Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer and Gordon Raney.
Jennifer and Gordon, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Gordon and I opened 101 Mobility here in Dallas/Ft. Worth a little over five years ago. That spring, Gordon’s father was facing complications following knee surgery and could not manage the stairs. With all bedrooms and full bathrooms upstairs, we began searching for what to do to make his home more livable for him during that time. I was slightly familiar with stairlifts because my Grandmother had one in her home in the 90’s, so we pursued that route. In the process, we learned about 101 Mobility and fell in love with the business. We’d both spent the last decade at global professional services firms and we were excited for the opportunity to work more hands on with our clients and truly impact the lives of those we worked with each day in a positive way. Something just clicked for us and we knew this would be our new path. While going through the process ourselves, we quickly realized how complex and overwhelming this industry can be and that most families have never had to face this kind of thing before and often don’t know quite where to begin. They are often contemplating moving a family member into an assisted living facility for $3,000 – $6,000/month where they do not want to be, when for as little as $2,500 they could install a stairlift and keep them in their home for many more years. There are so many options available that many people just don’t even know exist because they’ve never needed to know until one day they do.
Our team provides home assessments, sales, installation, and service for all types of mobility equipment such as stairlifts, elevators, aluminum ramps, auto lifts, patient lifts, pool lifts, and much more. We are dealers for several different manufacturers and no one on our team is commission based, which is very important to us! We listen to our clients so we can understand their needs, goals, budgets, and timeframes. Our goal is to help each of our clients understand the various types of equipment that may suit their needs or those of their family members. We help them narrow down brands and specific models based on their feedback and priorities to help them select the best possible solution in the end, regardless of the type of equipment, brand or budget. In addition to equipment in residential homes for private families, we also serve the VA hospitals and their veterans, as well as many schools, churches, and the like. We’re thrilled for the opportunity to serve our clients each day and form so many meaningful relationships along the way!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Since this industry is still relatively new and so niche, many people are not aware of what we do. Education has been one of the biggest struggles we’ve worked through. How to reach families who need our services, but don’t know they exist or how to find them.
How to help people learn about what’s out there and available to them other than assisted living, for example. Additionally, many families face the need for this equipment at the same time they are facing large medical bills and other financial strains and demands, so finances can be challenging. Many times, we can clearly identify the perfect solution, but perhaps that solution does not work within the available budget for a client and their family. We work diligently to help clients identify potential funding sources whether that be government agencies, non profit organizations, financing companies, etc….. We are constantly searching for new funding sources that our clients can utilize to help them with the equipment they need.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about 101 Mobility – what should we know?
We are a local, full service provider. We specialize in all types of mobility equipment, but particularly in stairlifts, elevators, wheelchair lifts, patient lifts, aluminum ramps, lifts for vehicles on which to transport scooters or power chairs, pool lifts, etc. In a world of commissioned sales reps and poor quality national companies contracting installations to the lowest bidder, we are proud to say that we are LOCAL, we have no commissioned sales reps, and we have an outstanding team of full time installation technicians, most of whom are veterans. We are dealers for several different top quality manufacturers, so we are not pushing one agenda on our clients. Our goal is to share several different options across brands, models, budgets, and function so our clients can make the decision that best meets their goals. We are also licensed elevator contractors and hold ourselves to that standard in everything we do!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Our own parents not only provided a window into the need for this type of equipment, but have also served as mentors and cheerleaders from day one. Another person who’s been a tremendous teammate and inspiration is our regional service manager. He is a Marine Corp veteran and has several years of experience in this industry. He is a licensed elevator mechanic and we’re licensed elevator contractors. Together, we’ve been able to serve commercial clients as well throughout North Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. He is extremely intelligent and always does the right thing. He’s a true class act, he’s been a tremendous addition to our team and he’s someone we value and respect immensely as we continue to learn and grow together each day.
Pricing:
- Straight Stairlifts typically range from ~$2,500 – $6,000 depending on brand, model & features.
- Curved Stairlifts typically range from ~$10,000 – $20,000 depending on brand, model & configuration.
- Patient Lifts can range from ~$2,000 – $7,000+ depending on style and configuration.
- Small Wheelchair Lifts range from ~$6,000 – $10,000 & larger full 2 story elevators usually range from ~$20,000 – $50,000 installed.
Contact Info:
- Address: 101 Mobility
797 N. Grove Rd., Suite 113,
Richardson, TX 75081 - Website: dallas.101mobility.com
- Phone: 214-484-7181
- Email: jraney@101mobility.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/101MobilityDallasTX/
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
