Focus on Freedom helps individuals with disabilities, families grow to full potential

When a friend told Marla Kopecky of Oshkosh that she had a gift for working with children who had autism, it led to a change in direction. Although she had graduated from St. Norbert College in De Pere with a sociology major and business minor, she found herself on a completely different path.

“I took a job working with challenging, non-verbal and autistic students and discovered that I really enjoyed it," she said. "I was on a path to become a senior therapist when the funding for that program stopped and I had to change plans. That’s when I considered going back to school for special education.”

The led to a master’s degree in special education, and in 2007, Kopecky took a job in the Oshkosh School District working in that field.

“At the time when I was trained, I was trained to work one on one with students,” she said. “I revamped the program into group instruction and targeting skills where students could learn from each other.”

The school was a STEM school for brain development and she dedicated herself to doing research and attending training seminars that focused on how the brain functions. For 16 years, Kopecky taught in a number of positions within that system. On a part-time basis, she did therapy.

In 2019, encouraged by a client she worked with for about a decade, she decided to start Focus on Freedom ( focusonfreedom.org ).

She said, “Through connections that I established in my career, I decided to leave the safety and security of my job and venture out on my own. I am grateful for my husband, Randy, and his support in giving me the courage to leave.”

Her vision had been years in the making. As a home therapist, she recalls walking into a brand-new client’s house. The client, a 3-year-old, was playing in a sandbox and Kopecky sat down with the mother to observe and share developmental progressions that could be expected. The mom kept asking questions and finally said, “Do you think my son will be able to do any of those things that you’re describing?”

Kopecky responded in the positive and the mom looked up with tears in her eyes and said that it was the first time that she felt hope.

“I also teared up,” Kopecky said. “As a parent watching your child, you have all of these expectations and then a doctor tells you not to expect those changes. Fundamentally, as a teacher and business owner, I believe in wrap-around care where we can support and change the lives of families. It is so impactful.”

Wrap around care is defined as care that supports both the client and the caregivers. As reflected in the business name, Focus on Freedom, her goal is to make families feel empowered, and in the process, move from surviving to thriving.

The business is also thriving. As Kopecky celebrates five years of growth, she gives much of the credit to the E-seed Entrepreneurship Training offered at the Venture Center at Fox Valley Technical College. According to Amy Pietsch, program director, more than 2,500 people have taken the course since its launch. Kopecky is one of about 650 who have launched, expanded or grown businesses after taking the program.

She said, “I had taken different business and coaching classes, but those were virtual. I learn better with people. When I found out about E-seed, I thought that’s what I need. I am great at providing visuals and problem solving, but starting a business is different. It hasn’t been a mistake-free journey, and E-seed created awareness to things I didn’t know about.”

Despite a late start in attending E-seed, she said it is helping her to know when and how to scale.

“I can’t say enough about the course,” she said. “Any person who is starting a business should take the course. I feel like I have support from everyone. Whenever I have a question, I’ll ask Amy and she’ll help me or assign someone else. The support is always there.”

Taking the course has helped her to hone in on a business model and develop a better profit structure. She now has a business plan that helps drive decisions. Changes are being made.

In 2019, the business started as an LLC with one client and three employees. With the advice of an attorney and accountant and due to state regulations, Focus on Freedom was transitioned to being an S-Corp. That makes it easier to obtain contracts with social service agencies in surrounding counties.

Once a contract is signed, the business is put on an approved list. Services are then state-funded as a qualifying Children’s Long-Term Support (CLST) program participant. Then, a business joins a list of practitioners that clients can select from. To gain awareness, Kopecky has a marketing consultant and utilizes social media.

That has helped in establishing her brand. Currently, there is a waiting list of 12 people who need services in her field of expertise — children ages 8 and older all the way to adults with disabilities. Her challenge now is to find qualitied trainers (employees who go into homes to work with the families) who will provide the exceptional service she is known for.

“I need to have employees who are the right fit and can go into a home and provide one-on-one service,” Kopecky said. “We customize every program to focus on the individual and their goals and abilities. Our team members need to have skills in education, health care, and disabilities services.”

She works with individuals with disabilities and supports a variety of intellectual and physical disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and spinal cord injuries. In each case, the goal is to bridge the gap between educational and support services and the client’s home life.

That support includes teaching daily skills such as hygiene, routine building, self-care, homemaking and leisure skills, financial management, shopping, safety, and more. When a client is still on the waiting list, Kopecky has developed an 18-week seminar for caregivers that can be taken in the interim.

She said, “Our seminars are a great fit for anyone who provides consistent care to individuals with disabilities. You will receive worksheets with the weekly content and resources to help you develop a plan you can begin using immediately.”

The seminars are part of a business model that continues to evolve based on the needs of her target market. As that develops, she believes it is working.

“I would say that I am successful,” she said. “Everyone has a vision and figuring out the pieces and parts is part of the process. I have watched my clients grow; I have watched families grow. I come in alongside people and we work as a team. That’s success to me.”

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Focus on Freedom helps individuals with disabilities, families grow to full potential