Inspiring Conversations with Lingam James of Special Pedals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lingam James.

Hi Lingam, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
In 2015, while completing her senior year at UNCW, Leah Sherill founded Special Pedals with help from the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to help reduce the employment gap that plagued the community she served. With help from John Pesackis, a local investor and Navy veteran who had faith that the organization could succeed with the right push, From that moment on, Leah & John worked to make a name for the organization by hosting weekly repair events at local breweries with a legion of volunteers that grew as word spread. 

The next step was acquiring a retail/learning space where participants could interact more frequently with the community. A building was found and leased on the north side of downtown Wilmington, but like the bikes we rebuild the building was in severe need of rehab. To heighten awareness of our cause, a mural was commissioned and completed by a local artist named Lingam James. Along with a small crew of dedicated volunteers. During the mural revel event, several donors and volunteers were added to our rosters, and we began rehabbing the building until the pandemic stopped all progress. 

Time passed slowly as the organization went dormant for the first six months of the pandemic until supply chain issues were resolved and renovations started up again. Fast forward to October of 2022, we opened our doors with a soft opening as we still continued to structure the space and adjust our mode of operation from a pop-up business to a brick-and-mortar storefront. 

Since our official opening in December of 2022, we have made strides to bring on new volunteers & participants in both our bike program as well as our art program, where we use upcycled bike parts to create sustainable art. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When building anything new, there will always be unforeseen obstacles, but we did not choose this path because it was easy. We’ve definitely had our challenges as we’ve worked to build up our organization. As I mentioned, the pandemic slowed down a lot of our progress in converting from a mobile business to a stationary business and also lead to the loss of many of our seasoned volunteers whose lives were also in flux due to the changes in our society. Like most non-profits who depend on volunteer labor we have struggled to find qualified volunteers that are able to commit an extended amount of time to our organization. We have been blessed over the years to have an also array of people who have gotten us this far, and for that, we will be forever grateful. 

We’ve been impressed with Special Pedals, INC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Special Pedals Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit bike shop working towards an inclusive community where adults with disabilities are employed at jobs that offer equitable hours, pay, and quality of life. 

We provide individualized training and employment opportunities for adults with neurodiversity in a variety of fields. Our team of volunteer mentors have a diverse background of experience in Special Education, Marketing, Art, and Bicycle Mechanics. Each volunteer mentor works to teach our participants new skills to help them be more successful in the workforce. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Opening a non-profit bike shop with a little bike or retail experience was a definite risk, but with the right team, anything is possible. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://specialpedalsinc.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialpedalsinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialpedalsinc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/special-pedals-inc