What YAI SEEING BEYOND DISABILITIES does

Beyond Disabilities is a Renton, Washington-based nonprofit advocacy and speaking organization founded in November 2011 by Steve Ferreira, an individual born in Taipei, adopted through Christian Salvation Services, and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at three months old. The organization delivers motivational speaking engagements across two structured presentations — "Living a Disabled Life" (60–120 minutes covering disability lived experience, goal-setting, motivation, and leadership) and "Eradicating Bullying" (covering bullying typology, root causes, and prevention strategies) — booked through a website inquiry form at educational institutions, conferences, municipalities, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, and community organizations. A portion of each speaking fee is paid to presenters; the remainder funds disability awareness programs and anti-bullying initiatives. Beyond Disabilities has completed over 1,000 engagements since Ferreira began speaking at age 15 in 2004, with verified appearances including Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Olympic College, Lindberg High School, UC Santa Barbara, and Dong Hwa University in Taiwan.

The organization operates two additional revenue and engagement streams: a branded apparel and merchandise e-commerce shop (hoodies, t-shirts, tank tops, joggers, leggings, jackets, water bottles, mugs, drawstring bags, laptop sleeves, duffel bags, and mouse pads priced from $20 to $115) and PayPal-based donations supporting disability awareness programming and two planned scholarship programs — the Beyond Disabilities Educational Scholarship for students with disabilities and the Beyond Disabilities Athletic Scholarship for athletes with disabilities. In 2022, Ferreira obtained a Certification for Accessible Studies from Central Washington University, enabling a third service line: ADA consulting for municipalities and companies. The organization maintains no proprietary technology platform; its distribution is entirely direct, with no physical retail or third-party resellers. Marketing relies on Steve Ferreira's personal brand across TikTok (@noexcusessteve), YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, supplemented by earned media (King 5 Evening Magazine, Asian Voices Season 4, TEDx Laguna Blanca, Common Good Church Podcast, 20 Minutes Talks with Ben) and 10+ years of board service with the Arc of King County and Arc of Washington State.

Financially, Beyond Disabilities is a private nonprofit with no disclosed revenue, no funding rounds, no institutional investors, and no parent company. The organization is led by Ferreira as Executive Director and founder, with no disclosed management team beyond him. Operating geographies are primarily the United States, with a documented international speaking appearance in Taiwan in 2012. The business model is best characterized as a founder-driven personal brand monetized through speaking fees, merchandise sales, and charitable donations, with an emerging but unquantified ADA consulting practice.

Name

YAI SEEING BEYOND DISABILITIES

Legal name

Beyond Disabilities

Website

https://beyond-disabilities.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Beyond Disabilities is a Renton, Washington nonprofit founded in 2011 by Steve Ferreira that delivers motivational speaking engagements on disability awareness and anti-bullying to schools, conferences, and municipalities, supported by branded merchandise sales and charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Motivational Speaking Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability awareness speaking
• Motivational speaking services
• Anti-bullying workshops
• Accessibility consulting services
• Disability advocacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Speaking Engagement Fees: Beyond Disabilities generates revenue through fees charged for motivational speaking presentations at colleges, high schools, conferences, and municipalities. A portion of each speaking fee is paid to presenters; the remainder funds disability awareness programs and anti-bullying initiatives.
2. Apparel and Merchandise Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, tank tops, joggers, leggings, jackets, beanies, hats), accessories (water bottles, mugs, drawstring bags, laptop sleeves, duffel bags), and desk items (mouse pads). All products feature Beyond Disabilities branding.
3. Donations: Beyond Disabilities accepts charitable donations via PayPal to support disability awareness promotion, anti-bullying efforts, and two planned scholarship programs: the Beyond Disabilities Educational Scholarship (for students with disabilities) and the Beyond Disabilities Athletic Scholarship (for athletes with disabilities).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Beyond Disabilities is a nonprofit organization that delivers motivational speaking engagements ("Living a Disabled Life" and "Eradicating Bullying" presentations, 60–120 minutes each) at schools, colleges, conferences, and municipalities, anchored by the lived experience of founder Steve Ferreira. The organization also operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop selling branded apparel and accessories, and funds its mission through PayPal donations supporting disability awareness, anti-bullying initiatives, and two planned scholarships (Educational Scholarship and Athletic Scholarship for students/athletes with disabilities).

Product overview

Beyond Disabilities is a nonprofit organization offering two core service offerings: (1) Motivational speaking engagements featuring two distinct presentations - 'Living a Disabled Life' and 'Eradicating Bullying', available for speaking engagements at colleges, high schools, conferences, and municipalities; and (2) branded merchandise/apparel including items such as Beyond Disabilities Round Mouse Pad, Beyond Disabilities Gaming Mouse Pad, Beyond Disabilities Stainless Steel Water Bottle with a Straw Lid, Beyond Disabilities Sports Water Bottle, Beyond Disabilities Duffel Bag, BD Embroidered Champion Packable Jacket, BD Laptop Sleeve, hoodies, t-shirts, tank tops, joggers, athletic shorts, leggings, and headwear. The organization also manages scholarship programs for students and athletes with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Speaking Engagement – Living a Disabled Life Motivational presentation (60–120 minutes) addressing what it feels like to be disabled, accomplishing goals at one's own pace, how disabilities affect lives, and motivation and leadership; covers Steve Ferreira's trauma at birth leading to cerebral palsy, life experiences through college, and Team USA athletic achievements. Booked by colleges, high schools, conferences, and municipalities via the website.
• Speaking Engagement – Eradicating Bullying Anti-bullying presentation (60–120 minutes) covering different types of bullying, why people bully, and strategies for eradicating bullying; developed in collaboration with Chitalu and focused on the three components of bullying plus practical prevention strategies. Booked by schools, conferences, and community organizations via the website.
• Beyond Disabilities Branded Apparel and Merchandise Direct-to-consumer online store selling Beyond Disabilities-branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies $29–$65, t-shirts and tank tops $29–$30, joggers and leggings $40–$45, athletic shorts, jackets $65), accessories (stainless steel water bottles $50, sports water bottles, drawstring bags $25, laptop sleeves $45, duffel bags $115, beanie/hat items $25, mugs $25), and desk items (round mouse pad $20, gaming mouse pad). All products feature Beyond Disabilities branding and ship to individual consumers.
• ADA Accessibility Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ speaking engagements delivered since age 15, including international presentations in Taiwan in 2012
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational and minor.

• The Arc of King CountycoreOthers · 1 January 2013Steve Ferreira was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Arc of King County in 2013. The Arc, founded in 1936, is the oldest nonprofit serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Greater Puget Sound area. Steve served as Board Member, Keynote Speaker, and Emcee at the Arc Legacy Luncheon. After 10 years of service, he transitioned to the Board of Trustees for the Arc of Washington State.
• Christian Salvation ServicesfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The organization that sponsored Steve Ferreira's adoption from Taiwan. In 2012, Steve was invited to speak internationally at his birth country, Taiwan, and presented at a Charity Dinner for Christian Salvation Services.
• Challenge DayfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Steve's motivation to begin speaking at age 15 originated from attending a Challenge Day program at his high school. Challenge Day's vision is that every child should live in a world where they feel safe, loved, and celebrated. This three-step program (wake up, create vision, act/be the change) inspired Steve to begin his advocacy.
• UC Santa Barbara (Mechanical Engineering Capstone)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve collaborated with a team of mechanical engineering undergraduate students at UC Santa Barbara on their capstone project to develop an accessible functional trainer for people in wheelchairs. The goal is to allow athletes with disabilities to work out alongside their peers, and ultimately have accessible equipment in all gyms.
• Lindberg High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve assisted students at Lindberg High School in Renton, WA in building an accessible rowing machine, demonstrating practical applications of disability-inclusive design.
• King 5 TelevisionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKing 5 Evening Magazine (hosted by Jim Dever) and King 5 News (Amanda Pendleton) have produced multiple segments on Steve Ferreira's work and athletic achievements, providing media visibility and credibility for Beyond Disabilities.
• Asian VoicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsian Voices is a cultural and educational cable TV show featuring Asian and Pacific Islanders. Steve Ferreira was featured on Season 4, Episode 7 for his advocacy for the disabled community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation: Major disability-advocacy nonprofit built around a founder's lived experience with paralysis. Comparable to Beyond Disabilities in that it pairs advocacy and awareness with a charismatic founder story, though at materially larger scale.
• KultureCity: Nonprofit driving sensory accessibility and inclusion across sports, entertainment, and education. Comparable to Beyond Disabilities as a modern, mission-driven disability nonprofit combining advocacy, accessibility consulting, and brand-led awareness — though KultureCity operates at meaningfully larger scale.
• Born Just Right: Small nonprofit built by a parent of a child with a limb difference, combining advocacy with adaptive-design and storytelling. Directly comparable to Beyond Disabilities as a small, founder-led disability advocacy nonprofit that pairs lived-experience storytelling with awareness programming.

Broad incumbents

• Disability Rights Advocates (DRA): National disability rights legal center. Relevant peer for Beyond Disabilities' ADA consulting offering, since both operate at the intersection of disability advocacy and accessibility/ADA compliance, though DRA is litigation-focused.
• Special Olympics: Global nonprofit using sport to drive inclusion and awareness for people with intellectual disabilities. Directly relevant because Beyond Disabilities' founder is a Paralympic-track athlete with Team USA medals, and Special Olympics occupies the adjacent adaptive-sports and disability-awareness category.
• The Arc of the United States: The largest national disability advocacy organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable to Beyond Disabilities because Steve Ferreira has held governance roles in its state-level affiliates (Arc of King County, Arc of Washington) and operates in the same awareness, inclusion, and accessibility-advocacy space.
• National Organization on Disability (NOD): National nonprofit driving disability inclusion in workplaces and communities. Comparable to Beyond Disabilities on the advocacy and D&I-awareness side, particularly as Beyond Disabilities expands into ADA consulting for municipalities and companies.
• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD): National disability rights and advocacy organization. Overlaps with Beyond Disabilities on disability-rights advocacy and policy-facing work, though AAPD is a federated, member-driven policy organization rather than a speaker-led platform.
• Easterseals: Long-standing national nonprofit providing disability services, advocacy, and accessibility programs. Relevant peer for Beyond Disabilities' ADA consulting and disability-awareness work, though Easterseals operates at far greater scale and a broader services portfolio.

Emerging players

• Becca Meyers: Paralympic swimmer turned disability-rights advocate and public speaker. Comparable to Beyond Disabilities as a Paralympic-profile disability speaker, though Becca operates as an individual advocacy brand rather than a structured nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBfqR7xHk7k9gqDZPghZ8mA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yai-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/beyonddisabilitiesapparel
• TikToktiktok.com/@noexcusessteve?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YAI SEEING BEYOND DISABILITIES