Jean Bugbee
The Bugbee Company

An Alameda resident, Jean Bugbee is one of the Women’s Initiative graduates who received an Alameda technical grant. The grant allowed her to buy a new computer for her business.

Although Jean is a recent Women’s Initiative graduate, the journey to start her own business began nearly 30 years ago when Jean adopted her daughter Renee. Renee is severely and multiply disabled. When Jean began volunteering and working part time in her daughter’s classroom, she noticed that many of the disabled children had the same issues with drooling that Renee faced. “Drooling not only irritates the skin, it’s also a huge social barrier,” Jean said.

Jean saw a family using pretty, padded bandanas for their little girl. Jean soon started making the padded bandanas for Renee and for other children. People were always saying to Jean “You should sell this stuff!” but by then she was a full-time special education specialist with little time to start a business.

With 40 years of sewing experience, Jean began improving on the bandana concept. First came the T-topper, a bib made from a T-shirt which maintains the look of a shirt, and the ‘Easy-on-jacket’ for people with disabilities which require them to use a harness to sit upright in their wheelchairs. This jacket is a regular jacket in the front, but the back is cut out to fit easily over the rigging.

When Jean was laid-off in 2009 she decided the time was right follow the advice and “sell this stuff!” In doing some research at the Employment Development Department, she was directed to Women’s Initiative and immediately signed up for the class. “The program helped me develop greater confidence, and a greater belief in my product and competence to be a successful entrepreneur,” Jean says. “Women, especially older women, need that confidence boost because we were not raised to see ourselves as competent, independent business women.” Jean also says that the practical skills to run a successful business she learned in the class were invaluable.

Jean graduated from the Simple Steps program on June 10, 2010 and is now well on her way to opening “The Bugbee Company, helping extraordinary people live ordinary, dignified lives”.

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