Trauma Recovery Center - A Quarter Blue

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Martha Wade, Founder of A Quarter Blue, located in Orange, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

A Quarter Blue is a voice in the silence. Silence endangers children and adults alike. AQB is determined to break the silence surrounding crime and suicide. AQB offers a safe and creative environment for crime survivors and surviving family members of suicide. A Quarter Blue offers a holistic approach to healing those affected by trauma, including mental health services, support for family members, community-based outreach and clinical case management, coordination with social service agencies, and multidisciplinary clinician support. In addition, AQB offers training on trauma-informed care and crime prevention.

Mission AQB's Four R's:

Reach crime survivors & their family members in need of therapeutic services
Restore & transform people & families
Refuel people ministering to victims of crime
Reduce violent & domestic crime

Tell us about yourself

I have repeatedly faced hardship, disappointment, and loss throughout my life. However, I choose to conquer each with perseverance and hope. I believe there can be purpose in the pain and struggle. I endured childhood molestation for at least six years and began the healing process after my perpetrator's actions became public. I am determined to dedicate my life to crime prevention and trauma recovery for crime survivors. My expertise in the psyche of crime victims, pedophiles, and secondary victims started with a dissection of my own life. I founded A Quarter Blue in 2003. A Quarter Blue grew into a non-profit that has two distinct sides of its work crime prevention and trauma recovery. I would love our training to put us out of our need for a trauma recovery center. However, I do not want anyone to feel alone in their pain and confusion.

On January 15, 2021, my son, Ryder Wade, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. He was 18 years old. Our family joined together to honor Ryder's life and legacy and established the Ryder Wade Foundation and Ryder Wade Memorial Fund at Concordia University, Irvine. Ryder said, "I love positively impacting people's lives." They have utilized his drawings and writings to create products that fund A Quarter Blue and student-athletes at Concordia, where he was a water polo student-athlete. Ryder was academically pursuing psychology and business to take over his mom's work at AQB. In addition, I am working on a book about raising Ryder and facing grief with the community who loved Ryder. This is another motivation to persevere and make a positive impact despite the trauma.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am thankful that my childhood trauma and my investment in therapy can have a favorable impact beyond myself. I am grateful I can look at AQB's clients and say, "I'm one of you. You are not alone."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Having sufficient funds to keep the business growth is one of the major challenges in running a business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Network and collaborate to accomplish your goals.
Trust your gut when making decisions, don't compromise.
Balance your personal life with your professional one.

You cannot please everyone. Have a team of people you can run your questions by; sometimes, your ways may need to shift.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://aquarterblue.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquarterblue/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aqbrecovery/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3bRpcre

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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