A resilient entrepreneur shares his journey from Coffeyville to Wichita, overcoming homelessness, disability, and personal hardship to create innovative products for children with disabilities and their families.
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Influential Woman · Digital Marketing
Debra Kay Axon
Sales Associate, JT Digital 360
Wichita, KS 67214
9Years experience
1Article published
Her Story
About Debra Kay
Debra is an inventor, entrepreneur, sales professional, and nonprofit founder whose work reflects a strong commitment to innovation and community service. Based in Wichita, Kansas, she has built a diverse career that combines business development, digital marketing, and advocacy for underserved populations. A graduate of Pittsburg State University with a degree in Biochemistry, Debra has applied her creativity and determination to solving real-world problems while helping businesses grow through marketing and sales initiatives.
Among her most notable accomplishments is the creation of Kid Coaster, an ADA-compliant shopping cart seat designed to improve safety and accessibility for children in retail environments. Available in multiple sizes for toddlers, children, and larger youth, the product was developed with the goal of reducing injuries that occur in stores each year. In addition to her work as an inventor, Debra serves as a Sales Associate with K&G Digital 360, where she helps connect businesses with digital marketing solutions such as video advertising, social media management, email marketing, and lead generation strategies designed to drive growth and customer engagement.
Debra’s passion for helping others extends well beyond her professional pursuits. She founded the Wichita Homeless Mission, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, and has personally contributed significant resources to sustain its efforts. Over the years, she has opened her home to multiple homeless individuals and has devoted herself to providing care and support to those in need. Known for her compassion, perseverance, and entrepreneurial spirit, Debra continues to advocate for both child safety and homelessness initiatives while pursuing opportunities to expand the impact of her inventions and community-focused projects.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Debra Kay
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a lifetime of serving others through a variety of caregiving roles, which taught me the importance of compassion, resilience, and responsibility. These experiences have strengthened my ability to understand people's needs, solve problems effectively, and remain committed to making a positive difference in the lives of those I serve.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to help others without expecting anything in return. I believe that when you consistently support and uplift people, those efforts create meaningful relationships and opportunities over time, and even if only a small portion is returned, making a positive impact is always worthwhile.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to pursue your passion with confidence and give your best effort in everything you do. There may be challenges, criticism, or people who doubt your abilities, but stay focused on your goals, believe in yourself, and continue moving forward with determination and integrity.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I face right now is securing the funding needed to expand the impact of my work. Access to investment and financial support would allow me to further develop child safety solutions through Kid Coaster and strengthen my efforts to assist individuals experiencing homelessness in the Wichita community.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are compassion, service, and perseverance. For nearly nine years, I have been a caregiver for a roommate with special needs while also supporting a digital marketing business, and I remain committed to projects that make a meaningful difference, including the development of Kid Coaster, an ADA-compliant shopping cart seat designed to improve safety and accessibility for children.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Debra Kay
Delivery Driver Journey to Inventor & Entrepreneur, while Helping Special Needs Roommate & Homeless in Wichita KS
From Overcoming Adversity to Innovating Solutions for Children with Disabilities
From Small-Town Coffeyville to Big-City Wichita: My Journey of Resilience and Innovation
I may not be famous in the traditional sense, but in my hometown of Coffeyville and here in Wichita, many people know my story—and this is why.
I used to drive for Uber in Coffeyville, Kansas, and I also owned a small taxi service called Cheap Rides. About nine years ago, I took one of my clients, Donita, out to celebrate her birthday. When we returned, she had been kicked out of her senior housing.
Around that time, I had received a job offer in Wichita, so we decided to move there together and rent an apartment. Unfortunately, the job fell through. I transferred my Uber account to Wichita, but on Christmas Eve, Uber stopped paying me, leaving me without an income.
Thankfully, I had a backup plan.
One day, while I was driving for Lyft and taking a passenger to the airport, my roommate's seizure-alert service dog, Precious, began barking frantically at home. Our apartment complex called me, and I rushed back to find my roommate on the living room floor experiencing a diabetic emergency with seizures. I immediately called 911.
After that experience, I could no longer continue driving for Lyft.
One day my roommate wanted KFC, so I picked up the Wednesday special for us. While I was there, I met a woman who delivered for Grubhub. That conversation changed everything.
I signed up to drive for Grubhub and delivered for the next three years. Thanks to that work, we were able to buy and completely pay off an affordable home together.
Life, however, continued to present challenges.
When my roommate experienced another severe diabetic episode, she temporarily lost her vision after receiving a Gvoke injection. From that point on, I became her primary caregiver, handling nearly all of her personal care and daily needs.
Because of those responsibilities, I switched to DoorDash and worked only a few hours each day.
Then another setback hit.
Someone stole the electrical service from our property, leaving us without utilities except for water. Eventually, we had to sell our home and move into a rental.
Refusing to Quit
Later, I broke my right ankle.
Instead of giving up, I learned to drive using a left-foot accelerator. I continued making deliveries while using a wheelchair and later a walker. I was determined not to let my injury stop me from providing for us.
Giving Back
As we became more involved in the Wichita community, we started purchasing supplies through the Temu app and distributing them to people experiencing homelessness downtown.
Eventually, I founded Wichita Homeless Mission Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Although we've never received donations, we continue helping whenever we can.
A New Chapter
I haven't done delivery driving in over a year now. Caring for my roommate full-time has become overwhelming, and my only source of income is SSI because I became permanently disabled after being run over on July 8, 2005.
Still, I refuse to stop looking for ways to make a difference.
Recently, I discovered the Dough.do platform, which gave me the opportunity to begin creating products designed to help children with disabilities and the families who care for them.
I quickly learned that launching another business is far more expensive than I imagined, but I haven't given up.
Creating Solutions That Matter
For years, I've been thinking about products that would make life easier for parents, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities.
Some of the products I've developed include:
- Kid-Coaster — ADA-compliant shopping cart seats designed to help keep children with disabilities safe and comfortable while shopping.
- Fortress Dreams — Bedroom tents designed to help children with autism reduce sensory overload and create a calming personal space.
- Additional sensory-support products, including my Pozest and Scrubwell product lines.
My second daughter is autistic, so many of these inventions were inspired by our family's own experiences and created to support children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum.
Looking for an Angel Investor
Today, I'm searching for an angel investor who believes in these products and wants to help bring them to families who need them.
Unfortunately, I don't qualify for a traditional business loan.
If you're interested in partnering with me—or if you know someone who might be—I would love to connect.
Please also share Kid-Coaster with retailers in your community. If you know families raising children or teenagers with autism or other special needs, I'd appreciate you telling them about my sensory-support products as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Your support means the world to me, my roommate, and the families I hope to serve.
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