MOBILITY PROSTHETICS - MARCH SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

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Mobility Prosthetics is the newest prosthetics company in Utah and their highest priority is to take care of those who must deal with amputation during their lifetime. Mobility Prosthetics wants to help them get back to living the life that they want to live as soon as possible. They firmly believe that building prosthetic limbs is about people, not profits which is why they use advanced digital scanning, computer-aided design and 3D printing in order to make the process quicker, more convenient and more comfortable for the people who are dealing with so much already.  They also offer in-home patient care.  When they first came to us for their loan we were blown away by what they wanted to do for the community and knew we just had to sit down with owner Brian Greer to learn more. 
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UMLF: Tell us about the team behind Mobility Prosthetics and your backgrounds?
Brian: I was raised in Utah and moved to California in 2001.  There I met a 4 year old girl who was born with no arms and no legs.  I met her prosthetist, who was able to make her prosthetic arms and a custom wheelchair, and I was hooked.  I began working as a Technician and learning from him all about the profession.  Since that time, I have accepted positions in various companies across the country, always watching for the right opportunity to return to Utah.  In 2016, the time was right and I moved back home, bringing with me the knowledge and experience that I gained over the last 15 years.  Digital scanning, computer-aided design and 3D printing have become the foundation of my approach to patient care and in 2018 I teamed up with Ty Oswald and, together, we began Mobility Prosthetics.  When I am not building prosthetics or tinkering with the 3D printer, you can usually find me playing basketball or hide-and-seek with my five kids, or going on a walk with my lovely wife, Lindsay, who has stuck beside me over 13 years and many, many moves. I met Ty in 2018 and we both felt like we could create a great partnership.  We each bring unique strengths to the organization and together, we have great synergy.
 
Ty Oswald is also from Utah.  Growing up he loved to play sports and be active in the outdoors.  He was introduced to the world of prosthetics at 18 years old, when he was diagnosed with a form of cancer that required him to make the difficult decision to amputate his right leg, just below the hip.  He has over 30 years of experience in the field and he possesses a unique ability to connect with patients because of his firsthand knowledge of what they are experiencing.  Patients love to learn from him and feel that he really listens to their wants and needs.  When he is not working with patients you can find him playing with his dog or spending time with his daughter, who is in high school.  He also still loves to spend time in the outdoors.
 
UMLF: What made you want to start Mobility Prosthetics? What inspired you?
 Brian: Ty and I both have a passion for helping people.  We have both been working in the prosthetics industry for a long time and we have seen a lot of companies that, although well-intentioned, sometimes lose sight of what is most important.  In the hectic day-to-day dealings it is easy to get distracted by profits, difficult situations and critical choices.  Over the years, we have developed a strong belief that a prosthetics company can and should be focused on people, not profits.  In 2018, we felt that if we wanted the freedom to focus on people, we would probably need to start our own practice, and Mobility Prosthetics was born. 
 
UMLF: How have prosthetics changed over the years? Tell us about the technology you use?
Brian: Technology is changing so rapidly and the prosthetics industry is falling behind.  While many prosthetics companies are still using the same techniques and equipment that was used 50 years ago, we are the first prosthetists in Utah to use advanced digital scanning, computer-aided design and 3D printing in order to design and build prosthetic limbs.  This enables us to offer free in-home patient care, which is also very unique to this area.  Not only are we able to use this technology today but we are teaming up with engineers to improve and develop the technology that will continue to advance this industry in the future.  Computerized knees, hydraulic ankles, vacuum suspension, may sound futuristic, but they are all common place at Mobility Prosthetics. 
 
UMLF:  Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it?
Brian: One of the greatest challenges that we have faced has been understanding the rules and regulations regarding starting and running a prosthetics company.  Navigating this complex world has tested our patience, our determination and our confidence in ourselves and each other.  As partners, we have leaned on each other for strength and support.  We push each other to be better and we work hard together in order to tackle each and every challenge.  With the right amount of focus and a lot of help from many people outside of our organization, we are succeeding every day and we feel very optimistic about the future.

UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped you and your business?
 Brian: Without Utah Microloan Fund, we would not be in business today.  They believed in us when almost no one else did.  Because our business is new and somewhat untested, we faced many closed doors, unanswered calls and emails.  UMLF was honest and straightforward with us.  They were helpful and reassuring throughout the process.  While other groups took weeks to communicate with us, UMLF didn’t let a day go by without calling or emailing us.  We always knew what the next step in the process was and we were very grateful for the guidance that we received from everyone in that office.  Seeing that they believed in us and wanted us to succeed increased our confidence in ourselves and that shines through in our business. 
 
 We want to extend a big thank you to Mobility Prosthetics and congratulate them on being our March Small Business of the Month!

To stay in touch with Mobility Prosthetics: 

• www.mobilityprosthetics.com 
• Facebook 
• Yelp

Or visit them at:

• 480 E Winchester Street Ste 275
• Murray, UT 84107