Team Peri Step Out of Line

Modern-day matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom doesn’t only see things in black and white, but rather, she appreciates the differences and unique circumstances of every one of her clients. You must’ve seen her in Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking, and if you’re like us, binge-watched the entire series. Stepping out of line was no easy feat for Aleeza, as it was an uphill climb through uncharted territory in her personal life. Aleeza shared how she had to be strong in her convictions in her pursuit of becoming a more observant Jew.

Sometimes stepping out of line takes 20 years to come to fruition. Don Schoendorfer is the author of Miracle Wheels and holds a Ph.D. in the biomedical engineering field. Haunted by an image he saw on vacation in Morocco of a woman crawling on the ground, Schoendorfer was encouraged to take a leap of faith and launch his own nonprofit organization, the Free Wheelchair Mission. His intention was to design an affordable wheelchair out of parts purchased at Home Depot and Toys “R” Us. Schoendorfer’s prototype’s success left him no choice but to pursue his humanitarian efforts by starting a nonprofit.  The need for wheelchairs in Third World countries is too great to be ignored, and Schoendorfer knew he had to get his hands dirty and get physically into the mix by creating wheelchairs that could be put together and given away to those in need with the help of missionaries and NGOs. 

Find the disconnect. Change the narrative. Invite everyone to the party. Professional makeup artist, Terri Bryant, experienced a shift in her agility to complete the necessary tasks of her job in a timely matter. Jumping ahead to five years later, Bryant received an official diagnosis to her increasing symptoms - Parkinson’s disease. Now that she concretely knew where the disconnect was in her craft as a makeup artist and why medically it was occurring, she was determined to fabricate a solution. By using gadgets from her husband’s toolbox, she created makeup adaptations that made it easier for her to use the tools of her trade. Historically an educator, Bryant quickly came to the realization that many others like herself were not ‘invited to play in the space’ and would benefit from these changes to the industry, regardless of their individual abilities.Universal design is what Guide Beauty Cosmetics strives to achieve in their product line and mission. Along with celebrity spokesperson and Chief Creative Officer, Selma Blair, founder Terri Bryant is changing the way in which the industry creates solutions to aid those with varying abilities in accessing beauty. ‘Beauty for all’ is a concept that Bryant and Blair are committed to introduce to the market. Bryant noted that engineering adaptations should “not be the first stop on the train” and instead, companies need to find way to inclusively develop answers to make products accessible to the masses.  

The 24/7 Cupcake ATM, anyone?!Team Peri is starting off this year’s 2023 Women’s History Month with the brainchild and co-founder of Sprinkles, Candace Nelson. Candace is a self-described serial entrepreneur, author of the Wall Street Journal’s bestselling book, “Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn Your Passion into Profit,” an Angel Investor, mentor, and a mother to two boys among other things. You might recognize her from her days on Cupcake Wars and her Netflix series, Sugar Rush, where she enjoyed being the talent as well as behind the camera. Today, you will find Candace with her business partner/husband developing Pizzana as she continues on the unconventional path of a successful entrepreneur. The events of 9/11 and the slowing down of the economic 90s dot-com boom, was the impetus for Candace to step out of line to follow her passion and become a pastry chef. As Candace stated about her mindset at that point in time, she realized that everything in life was fleeting and that she wanted to shift gears and do something that brought her joy and “injected more meaning into the world even if that was a small piece of cake”. This dream led her to create her own opportunities and gave her clarity to hone in on her ideas and when to pursue them. Only the ideas of which she is truly passionate about are the one’s that she follows through with. 

Brace yourselves…we’ve got the rabbi and boy, does she know how to “Step Out of Line.” The woman behind it all, Alex Borstein, unbeknownst to her, was the impetus behind our podcast and the Step Out of Line movement which has inspired our Team Peri community. As a tribute to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor and her mother, Alex dedicated her 2019 Emmy award in an acceptance speech ending in the mantra, “Step Out of Line Ladies!”. Her words were a call to action that has resonated with anyone who has ever felt like they did not fit in, much like Peri. ‘Tits Up’ everyone because this podcast is one to remember as we discuss everything from the meaning behind Susie Myerson’s keys to Alex’s on point analysis of Bridgerton. Thank You and Goodnight!

Step Out of Line and be inspired by Team Peri's "Step Out of Line" podcast, a weekly show that provides a safe space for reflection, personal stories and experiences that motivate you to keep moving forward. Sit down with the dynamic daughter and mother duo and meet special guests who have made a positive impact on the world. 

Walking the runway is not a piece of cake for somebody with a disability, yet Mindy Scheier has made it her life’s mission to make sure that children and adults with physical disabilities can have the same opportunities as anyone else. Bringing fashion into the forefront with accessible design seemed like a natural fit for Mindy, as she has made a career in the fashion industry. Her son, Oliver inspired her to ‘Step Out of Line’ and be the catalyst to introducing the fashion industry to the marginalized demographic group of individuals who do not fit the traditional mold.Tommy Hilfiger was one of the first global brand’s to embrace Mindy’s idea and address this niche market. Through Mindy’s advocacy’s and Tommy Hilfiger’s example, slowly but surely, the fashion industry is following suit. Mindy’s nonprofit organization, Runway of Dreams showcases designers with adaptable products worn by models with physical disabilities. Oftentimes, the notion of beauty and disability is not aligned. Mindy has normalized and brought this concept to the fashion industry so that products can be created these individuals in mind. 

Having only recently in the past few years been officially diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Kaylee Bays decided that it was time for her to dance again. Her second time dancing in a wheelchair was Jax's flashmob for the empowering single, “Victoria’s Secret”. Once a professional dancer, Kaylee knew that dance was something that she needed to integrate back into her life. However, as one can imagine, nothing in life is geared toward a person who has a physical disability, and sometimes, you have to Step Out of Line to make that change for yourself, and for others who come after you.