FiNiFOX asks questions
In conversation with Thomas Finke from finchtec GmbHabout humanity, precision and the development of aids that really change children's everyday lives.
"In the best case scenario, an
aid becomes an
invisible supporter - it
it provides support without constricting."
1. who are you?
Please introduce yourself briefly: Who are you - beyond your title and function?
My name is Thomas Finke. I am the Managing Director of finchtec GmbH and specialize in the distribution, import and development of children's aids, with a particular focus on promoting and supporting children. I entered the world of children's aids in 1998 through an internship at Convaid Inc. Torrance in Los Angeles, which developed and manufactured customized children's aids.
I studied business administration and also wrote my thesis on products in this field. The internship at Convaid turned into a long collaboration. From 1998 to 2017, I built up and established the company in Germany. Besides work, I have a wonderful family. Spending time with them and enjoying nature and exercise fulfills me. I also value my long-standing friendships, including with colleagues and business partners at home and abroad.
Was there a moment or a person that had a particular impact on you?
Yes, the people behind the Convaid company have had a particular impact on me: their motivation, their ambition and their vision. Convaid was founded in Torrance, California, and was a family-run business from the beginning, built around the founding couple Rachel and Merv Watkins. Rachel brought her experience in occupational therapy, Merv his in mechanical engineering; together they saw a need in the 1970s for push wheelchairs for children with disabilities, which did not yet exist in this form. The family did everything they could to make aids suitable for everyday use and more family- and user-oriented. They also attached great importance to getting rid of the "clinical look" of the aids and thus making them practical and more socially acceptable.
2. your path & your motivation
Why do you do what you do?
I am particularly motivated by the moment when a child is given new opportunities thanks to an aid. When a child can stand more stably, walk more freely or sit more relaxed, you can often see a change immediately. The child starts to shine. You can feel that and it gives me great pleasure.
For me, moments like that are more than just a professional success. They show that an aid is not just a technical product, but can open up new ways for a child to move and be active. Being able to experience this makes my work fulfilling for me.
What values guide you in your work?
Learning, teaching, development. Staying true to yourself and only doing the things you stand for. Loyalty. Trust. Determination.
I work long-term and in partnership. Relationships don't develop overnight. And neither do good solutions.
3. behind the scenes of development
How do you develop a new aid - from the initial idea to the finished product?
Through intensive communication with parents, therapists, medical supply stores and partners. They all provide feedback. This experience provides impetus for further developments. A good product grows with the children's everyday life.
What do you attach particular importance to during development and production?
Accuracy and quality. An aid should support movement and not dominate it. In the best case scenario, it becomes an invisible supporter. It provides support without constricting and enables activity.
Is there anything that would surprise parents if they could see how your products are made?
That a lot of things are made by hand.
Manufacture means: people working for people. Precision is manual work, especially when it comes to individual solutions. Many hundreds of steps are needed to produce a customized aid. I think parents would be surprised at how much time and dedication goes into every single piece.
What is particularly sensitive or challenging about aids for children?
Time is a crucial factor. Children grow, develop and often change their motor skills faster than you think. An aid must therefore be adapted in such a way that it sensibly accompanies this development.
And ultimately, acceptance also plays an important role. An assistive device will only become part of everyday life if it can be used by the child and the family as a matter of course.
4 Your team & your philosophy
What makes your team special?
What makes our team special is above all our many years of working together. Many of us have been working together for over twenty years in some cases. You don't find this continuity in many companies.
This long time together has created a strong sense of trust, which is our basis for working together innovatively and creatively. This close teamwork helps us to always make decisions with a view to what really helps children and their families in their everyday lives.
5. personal view
Do you have a favorite tool from your product world? Why this one in particular?
The Motilo Original and Cleo.
Both are smooth-running, individually adjustable and support the child exactly where support is needed. No more and no less.
Do you remember a family or a child for whom this aid has made a difference?
A mother had been looking for a suitable solution for a long time and discovered an aid on a trip that convinced her. She wanted to use this aid for her child.
With the support of a therapist and in collaboration with a medical supply store, she organized the fitting. It was through this medical supply store that I finally came into contact with the product.
This product was actually the Motilo.
Is there an aid that you would like to develop because it is still missing or could be even better?
There are a few ideas.
We are constantly working with partners on improvements and new solutions. Good products are created step by step.
When you think about the families who use your products: What do you wish them?
That they make courageous decisions and give honest feedback.
We can only improve products if we get feedback. In the end, it's always about finding solutions together that really make everyday life easier.
Personally, I hope that our products give you added value and the benefit of quality of life.
Thank you very much, dear Thomas,
for your honest insights
into your work, your values
and your passion for tools
that make a real difference to children's everyday lives.
🧡