Higher education is often the vehicle to pursue a dream job and a brighter future. College also provides key networking and personal development opportunities rarely found elsewhere. However, rising costs can make college less accessible. The CU Denver Business School is proud to support students from diverse backgrounds, alleviating financial burdens through scholarships. Scholarship awardee, John Bailey MBA ’24, has used his award as the next gear toward creating impact for himself and his community: DIY Wheelchairs.
Growing up, Bailey dreamt of a career in veterinary work and mechanical engineering. At 14, he taught himself how to weld, and a year later, he became a bike mechanic. Over the years, Bailey’s goals shifted to broader-scope ideals, embodying leadership, strategy, and entrepreneurship skills.
For the Fort Collins native, Bailey found additional inspiration in travel. “Living in Fort Collins, I knew a lot of engineers and professors, which normalized the idea of college and being a professional.” He took the show on the road with alternative work as a missionary in El Salvador for two years before moving to Provo, Utah, to attend Brigham Young University (BYU). Eventually, Bailey and his family moved to Denmark, where they spent three years before returning to Colorado.
After receiving his BS in Manufacturing Engineering, Bailey moved through a variety of careers. From oil and gas to aerospace, wind energy, nuclear, pharmaceuticals, and currently, water quality. When Bailey transitioned from team contributor to team leader in a foreign company, he learned to adapt his American leadership style to the local context. However, he put in the work, reading over 40 books on leadership and soliciting feedback from his team members. “As a leader, you can set out to be universally loved or have the best interests of your team at heart. Rarely can you do both. Hard conversations are sometimes needed to help individuals be effective and reach their potential. Not everyone embraces this journey, but the ones who do often become lifelong friends.”
After graduation, his family became a powerful motivator. Supporting a young family meant that a steady wage and good benefits were a priority for Bailey. Considering himself an “intrapreneur,” he took every opportunity he had to advance and worked hard to make each position he held his own.
His mission trip to El Salvador proved to be a catalyst for his love of travel and engineering. During the southern excursion, Bailey recognized how a lack of accessibility could impede some communities from enjoying the same rewarding experiences he had collected over the years. In particular, Bailey noted the difficulties that individuals who used wheelchairs faced when using the standard hospital-issued wheelchairs. In the United States and Europe, wheelchairs are custom-made to fit individuals, a process that is only possible through a lengthy procedure. Unfortunately, these services are prohibitively expensive or non-existent in many countries. Standard-issue wheelchairs are often impossible for people to use comfortably, meaning those who cannot afford or access custom wheelchairs can be left behind. Bailey plans to change that by providing high-quality wheelchairs that users can easily customize and personalize. “Think high-end wheelchairs meets Ikea.” The DIY nature of Bailey’s wheelchair allows users to radically adjust their chair, allowing them to adjust the equipment to their needs more affordably and more efficiently than ever before.
Initially, Bailey thought his engineering background would be the only key to bringing his wheelchair revolution to life. “Eventually, I realized that engineering was just a small part of the puzzle. I needed expertise in business operations, international sourcing/distribution, marketing, you name it.” With this in mind, Bailey enrolled at CU Denver Business School to pursue an MBA with an emphasis in entrepreneurship, helping him build upon his existing knowledge and shift his ideas into the next gear. Entrepreneurship and MBA faculty added octane to his passion, supporting his vision with their availability and shared zeal for bettering the world around them.
From innovative leadership to engineering the future of accessibility, Bailey’s family has acted as the driving force behind his work. “I’m most proud of being a dad. I have pursued professional ambitions throughout my life and have found success in many ways, but my ultimate reason for being and my greatest pride are my four wonderful children.” Bailey is crafting an incredible, untreaded legacy for his family and future changemakers to follow.
