I’ve had a big shift in my career the past year or so. In fact it’s 10 years almost to the day that I handed my notice in from my safer employed job. So it’s fair to say on this long bank holiday weekend I’ve been a little reflective and a little nostalgic.

Here’s a few thoughts I’d like to share with you.

In 2009 I started blogging with a view to create a more inclusive world for disabled people. With a little help from my friends (cue the Beatles!) I learned how to write blogs, take engaging photos, record YouTube vlogs on my Flipcam (remember those?), and how to use social media to build a movement for inclusion.

Since leaving my dream job in London a decade ago, to pursue a whole new dream, I’ve had quite the adventure. My impact grew. I was invited on national media outlets (thanks BBC, Guardian, Independent and Huffington post). I joined forces with Srin and many adventures ensued.

We started Disability Horizons on an epic California roadtrip. We launched all sorts of products to the awesome DH community. Which lead to our accessible travel business Accomable, that went on to be acquired by Airbnb. We also got invited round the world to review travel destinations and to speak at conferences.

My highlight being in Brussels for a European Commission summit. Although ironically the public bus wasn’t wheelchair accessible!

Eventually I realised that the content creation, community building, and highlighting disability issues wasn’t going to get the job done. I feel like many governments, businesses and even some disability charities have been all talk without real action. So I switched things up again!

As you know, I now run Purple Goat. We’re the world’s only influencer first disabilty marketing agency. And we’re kicking ass!

I can’t deny. To get big brands to actually act on including disabled people. You know, with real budget investment and proper action. Well it took some learning and some tenacity. But we’re doing it, and I’m so proud of what we’ve created and what we’re doing at Purple Goat.

As I look to the next year of Purple Goat, and the next decade on my mission for true inclusion, I’m feeling frustrated excitement. I’m frustrated that things like lack of building access, bad customer service, exclusive recruitment policy and general societal barriers still exist in 2021. However I’m excited that what I’ve witnessed in the past 12 months or so, scaled up and over multiple years, is going to be a seismic improvement on how disabled people get treated and are included in day to day life!

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not about me or Purple Goat. It’s about a world waking up to the injustice of excluding any person unfairly, and a world finally ready to make change. Change to the environment. Change to racism. Change to disablism. Change to all the social wrongs in the world.