These days, Eric is driven by a passion to make traveling easier and more accessible for people with disabilities. After graduating in 2006 from Henry Viscardi School, his educational journey continued at Briarcliffe College. There he earned his bachelor’s degree in business management in 2011 and has put it to good use.
Following the entrepreneurial spirit of Viscardi’s founder, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., Eric is determined to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. When he was ten, his family acquired an accessible van which allowed him the freedom to travel. Over the years, he has heard how difficult accessible transportation is for his peers and it fueled his commitment to help solve the problem.
In 2023, his dream became a reality when this savvy businessman started a company called TRIPPR and began providing individuals with disabilities wheelchair accessible transportation. He credits IdeaSpark, a partnership between The Viscardi Center and Iona University’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, for helping propel his company forward. The IdeaSpark program is designed to assist entrepreneurs with disabilities, like Eric, start and expand their own businesses. Eric won first place in the 2024 IdeaSpark Pitchfest and received an equity-free cash grant along with mentoring and lots of business guidance. Within its first year, TRIPPR expanded its fleet of vans and developed partnerships with other organizations. In addition to meeting the accessible transport needs of the disability community, TRIPPR offers the elderly population transportation to medical appointments.
Eric praises HVS for shaping some of the most important, formative years of his life and instilling self-confidence, which has played a significant part in the success he has as an entrepreneur today. His advice for all, “Don’t get discouraged. If you stay disciplined and work at what you’re trying to achieve EVERY DAY, you can’t fail.”