Julie Ament Gran on Leading GrandPad's Mission to Reduce Senior Social Isolation

🎙️ From Retail Leadership to Reducing Senior Isolation: Julie Ament Gran's Journey at GrandPadIn this inspiring episode, Julie Ament Gran, Chief Operating Officer at GrandPad, shares her remarkable journey from 25+ years in retail leadership at Macy's and LifeTouch to joining a 2014-founded startup creating simple, secure tablets for older adults. Through candid stories about a COVID call requesting 265 devices in seven days that launched their B2B business (now 55% of revenue), their oldest user Hester at 116 connecting with her daughter in her 90s, a dementia patient making his first self-initiated call in 10 years, and losing her husband Mike to lung cancer at 47 while he insisted she find love again, Julie reveals how GrandPad's trusted walled garden protects seniors from scams, why their world-class service team remotes into devices to help 110-year-olds marvel at video conversations, and how choosing perspective over bitterness transformed both her personal grief and approach to workplace challenges.✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:Retail operational framework applied to senior technology without rigid corporate processesNo timed customer service calls: listening to older adults and feeding insights to product designCOVID pivot launched B2B explosion: 265 devices in seven days for California partnerCustom Acer tablet with automatic updates and trusted walled garden protection from scamsWorld-class service through patient remote support helping older adults engage with technologyOldest user Hester at 116 connecting with daughter in her 90s through GrandPadDementia breakthrough: colleague's mom made first self-initiated call in 10 years before passingB2B Enterprise now 55% of business serving dual eligible Medicare/Medicaid chronic condition patientsIntegrated health monitoring with Bluetooth scales and blood pressure devices for remote carePerspective during husband's hospice: "99.5% of world would want to be you" transformed grief approach🌟 Julie's Key Mentors & Influences:Dave Jaqua (Previous COO, Retired)Parents in Farming CommunityEight Smart Curious GrandPad IntervieweesMike (First Husband)Close Coworker with SIDS/Alcoholism JournMomLifeTouch Boss During CrisisGrand Advisors GroupChris (Second Husband)Colleague's Mom with Advanced Dementia👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about retail frameworks applied to senior technology, how COVID call for 265 devices in seven days launched entire B2B division, why 116-year-old Hester and 110-year-old woman prove technology has no age limits, and how losing husband to lung cancer at 47 taught choosing perspective over bitterness transforms both personal grief and workplace leadership.🔗 Connect with Julie Ament Gran:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-ament-gran-4822687GrandPad Website: https://www.grandpad.net/📄 Transcript Available: Julie Ament Gran on Leading GrandPad's Mission to Reduce Senior Social Isolation📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com