2019 "FOCUS ON YOUTH":
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Dana Jones:
Owner of Accessadoor
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Dana Jones is a recent graduate of Dutchess Community College where she studied business administration. She is continuing her education at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY where she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship.
When Dana started college, she was inspired to create an easier way to enter buildings for those who face physical challenges after the standard technology did not work for her. This inspiration led to founding Accessadoor, a company that has gained traction over the last year after winning numerous competitions, including second place at the state level in the New York Business Plan Competition and 2nd place at the Think Dutchess Innovation Challenge. She is passionate about making the world more accessible for people with disabilities, making life easier for those who face daily challenges. Dana also runs a 501c3 animal rescue that saves countless animals from kill shelters and places them in loving, forever homes. The focus of the organization is to do what's best for the animal. In her spare time, Dana spends time with her friends and plays with her two rescue dogs, Tanner and Sky. |
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About Accessadoor: Accessadoor is a smartphone application and compatible device that allows users to open handicap doors from their phone. Not only does this bring the existing technology up to today's time, but it also increases independence for those who were unable to open doors independently before. |
Using the App
Courtesy: Accessadoor |
Did you always want to run your own business?
Yes! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to own my own company. I was always coming up with ideas to start different kinds of companies. In the 4th grade, they didn't flourish in the way I had envisioned. Fast forward ten years, and I’m finally in the position I have always dreamed off.
What inspired you to start your business?
They always say, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention,’ and this can’t be more true for Accessadoor. I came up with this idea based on my personal struggle with accessibility, and I knew I wasn't alone. While I had no experience with engineering or developing, I had a lot of experience with networking, and I knew I could tap into that skill set to bring the right people together to make this a reality.
What do you find the most daunting about being a business owner?
For anyone, owning a business can be a very daunting task to take on, but for an 21-year-old (I was only 18 when I began this journey), it’s even more overwhelming. As a young entrepreneur, it’s easy to feel the added pressure of having to measure up to your superiors, making sure you do everything perfectly because you feel like you are under surveillance. You worry that what you are doing will never come to fruition. I have had many sleepless nights going over our plans and calculating everything a thousand times over to give us the greatest chance for success…but there is always that looming feeling that what you are doing might not ever amount to anything.
What do you find most rewarding about being a business owner?
By far the most rewarding part of being a business owner is being able to do something that is brand new! You also get to run your business as you see fit. We are strong advocates for financial accessibility and will make sure our product is affordable for any size business, whether it be a local ‘mom and pop’ shop or a multi-million dollar hospital. Our product is a revolution in accessibility, and it will improve the lives of millions who are physically challenged, so it should be able to be placed anywhere without it breaking the budget! Our device is more beneficial when it is on more doors; so, while many companies would charge an astronomical amount of money for this technology, we charge only $99.99. Anyone can add this technology to their establishment.
Yes! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to own my own company. I was always coming up with ideas to start different kinds of companies. In the 4th grade, they didn't flourish in the way I had envisioned. Fast forward ten years, and I’m finally in the position I have always dreamed off.
What inspired you to start your business?
They always say, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention,’ and this can’t be more true for Accessadoor. I came up with this idea based on my personal struggle with accessibility, and I knew I wasn't alone. While I had no experience with engineering or developing, I had a lot of experience with networking, and I knew I could tap into that skill set to bring the right people together to make this a reality.
What do you find the most daunting about being a business owner?
For anyone, owning a business can be a very daunting task to take on, but for an 21-year-old (I was only 18 when I began this journey), it’s even more overwhelming. As a young entrepreneur, it’s easy to feel the added pressure of having to measure up to your superiors, making sure you do everything perfectly because you feel like you are under surveillance. You worry that what you are doing will never come to fruition. I have had many sleepless nights going over our plans and calculating everything a thousand times over to give us the greatest chance for success…but there is always that looming feeling that what you are doing might not ever amount to anything.
What do you find most rewarding about being a business owner?
By far the most rewarding part of being a business owner is being able to do something that is brand new! You also get to run your business as you see fit. We are strong advocates for financial accessibility and will make sure our product is affordable for any size business, whether it be a local ‘mom and pop’ shop or a multi-million dollar hospital. Our product is a revolution in accessibility, and it will improve the lives of millions who are physically challenged, so it should be able to be placed anywhere without it breaking the budget! Our device is more beneficial when it is on more doors; so, while many companies would charge an astronomical amount of money for this technology, we charge only $99.99. Anyone can add this technology to their establishment.
