We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole (Nikki) Stokes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole (Nikki) below.

Nicole (Nikki), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

I believe the most innovative thing I have done was using my life experiences with my son to create a product to help other families and design a sensory room in our home. This room saved our lives. The pandemic isolated us from help and community. Many autistic children especially during puberty engage in self injurious and aggressive behaviors. These behaviors can lead to dangerous and some times deadly interactions with law enforcement. Those experiences also prepared me to work for an organization that supports families, trains law enforcement and ems workers.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

“I never planned to become a business owner. Crocheting and knitting served as art therapy for me as a caregiver. Soon I realized that creating was a healing tool for me and helped finance my son’s medical needs. HGE Designs Co was created.”

I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. HGE Designs Co was created by a need for financial support to cover respite care, swim lessons and therapy for a family raising a child with autism. The company creates crochet and knitwear. Collections include hats, scarves, dresses, sweaters and artwork. During the pandemic the line was extended to include sensory products to assist families with managing behaviors at home. We used various fibers and added a weighted element to traditional scarves and blankets. The apparel is used as a calming tool and the style offers functional fashion. We are currently still finalizing the sensory products and seeking feedback from families. Autistic children often engage in self injurious behaviors that can create dangerous or life threatening situations in the community. Calming tools teach and give them the opportunity to self regulate.

Have you ever had to pivot?

During Covid, my son lost all of his therapist and behavioral therapy. We were trying our best to manage his sensory processing issues, aggressive and self injurious behaviors. I soon realize the knitwear we had been making for years also served as tactile sensory tools. I built him a sensory room inside our apartment. I immediately thought about all of his classmates and children in the community that needed the same resources. I began thinking about how to package this healing for our community. The Puzzling Disorder Project was created.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients has been our community. As a resource center coordinator, I meet parents from all over Maryland that are trying to create a world of possibilities for their loved ones. Not only do we create knitwear and crochet apparel for the most fashion forward consumer, we also have products to help offer tactile support for sensory needs. With ourPuzzling Disorder Project, we are aiming to hire caregivers to make products in their own home.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hgedesigns.com
• Instagram: @hge_designs
• Facebook: HGE Designs