Beyond the Barrier: How Maxwell Ivey Turned Blindness Into Purpose, Entrepreneurship & Advocacy

What happens when the world isn't built for you, and instead of waiting for it to change, you teach yourself how to build it differently?Maxwell Ivey, known around the world as The Blind Blogger, lost his sight at age 12 due to retinitis pigmentosa. Rather than let it define the limits of his life, he taught himself HTML to build an online business brokering used carnival and amusement park rides, back when accessibility online was nearly nonexistent. Since then, he's become a life goals coach, published author of four books, host of the podcast The Accessibility Advantage, and the accessibility advisor to PodMatch.In this episode, Maxwell takes us back to the moment his world changed at 12 years old, and how other people's assumptions about him often became a bigger barrier than blindness itself. He shares how growing up in the carnival world shaped his relationship with risk and opportunity, what it was like building an online business with tools that weren't designed for him, and why he eventually embraced the name "The Blind Blogger" instead of resisting it. He also breaks down what most people misunderstand about accessibility, practical fixes small business owners can make today, and whether AI represents an opportunity or a new risk for the disability community.WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:- Losing his sight at 12 and rethinking his entire future- Growing up around carnival rides and how it shaped his view of risk- Teaching himself HTML to build an inaccessible internet around him- Becoming "The Blind Blogger" and normalizing disability online- What accessibility actually means, and common mistakes businesses make- AI, technology, and the future of accessibility- Interdependence, self-determination, and determined positivity as life toolsCONNECT WITH MAXWELL IVEY:Website: theaccessibilityadvantage.comPodcast: The Accessibility AdvantageFacebook, Twitter/X, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram & LinkedIn: linked on his profile