Today we’d like to introduce you to David Enriquez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I worked in the realm of luxury real estate auctions for many years, traveling around the country (and Internationally as well) meeting with wealthy individuals and helping to sell their multi-million dollar homes. At some point I had a bit of an existential crisis and realized I wasn’t happy or personally fulfilled with the work that I was doing. While the compensation was good, I felt that there was much more I could be contributing to society. Moreover, the feeling always persisted that I wanted to own my business and not continue working for others. A friend in healthcare knew I was looking for opportunities and informed me that non-emergency medical transportation is always in demand and there was a serious need for reliable operators in the space. After researching the field and speaking to people knowledgeable about the industry, I decided to proceed with it. I bought a van, had it converted for wheelchair and stretcher accessibility, acquired the necessary licenses and training, hired my first employee, and started calling local clinics and hospitals to offer our services. My friend turned out to be quite right and I was busy from the start, leading to purchasing a second wheelchair van within just two months. We are still a newer company (less than two years in existence) but we’ve developed a sterling reputation amongst end users and healthcare case managers throughout south Florida, leading to multiple service agreements with major hospitals. I feel more personal satisfaction then I have at any other point in my work life and I see every day the impact that we have on people’s lives. Our customers constantly express to us how difficult it has been for them to find transportation and get to their vital medical appointments, or even just go out to a restaurant or a relative’s home. A phrase that I’ve heard more times than I can remember is “this is the first time I’ve been outside in a long time.” I’m proud of the work that we do and the compassionate way we provide it. It’s been an honor and I look forward to continuing and expanding our services.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting and operating this business has certainly not been “smooth sailing.” While facing the same obstacles that all entrepreneurs might encounter, some of the added difficulties have been in dealing with local regulations. Since this is a niche industry, it typically gets lumped into the pool of “for hire” vehicle services at the local regulatory level. The result is that while this is an important service for people with accessibility limitations and expansion in the industry should be encouraged and incentivized, the regulations seem to hinder growth. Additionally, the cost of insurance for this type of industry is astronomical. Many people have expressed shock when I’ve informed them of our insurance premiums. It can be cost prohibitive for most to even get started. This is ultimately a disservice to the customer since the prices to them need to be high enough to be able to stay in business. While I’ve priced our rates to be at the lower end of the local industry, I hope to be able to generate enough volume to lower the prices even more and make it as easy for wheelchair passengers to use the service as it is for most others to call an Uber/Lyft or a taxi.
As you know, we’re big fans of RideStat. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
RideStat is a wheelchair and stretcher transportation service. Our vehicles are wheelchair accessible so that a passenger can stay in their wheelchair for the duration of the ride. Many people in such circumstances have had to face the sometimes undignified process of having someone lift them out of their chair in order to transfer them into a car. For people using a heavy power wheelchair that can’t be lifted, the options for transportation are especially limited. Our customers are elated when they find out they don’t have to suffer through any such issues with our vehicles. While we mostly take people to their medical appointments, we also do quite a bit of transport for social engagements, whether that be taking people to restaurants, a friend/relative’s home, concerts, etc. We were busy this past Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day just taking customers to family gatherings. Hearing some of these people express to us how overjoyed they were to be able to spend the holiday with their family again was overwhelming. We’ve often heard stories from customers about how they had to wait for a transport for three hours after chemotherapy, or had a family get-together cancelled because the transport they booked weeks in advance cancelled on them last minute. Unfortunately, there are some poor operators in the industry, and this is especially why we strive to be better. We want our customers to feel safe and cared for during their time with us. These are people that are already rather vulnerable, and they should be able to feel confident in the service provider they have chosen for their transport.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Something that I’ve found when dealing with people who have been successful in business is that they often want to impart their wisdom to others and may not always know the best way to go about it. While they are typically busy, they are oftentimes not as bombarded with requests for mentoring and networking as many others might expect. So with many of these people, finding their emails online and sending a simple request of having an informational interview or something similar can lead to a positive response. They were likely in the same situation once and reached out to others for mentorship and now want to pass it on themselves. Don’t overthink it, just makes some contacts, be sincere, and you’ll find that people really do want to help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://MyRideStat.com
