Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Bailey and Minerva Santiago.
Derek and Minerva, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Derek is a non-speaking young man who relies on alternative forms of communication. He has autism and started having seizures at the age of 12. Early in his teen years, his parents started to concern themselves with Derek’s future. With the lack of employment options available for individuals similar to Derek, he decided to find a meaningful future through self-employment. The million-dollar question was, what would he do?
Derek expressed an interest in bicycle repair, but naturally, the family didn’t know anyone who could teach Derek this skillset. So, of course, they relied on Google to get Derek started. They found some bicycle repair lessons and downloaded them for Derek to determine if he had a sincere interest in learning about bicycles and how to repair them. To the family’s surprise, the teacher that was assisting Derek with these lessons said, “I’ve done as much as I can do; you need to find a real bike mechanic to work with him.”
What now? With no bicycle mechanic classes available who work with exceptional learners, Derek’s mom and step-father started making cold-calls to local bike repair shops and thankfully connected with Jeff Torkelson, Founder of Recyclable Bicycle Exchange (RBX) in Ft. Lauderdale. Jeff, although having no experience working with exceptional learners, was open to working with Derek. Jeff taught the lessons, while Derek’s parents and support team created and implemented the accommodations. Thanks to Jeff and Derek’s support team, at the age of 17, Derek was able to start his own business repairing bicycles. His bicycle repair business is called Bike Dr. Derek and is located at the RBX shop.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting a business is hard work. It is common for the road to start off bumpy for entrepreneurs. There were many challenges Derek faced along the way. The primary challenge was for Derek to develop the confidence that he can take charge of his future and have his own business. Once the business was started, Derek struggled with balancing to get new customers, but not more than he could handle. Lastly, Derek faced many health challenges along the way, which required him to take periodic “pauses.” That’s the beauty of entrepreneurship, though; you can do things at your own pace.
There are so many moving parts to running your own business. Of course, Derek learning bicycle repair skills was a primary component, but what about the administrative, marketing, sales, supports, etc. aspects of the business? It’s taken time to develop these areas. Derek’s business is still growing and transforming alongside its’ owner.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Bike Dr. Derek provides bicycle repair and/or maintenance services. Customers can conveniently drop-off their bicycle at our shop in Ft. Lauderdale or schedule a pick-up and delivery, offered throughout Broward County. The business is focused on serving individuals who are “everyday” kinds of riders. Derek’s typical customer is not caught up with all the “hype” of today’s cycling industry, but rather is one who enjoys bicycle riding for its’ simplicity and functionality. Bike Dr. Derek is not focused on the quantity of customers it serves, but rather on the quality of service it provides.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
We love how supportive our city is of bicycles as both a recreational activity. The city’s beaches are beautiful, and also provide a picturesque biking path. On the other hand, though, there is much to be done still to develop safe bicycle lanes and Florida’s notorious road rage makes bicycling in urban areas that much more dangerous. We hope the rapidly growing demand for bicycles will continue to have a positive impact on the future of city planning and design.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1216a NE 8th Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33304 - Website: https://www.bikedrderek.com
- Phone: 786-519-1540
- Email: bikedrderek@gmail.com
- Instagram: bikedrderek
Image Credit:
Courtesy of Bike Dr. Derek
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