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A store manager said, “There’s no such thing as a special needs shopping cart.” That moment lit the fuse for Drew Ann Long, who turned a napkin sketch into Caroline’s Cart—now standard in Target, Walmart, and Sam’s Club, and a symbol of what happens when families refuse to accept exclusion as normal. We walk through the emotional and practical beats: Caroline’s Rett syndrome diagnosis, the day-to-day realities of caregiving, and the exact problem that made shopping unsafe and exhausting once novelty carts were outgrown.

From there, we trace the hard road of accessibility innovation. Multiple major manufacturers said no—twice. Drew Ann built a prototype anyway, rallied a global community through social media, and reframed the question for retailers: why offer carts for able-bodied kids but none for people with disabilities? The proof arrived in the form of customer demand that wouldn’t quit. Target committed nationwide in 2017. Walmart and Sam’s Club followed with coast-to-coast rollouts in 2024. Along the way, the original holdouts returned to manufacture the carts in North Carolina, a testament to persistence, grassroots momentum, and a market hiding in plain sight.

We also spotlight Caroline’s Cause, the nonprofit funding scholarships for siblings of people with disabilities—kids who often shoulder silent compromises in therapy rooms, hospital schedules, and quiet family tradeoffs.

You could find more information at https://www.drewannspeaks.com/

When organizations book Drew Ann to speak, fees support scholarships, turning awareness into action. And there’s still work to do. Some major chains haven’t adopted the cart, leaving room for listener-led advocacy: ask your local store to order, tag retailers publicly, and help rebuild the Caroline’s Cart social pages after a recent hack.

Subscribe, share this story with a friend who cares about accessibility, and leave a review with the name of a retailer you want to see add Caroline’s Cart next. Your nudge might be the one that tips the scale.

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What happens when the executive with the corner office is hiding a devastating secret? Joshua Case, former VP at a Fortune 500 company, pulls back the curtain on his double life—corporate success by day, battling alcohol addiction by night.

Joshua's raw conversation reveals how childhood trauma, including sexual abuse and a complicated relationship with his father, created patterns of codependency that followed him into adulthood. Despite his success in career, he found himself trapped in a cycle of using alcohol to escape painful memories and uncomfortable emotions.

Rock bottom made its appearance when Josh got arrested after moving to Florida, despite that having been a goal. This rock-bottom moment finally pushed him toward meaningful recovery through a 90-day rehab program where he confronted his past and discovered the life-changing impact of understanding codependency. "I went 48 years of my life misunderstanding how a healthy relationship should work," he shares with striking vulnerability.

Now sober and thriving, Joshua has channeled his experience into creating SoberBuzz, a community supporting others struggling with addiction that has grown to over 90,000 followers across 43 countries. His message resonates with powerful simplicity: "If you think you have a problem, most likely you do," and "Never give up, give mental health a chance, and really look at why you're doing it."

Whether you're questioning your own relationship with substances, supporting someone who is struggling, or simply interested in the human capacity for transformation, Joshua's journey offers profound insights into breaking cycles of addiction and finding authentic connection. Connect with his work on YouTube at SoberBuzzPodcast, Instagram @SoberBuzzToken, or via email at JC@JoshCase.com.

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Dominick Domasky's story reads like a masterclass in resilience. From losing half a million dollars in a failed restaurant venture in his twenties to founding a publishing company that's helped hundreds of authors worldwide, his journey embodies the power of perseverance and reinvention.

"I went bankrupt. I was broke. I was in my early 20s, couldn't even pay for a spaghetti dinner," Dominic recalls. During those darkest moments, he discovered writing as both therapy and purpose. What began as simple stories in a notebook evolved into a mission to help others share their voices.

The path wasn't straightforward. Dominick spent years in pharmaceutical and insurance sales while slowly building his publishing knowledge. His first book taught him every painful lesson possible—selling away his rights, dealing with poor editing, and accepting subpar cover design. These mistakes became the foundation for Motivation Champs Publishing, created specifically to help others avoid similar pitfalls while yet enabling others to share their story.

Perhaps most moving is Dominick's deeply personal book "My Name is Sharon," chronicling his mother's decade-long battle with Alzheimer's. From this experience comes his heartfelt advice to caregivers: "Your loved one is still in there... When you were a baby, they loved you unconditionally. They didn't get mad when you couldn't respond. Now it's your time to reciprocate that."

Beyond publishing, Dominick hosts a regional cable show exploring Western Pennsylvania's trails called Bikes and Hikes. Dominick also helped co-found Cre8tive Con, a place for creative entrepreneurs to share ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another.

Throughout our conversation, one theme remains constant: the power of believing in yourself and helping others do the same. As Dominick puts it: "Be the best you, you can be. Nobody else can tell your story." One thing that stands out is his speech from Cre8tive Con at the 2024 inaugural conference "You've got to believe in yourself."

Connect with Dominick at Motivation Champs across all social platforms and discover why his mission of sharing "inspiration, positivity, and smiles" resonates with so many.