8 OF OUR FAVORITE NEUROSPARKLY-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES
As a small business of (and for) neurosparkly humans, we love finding and supporting other businesses that operate with the neurodivergent brain in mind. Since holiday shopping is riiiight around the corner, we thought now might be a good time to share some of our very favorite businesses that offer tools that work *with* our minds instead of against them.
CONQUERing
Up first is one of our favorite companies ever. Neurodivergent friendly or otherwise. CONQUERing was founded in 2020 and offers a gigantic variety of stunning, highly functional fidget jewelry. Founder and CEO (and overall incredible human) Tammy Nelson made it her mission to help empower people, and that's exactly what she's doing. With a heavy focus on inclusivity, they offer jewelry for literally everyone. Marginalized groups, humans with different abilities, pals who struggle with mental health, have anxiety, or who have trouble focusing.
Annnnd… they work closely with other small businesses and artists on incredible collaborations…
Which brings me to some pretty exciting news. Those collaborations?? WE DID ONE. And friends, it is so, so good. We can't wait to introduce the brand new Neurosparkly Collection later this week with a preorder for our email subscribers (ahem… you might want to make sure you're signed up for our email list so you don't miss out!)
"I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD + Autism until my mid 30's and finding CONQUERing was an absolute lightbulb moment for me as both a small business owner and as a human who loves fashion and design. Something that is designed to be both beautiful and functional and isn't for kids and is made of quality, stunning materials!? THAT WORKS WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND ARTISTS?! SAY LESS. I knew CONQUERing was my people." - Britney Brown, Imperfect Inspiration
We truly can't wait for you to get your hands on these. (Pssst… Brainfetti subscribers will actually be getting a little something-something from this new collection in your October box. Be excited, besties.)
Speks
Quite literally the best magnetic fidgets on the planet. Hands down. They come in a huge variety of options, from teeny tiny magnets to some pretty substantial balls. (Yes, I realize how that sounds.) They're fun, original, high quality, encourage creativity, and look pretty damn cute sitting on your desk, not gonna lie. And squishing the tiny ones in your hand like putty? Holy cow. SO satisfying.
Relay
Running a small business is not without challenges. (Like… so many challenges. Some might say too many challenges, really… THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH CHALLENGES THANK YOU VERY MUCH.) For a lot of neurodivergent brains, managing finances can be extra tricky. That's where Relay comes in. It shows you your cash flow, so you can better understand what you're earning, spending, and saving. You can consolidate payments, automate transfers, and so much more, simplifying your businesses finances and helping you feel more in control.
Fun and Function
Founded by a parent and occupational therapist, Fun and Function is one of our favorite resources for sensory tools, toys, clothing, seating, classroom tools and so much more. They celebrate and empower those with different abilities, and work closely with the therapy community and other parents to continuously improve and find inspiration for new products.
Crazy Aarons Thinking Putty
Sensory putty that's not slimy??? Take my money. (Seriously, with more than 150 different varieties of putty, they could literally take all my money.) Their mission is to use their innovate products to inspire curiosity and wonder. And it's a freaking phenomenal fidget. It's silent (unless you make little air bubbles to pop, which I HIGHLY recommend because it's crazy satisfying), excellent quality, and a great sensory experience that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Bouncybands were created in 2014 by a school counselor as a way to help students move while still staying in their seats. (Because expecting children to sit still and stay focused for hours at a time is honestly just kind of silly. Even for the ones who don't struggle with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or a myriad of other challenges.) This company designs products that use movement to stimulate the brain and boost mental performance, and they're a godsend for high energy kids that have trouble sitting still. They stimulate the whole brain and enable active learning, improve focus, enhance creativity, and improve memory by engaging more senses. Pretty sweet, right?
Sometimes you know (or highly suspect) you need meds but the idea of making a phone call to set up an appointment and then having to PHYSICALLY go to said appointment feels like more than you can handle. Instead of putting that shit off indefinitely, try Nurx. You can request medications, and a team of medical professionals will review your evaluation and determine if that prescription is right for you. If so, they'll fill it and have it delivered to your door fast and free in discreet packaging. They'll even process refills automatically, so there's one less thing for you to worry about. They don't currently offer ADHD meds, but you can find a variety of other meds for everything from mental health issues to birth control, hair and skin problems, migraines, and even STI screening all from the comfort and privacy of your home. (This one maybe doesn't fall under the "holiday shopping" category we mentioned earlier, but they do treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, and that's ALSO right around the corner. So… still appropriate when discussing the holidays.)
Stuck in another meeting that could've been an email? Uhg. For the love. For neurodivergent people, meetings can be actual torture. Jot down notes and chance missing something? Don't take notes so you can listen then realize you retained nothing? It's a lose lose. Fathom fixes this problem by recording, transcribing, highlighting, and summarizing your meeting for you so you can just listen and participate. (Or at least try your best.) It syncs with any video conferencing platform, and supports 28 different languages. It even saves important clips that you can go back and watch later. I mean… THIS is the shit AI was designed for.
Remember friends - there are so many resources and tools out there that work with our brains to make life easier, and small businesses are leading the charge on a lot of it. Let's support those businesses so they can keep making epic shit that encourages creativity and empowerment.
