A young woman with Down Syndrome and autism has inspired others with disabilities after creating her own sock business.
Sophie Maddrell, an 18-year-old ‘adrenaline junkie’ from Fremantle, Western Australia, launched a micro-business with the help of her loving family selling patterned socks.
The business, aptly named ‘Sophie’s Sox’, helps to fund Sophie’s action-packed lifestyle and gives the sock entrepreneur a touch more pocket money than the average teenager.
Sophie Maddrell (pictured) started her own sock-selling business with the help of her family
The business, aptly named ‘ Sophie’s Sox ‘, helps to fund Sophie’s action-packed lifestyle and gives the sock entrepreneur a touch more pocket money than the average teenager
‘We gathered Sophie’s family members and friends who know Sophie and we all brainstormed: “What would be a good life for Sophie?”‘ her mother Geraldine told FEMAIL.
‘We thought that Sophie would not be able to manage even supported mainstream employment so I suggested she has her own small business and could be involved as able.’
Geraldine says operating her own business has opened her daughter up to many wonderful opportunities that may have been otherwise out-of-reach, and makes just enough profits for Sophie to chase her thrilling hobbies.
Sophie has even started making her own line of socks which she has hand-dyed herself.
‘The main things that I think have been stand outs for me is that Sophie is now “known” in her local community of Fremantle. She belongs!’ Geraldine said proudly.
‘Sophie loves to paint so we use her paintings for wrapping and thank you notes. She sticks the notes to the paintings, puts stickers on them and staples them to the socks.’
Geraldine says operating her own business has opened her daughter up to many wonderful opportunities that may have been otherwise out-of-reach (Pictured on a jetski)
‘Sophie loves to paint so we use her paintings for wrapping and thank you notes. She sticks the notes to the paintings, puts stickers on them and staples them to the socks,’ Geraldine said
Amazingly, Sophie has even started making her own line of socks which she has hand-dyed herself
Sophie is now dyeing her own range of socks and does this herself with support. She then delivers the socks in the local area with her support worker.’
The young business-owner developed a taste for adrenaline early on in her life, and her mother says earning money through selling the socks has helped her to fund her action-packed hobbies.
‘She loves jet skis, motorbikes, 4WD crazy driving. We would love to take her to Ningaloo and go snorkelling as she loves swimming and fish,’ Geraldine added.
Sophie also gives 10 per cent of her profits in warm bamboo work socks to the St Pat’s homeless shelter in Fremantle.
The task of running a micro-business has allowed Sophie to prove her disabilities in no way impede her ability to have an amazing life.
Sophie also gives 10 per cent of her profits in warm bamboo work socks to the St Pat’s homeless shelter in Fremantle
The task of running a micro-business has allowed Sophie to prove her disabilities in no way impede her ability to have an amazing life
Sophie is starting to hand-dye a range of her own personal socks and may need to hire extra help as her business grows
Growing up with four other siblings, Geraldine said her daughter has always been determined to keep up with her family’s fast-paced lifestyle – including living and volunteering in the Philippines for a year and six months.
‘Sophie is the youngest of five children and we were determined that she would be just that – one of five,’ she added.
‘Hence, we continued to travel and do everything that we would have done anyway. She was no more or no less than anyone else, just a bit different and many say our family is a bit that way anyway.’
As business picks up and Sophie’s hand-dyed socks grow in popularity, her family is now eyeing the possibility of employing another person with disabilities to help her.
‘If Sophie has difficulty meeting the demand then we would employ someone else to help her. While making her business profitable, we don’t want it to be all consuming,’ Geraldine added.
‘A good and balanced life is what we all want, so we will be mindful of this for Sophie too.’
Growing up with four other siblings, Geraldine says her daughter has always been determined to keep up with her family’s fast-paced lifestyle – including living and volunteering in the Philippines for a year and six months