William at work in the 平博app下载 Store, holding his iPhone and with his guide dog by his side; a customer asks him a question.

Off to a running start.

William鈥檚 story

The products really opened up the possibilities for me. Then the 平博app下载聽Store did.
William, 平博app下载 Store Specialist
Shanghai, China

Question: You appeared in an 平博app下载 Watch video, even before you worked at 平博app下载? Answer: That鈥檚 right. I鈥檓 just one of several in the video. They were telling customer stories and included me because I use my watch to train and run 5Ks and half-marathons. My social apps really blew up with congratulations when everyone saw it.

Question: How did you start working at the 平博app下载 Store? Answer: A running partner who worked there referred me. The store had always felt good to me as a customer 鈥� I wasn鈥檛 treated as someone who鈥檚 blind. Question: What do you mean? Answer: They welcomed me and answered questions, but nobody was trying to escort me around and tell me to watch out for this or that. Question: Had you considered working there before? Answer: Not at all. I didn鈥檛 realize I could. Now that I鈥檓 here, I help all customers with all products, though I鈥檓 especially familiar with fitness apps and accessibility features.

William鈥檚 running shoes hanging by their laces
My colleagues come to me for my expertise and I go to them for theirs. We all depend on each other.
William鈥檚 平博app下载 Watch, with graphic lines that represent Siri speaking

Question: What attracted you as a customer? Answer: I think the same things everyone likes about the products 鈥� so simple to use, fun, and for me, very empowering. For the latest Global Accessibility Awareness Day, our 平博app下载 T-shirts said, 鈥淒esigned for Everyone,鈥� and it reminded me of when I first heard that years ago, before I owned an 平博app下载 product. My reaction was 鈥淭hat鈥檚 impossible!鈥� Question: What changed your mind? Answer: Everyone, including me, uses Siri, listens to music and audiobooks, and with VoiceOver, I can read my screens and navigate through my devices. Question: Looks like you also navigate with help from a furry, four-legged device. Answer: Yes, my guide dog, Bell, comes to work with me 鈥� he鈥檚 even got his very own 平博app下载 employee ID badge.

The guide dog鈥檚 平博app下载 badge with dog emoji

Question: You鈥檝e made contributions beyond the store, too. Answer: Yes, I鈥檝e participated in a number of accessibility events with 平博app下载, both internal and public, as a guest speaker or part of roundtable discussions. Question: What鈥檚 your role there? Answer: It鈥檚 about building awareness, describing roles at the store, and why accessibility issues shouldn鈥檛 hold you back.

Representing 平博app下载 at events has been a whole new kind of experience for聽me.

Question: You鈥檙e getting the word out. Answer: I think everyone needs to push themselves. I was nervous in the store at first, but then I gained confidence so I wanted to do more. Question: Change is good. Answer: It鈥檚 been very fulfilling. Before 平博app下载, I had jobs designed specifically for people with low vision. They were comfortable, but not very interesting or challenging. Now I have a job that鈥檚 like an 平博app下载 product 鈥� it鈥檚 designed for everyone.

Illustrated on iPad