Evan is on a mission to tackle gender dysphoria in the UK with his new business, Warstone Prosthetics, selling gender-affirming packers and prosthetics for transgender men and transmasculine people.
He joined a Hatch Launchpad programme to get some clarity on the direction of the business, and now plans to use his personal experiences and expertise to develop an education and advocacy arm alongside the developing a new product.
“It’s about more than just selling a product. It’s about helping people feel confident in their daily lives.”
Solving a Problem
Personal experience inspired Evan to start Warstone Prosthetics. He noticed that there were limited options in the UK, and buying from abroad came with a whole host of barriers including long wait times, high shipping costs, and surprise fees, making it difficult or even impossible for some people to access the gender-affirming products they needed.
As a first step towards removing these barriers for customers Evan began bulk-buying products from abroad to make them available within the UK. This soon demonstrated the demand within the community, and led Evan to look into designing and manufacturing a new product for UK customers.
“I found this process quite daunting and overwhelming. I actually studied business at university but didn’t learn much about this side of things, and I didn’t have any contacts to ask.”
Hatch research last year found that people who identified as LGBTQ+ faced more barriers to entrepreneurship, including a lack of access to entrepreneurial networks.
Finding Support Through Hatch
It was through looking for support at this phase that Evan found Hatch, and joined the Ares Launchpad programme that was tailored to Disabled and neurodivergent people launching and growing their own enterprises.
“I was unsure of the direction to take the business in, and wasn’t sure if I was doing things right, I mainly lacked the confidence in myself that I needed. I hoped the Ares Launchpad with Hatch would help me, especially the networking and mentoring – and it did!”
Evan found his confidence over the course of the programme, discovering that he had a knack for public speaking and that he could feel comfortable attending networking events, despite self-professed shyness which had always been a barrier before.
“The programme was very accessible to me as an Autistic person that can struggle socially.
“It was a very low pressure environment. I also felt more comfortable talking about personal and LGBT+ topics, because I already knew it was a supportive group that was understanding and respectful of each other in general.
“I felt confident knowing it was a supportive space. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone has shown me I’m more capable than I gave myself credit for.”
The programme inspired him to centre his personal journey in the business, and use his platform to spread awareness and educational content.
The Entrepreneur Experience
Evan started Warstone Prosthetics in order to solve a problem he had identified in his community, and through the process of launching and growing the business discovered that being an entrepreneur was a lifestyle that really suited him and his preferred ways of working.
“I’m excited to be an entrepreneur so I can solve problems and use my own personal story to help the trans community. I have the freedom to make my own decisions and be creative.
“I think being an entrepreneur is very rewarding. It makes you feel proud of yourself knowing you’ve started something to make a change, no matter how big or small. Even when fear slows me down, I still started, and I’m still here moving forward. That’s what matters. That’s what I’m proud of.”
Related Posts:
Pippa Whitehall: The Yorkshire Mum Building a Better World for Neurodivergent Families
Pippa is working to improve the quality of life for neurodivergent children and their families through her business NeuroKin.
Disability, Art, and the Natural World: Charlie’s Business Journey
Charlie’s art business is the culmination of her lifelong love of photography and a response to becoming disabled several years ago.
Katie Cory: ‘My work does have value, there’s worth in what I do’
Katie Cory is the founder of Peb and Reg, a positivity-led stationery brand seeking to spread joy through its illustrated lifestyle gifts.
