equipment. Modern medical equipment is known for its durability and meticulous functionality and is durable by nature. But most people dispose of them after barely using them once, not knowing they wasted a wholesome opportunity—an opportunity to recycle the equipment. But why is it important? The refurbishing procedure involves several steps, from collecting the donated item, checking it for any necessary repairs or sanitization, and ensuring it can be transferred to someone in need. It can sound like a tedious process, but what if I told you that there is a community dedicated to connecting families who want to recycle medical equipment? That’s right, and the community is called LittleWins.
It’s not a community drawn on incentivizing but, more importantly, it emphasizes a purpose: to cater the right resources to people struggling with disabilities! As intriguing and honorable as that sounds, Lexis Serot, a mother who envisioned an online marketplace to provide access to quality equipment at reasonable prices, found the venture. But what fuelled her soul to start this mission? What motivated her to be not just any other entrepreneur making huge turnovers but rather helping people get back on their feet?
Her venture fascinated us, and to find the answers to these questions, we connected with this phenomenal woman over a virtual meet. We had an interesting discussion, where not only did we get all the answers, we got a fine picture of her journey, her endeavors, and everything that shaped her into an inspiring “Womanpreneur.” Without any further ado, here is the story of Lexis Serot, Founder and CEO of LittleWins.
THE ORIGINS OF THE WHOLESOME MISSION
Lexis’s journey to becoming the woman she is has been quite a roller coaster ride. She is a high school graduate from Columbine High School and studied photography at Flagler College. Unfortunately, she couldn’t complete college, so she became a model at Ford Models for 14 years. Even though this helped her with project management and networking, she realized what it truly meant to be in the “School of life.” “Growing up with little means, I’ve been a dishwasher, a housekeeper, a cleaner, nanny, event planner, bartender, server, hostess, etc,” she exclaims. These experiences also gave her knowledge that could be applied in various areas of life.
In 2013, she became a mother of twins. Unfortunately, one of her twins, Ava, suffered a skull fracture during a C-Section delivery, resulting in Triplegia Cerebral Palsy. She had no formal medical education. And because she lacked the knowledge to deal with such a condition, she was thrust into a life-altering predicament. This shocked her how unprepared she was. Moreover, she didn’t receive any major external support, which made her realize how broken the system was. But unbeknownst to her, this challenge was to become the stepping stone of her life. She started familiarizing herself with many forms of care, equipment, and therapy.
She also reached out to people and did a lot of research. She found that there were many people rattled in similar situations. They had the equipment they won’t need anymore and vice versa. Also, many were so deep in sorrow that they believed it was the end. Lexis was determined to find a solution. She realized that recycling this equipment for those in need will help them connect with people, helping them understand it’s not the end, but a new beginning. In the end, a win-win for all. The thought process ultimately led to the inception of LittleWins. While helping others, she eventually found the right walker for her little Ava, freeing her to grow. Lexis also hosts a podcast where she initiates discussions on living with impairments and navigating life.
LITTLEWINS – UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY
As already said, LittleWins is an easy-to-use marketplace for people to post used durable medical equipment, browse equipment by category and location, and connect directly with buyers and sellers through the site’s messaging app. It’s a community where people across the nation support each other by sharing their journeys. It’s built on values of integrity, empowerment, compassion, collaboration, respect, and accountability. Every function, from repurposing medical equipment to connecting families, is driven by these values. Lexis also joined forces with another shepreneur, Christi Leonardi, a deaf single mother and CEO of Hotsy Totsy Haus. Together, they are making homemade natural bath bombs sold on the LittleWins website. “These bath bombs are made to fully relax your muscles and provide a healing, rejuvenating bath,” says Lexis.
Moreover, she introduced a line of compression socks she and her kids designed. The socks come in vibrant hues and patterns, giving users the freedom to express their individuality while still remaining comfortable. In 2022, LittleWins made version 3 of its website available to consumers. This version offers a premium membership that grants users access to a list of sponsors and resources with whom it is associated, as well as a lower FedEx delivery cost. In addition, Lexis helped with hosting SHINE, the first music event specifically for people with disabilities, this past summer. During these trying times, this celebration gave the neighborhood an opportunity to unite and cherish one another.
OUTWEIGHING CHALLENGES & COMPLEXITIES
The way LittleWins has grown up in the past 4 years, it won’t be wrong to say every hurdle is a new opportunity to it. One of the challenges was ensuring the marketplace was robust and interactive to the point of failure. Even though the digital space is an opportunity for all to carve a niche, it’s definitely a volatile place. Lexis had to wrestle to find people who could keep the venture as she envisioned it. Another thing that tested her wits and entrepreneurial forte was establishing partnerships. Small businesses were interested in using her idea to see their concepts succeed. One person specifically offered to make her website into a plugin so that their ideas might be implemented.
Of course, none of them were successful, but it’s crucial to realize that Lexis isn’t opposed to partnerships. But she seeks to collaborate with like-minded individuals who want to join forces on a strategy that goes beyond the bottom line. “LittleWins was founded to assist those with disabilities, and I want to be the exclusive conduit of the same,” adds Lexis. Even though she is primarily helming the mission, she is supported by a personal assistant who keeps her on schedule, a fractional CTO, a financial advisor, a legal team of women, and independent female developers. Altogether, they function like a family, working on thriving the mission constantly.
A BEACON OF HOPE DURING COVID-19
The conundrum and predicament caused by this “Black Swan Event” doesn’t need any clarification. The entire world has suffered in ways that are immeasurable. People were too terrified to go outside to get their basic medical needs. Lexis saw this as an opportunity to help and connect with people. She began accepting donations and even delivered medical beds, PPE kits, and other necessities to people’s homes. This gave her a purpose in that period and control over the scenario. It was genuinely fascinating how her efforts encouraged emotional bonding and discussions over chats.
MILESTONES THAT ACCOLADE HER MISSION
Lexis began this mission with the idea of changing the lives of children like her daughter. But she didn’t know how she’ll change many lives within a year. Seeing the growth, they shifted to AWS to have a more strategic digital presence. Over the years, they added new features to it, like geolocation and much more, which further strengthened their focus. But her real achievement is how she has changed lives and helped people get back on their feet.
Needless to say, her efforts have earned her prestigious awards. LittleWins was named one of the “Top 100 Healthcare Visionaries” by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare, formerly the Smart Health Conference, in February 2021 at the IFAH Global Healthcare Conference. LittleWins received the “One of the Best Companies” honor at the Health 2.0 Conference in Dubai in March 2022. Lexis won an award for “Fast Company’s World-Changing Ideas in 2021 and 2022,” and INC magazine has named her one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Women in Business in 2022.”
As someone who has had a great deal in her life, seeing her effort succeed and receiving so many honors undoubtedly says a lot about her.
THE NEXT MILESTONES TO HIT
Given the strides she made, it won’t be wrong to call Lexis an exemplary woman of change. She’s always working on ideas and ways that can help people and communities find support and care. She and her team are currently working to introduce LittleWins medical supply subscription boxes. These items will include bandages, gauze, antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide, feeding tubes, and other often ordered everyday necessities. They are also introducing imprinted braille labeling systems concurrently.
Furthermore, LittleWins is working on partnering up to provide transportation services for users. “I want to make it accessible for those within the community to get a ride on demand,” says Lexis. With such intriguing prospects in the pipeline, the future of LittleWins surely looks illuminating.
FEW PEARLS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Closing towards the end, we asked Lexis to share a few learnings that can inspire people willing to take up the baton. She shared some of the truly inspiring mementos:
- “Set your sights on a particular need and ensure your solutions are tailored to them”
- “Find mentors for assistance and support if needed and take one step at a time”
- “Never be afraid to ask questions and consult your friends if no one else”
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Business Talk is a digital business magazine that caters to CEOs, Entrepreneurs, VC, and Corporates. While working with entrepreneurs and business executives, we focus not only on their achievements. Our mission is to shed light on business entities, including their innovations, technological benchmarks, USPs, and milestones/accolades.
