ABOUT US
My name is Armandi Marshall. My partner Kashief Edwards and I have worked in the behavioral health/healthcare industry for the past eight years, holding various titles from entry level to upper-management roles. During that time, we discovered a significant need for inclusiveness for individuals with intellectual needs. Our dedication and commitment to this industry remain vital to this present day. Our mission is to build an all-inclusive sensory center for individuals with intellectual and disability needs. We want to give parents and behavioral health organizations a haven to take their children and members.
COMPANY OVERVIEW
SENSORY WORLD is one of the first full-service sensory focused indoor activity centers in the
city of Philadelphia. Additionally, the Company is putting a focus on working with local
therapists and will be offering room rentals for therapists that will not only provide
additional revenue but deepen the Company’s ties to the local ASD community. At launch,
SENSORY WORLD will be focused on drop-in guests as well as therapy room rentals with the
goal of expanding services to additional add-on revenue streams including birthday parties,
events, merchandise, and food shortly after opening. Given the asset-light and high repeat
purchase rate business model that SENSORY WORLD is building, the Company will be
looking to expand aggressively throughout the United States to reduce the threat of new
entrants.
Competition Landscape
The child activity industry exhibits high fragmentation and a low market share
concentration. There are hundreds of activity centers, playgrounds, museums, and other
similar locations throughout the broader Philadelphia area. Despite the abundance of
indirect competitors, there are only two direct competitors in the Philadelphia area offering
similar sensory-based activities and no one offering therapy space at the same location.
Since the industry medium barriers to entry encourage new operators to enter the
industry, they further contribute to the industry low concentration. In addition, while each
state is responsible for the establishment and enforcement of regulations, those regulators
are not cumbersome and therefore interstate expansion is an attractive growth avenue.
Moreover, the required staff-to-child ratio is scalable and does not limit the ability of
industry operators to expand. This is expected to continue over the five years to 2025 and
concentration is expected to remain low to moderate as more operators expand beyond
state lines.
The Company will operate in Philadelphia PA. The site is still to be determined based on, area demographics, nearby transportation and proximity to nearby highways to ease travel in/out of facility. Sensory World will be fully stocked with the following equipment, all of which were selected to be sensory friendly:
- Tunnels & Slides
- Foam & Ball Pits
- Climbing Equipment
- Trampolines
- Wall Games such as Peg Walls or Connect Four
- Rocking Chairs
- Scribble Wall
- Ball Court
- Light Room
- Music Station
- Live Interactive Floor
There will also be many other smaller activities, games, and toys that SENSORY WORLD will
keep rotating through. Given the Company is going to be offering play and event services,
there will be a focus on safety. SENSORY WORLD will outfit the facility with padded walls,
soft flooring, all outlets will be covered, there will be adult-only entry/exit locks, and all
choking hazards will be removed. All guests will be asked to sign a waiver, there will be
frequent cleaning of the facility, a security system with cameras will be installed, and the
staff will be constantly monitoring all guests to ensure safe play.
The Impact on the industry
Within the ASD treatment industry, ABA and other therapies are the most used
interventions. As confirmed by recent research, early intervention is critical to improving
learning, communication, and social skills for children with ASD. Many children affected by
autism also benefit from other interventions such as speech and occupational therapy.
Additionally, autism is not just related to learning but can impact the entire body. Between
30 to 61% of children with ASD suffer from ADHD as well and more than half have a chronic
sleep disorder. Children with autism are nearly eight times more likely to suffer from one or
more chronic gastrointestinal disorders than are other children. These problems means that
on average autism costs an estimated $60,000 per year through childhood with the bulk of
the costs in special services and lost wages related to increased demands on one or both
parents. Costs increase with the occurrence of intellectual disability. All these factors are
driving up industry demand and when coupled with the other factors outlined below, the
rising demand for ASD services including those provided by SENSORY WORLD is growing
rapidly.
Occupational Therapy During the current period, demand for rehabilitate OT services has grown, particularly because of an aging population and the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. In addition, OT is a popular treatment strategy used during the rehabilitative process
following a serious injury or major surgery.
Greater need for OT services has coincided with increased accessibility to services due to several provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and an increase in the number of states with legislation that mandates coverage for autism treatments. Furthermore, growth in both the number of people with health insurance coverage and per capita disposable income has ultimately enabled more people to seek OT services.
Mental health therapy benefits can also help with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, obsessions, eating disorders, and more. Therapy can teach you how to deal with divorce, manage grief, or build healthy relationships.
Therapy can help you process many common, yet difficult things in life, including:
- Wanting to better yourself or your life
- Managing your anxiety or depression
- Feeling like you’re overwhelmed
- Dealing with a serious life change or transition
- Navigating relationship issues
- Getting through a crisis
- Learning how to deal with aggressive people
- Learning how to manage anger issues
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Working through difficult or stressful family dynamics
- Overcoming or managing substance abuse and addiction
- Learning how to deal with difficult or toxic people
- Drinking too much or doing drugs
- Eating disorders
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Closing Statement
SENSORY WORLD is not only a goal but an absolute necessity for individuals with intellectual and disability needs. Proceeds will go to equipment/furniture, sensory toys, educational books, and the build-out of our interactive entertainment space.
Website: https://Www.Sensoryworldnow.com
Ig: Sensoryworldnow
Fb: Sensoryworld
