Building a Legacy of Accessibility, One Grip at a Time
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Kerry Mellin
Founder & CEO, Mellin Works LLC
As the founder of Mellin Works LLC and the designer of EaZyHold, my work grew out of a simple intention: to make daily life easier and more dignified for people of all ages and abilities. It started as a very personal mission to help myself and family members who suffered with painful grip issues, but evolved into a movement centered on including everyone...that everyone deserves the ability to participate fully in life, independently.
For me, leading with purpose means paying attention to the places where need exists and stepping in with compassion, creativity, and perseverance. When I designed the first EaZyHold adaptive grip, it wasn’t because I set out to transform an industry; it was because I couldn’t stop thinking about the huge gap I found. That high tech was leapfrogging over simple design, leaving people with no simple, accessible options.
The legacy I hope to leave isn’t about products alone; it’s about reshaping the conversation around accessibility needs, demonstrating that small, thoughtful innovations can ripple outward and change lives worldwide.
Legacy, to me as a forward-thinking woman, is not a static monument, but it’s a living practice. It’s built through my company's daily choices to uplift and support others, and to insist that empathy is not just my form of leadership but our company's mission.
My legacy is tied to the people who use our grips to feed themselves for the first time, to paint again after an injury, to hold a toothbrush, a toy, or a tool with confidence. Those moments of regained independence are carried forward through families, caregivers, classrooms, and communities. That is the lasting impact I hope to leave.
Our footprint includes how we lead behind the scenes, mentoring other women inventors, caregivers, and small-business owners who want to create solutions but aren’t sure where to start. I’ve committed myself to sharing what I learned (sometimes the hard way): how to prototype, to patent, to persevere through rejection. How to build partnerships with nonprofits and global organizations, and to advocate for inclusion in every space we enter, making other women’s paths feel more possible.
I am constantly inspired by the women who came before me, my mother, my sisters, and the carers in my life who taught me that compassion is a form of strength. Many of the parents, therapists, and teachers who reached out during our early days also became mentors in their own right. They shared their stories, their challenges, and their dreams for the people they support, helping guide the evolution of EaZyHold’s design and mission. Their courage shaped my own.
I lead with intention because they showed me what intentional care looks like. And now, I hope to reflect that same purpose into the world, not only through products, but through education, community collaborations, donations, and advocacy.
We’ve created initiatives to supply adaptive grips to underserved communities and to expand inclusion in global humanitarian efforts. These programs ensure that the work outlives any single moment or individual and help establish the culture of compassion and innovation that I want Mellin Works to stand for long after I’m gone.
Ultimately, my legacy is grounded in the belief that accessibility is not an afterthought but a human right. If EaZyHold can continue to reach new communities, while sparking conversations that encourage empathy and inclusion for infants to the elderly with disabilities, then I will know that I’ve left something meaningful behind.
Connect With Kerry
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