Overcoming dyslexia, a horseback fall, and 2 tornados that left her penniless…Inventor Deborah Chester, self-made millionaire, author, and motivational speaker is our Guest on Episode 98 of the Invention Stories Podcast.
Deborah Chester is the inventor, founder, and CEO of RimPro-Tec, the award-winning wheel protection system with over 100 patents and trademarks worldwide, available in over 70 countries.
Born in Nottingham, England, young Deborah Chester struggled with academics, due to undiagnosed dyslexia . Her learning challenges were often misinterpreted as daydreaming (she was nicknamed “the dreamer”) and, frustrated, she left school at age 15 and started her first business, a series of clothing parties.
In August 2003, after a near-fatal horseback riding accident that nearly took her life, Deborah decided to make a change. She and her husband packed up all their belongings and moved halfway around the world to a small town on New Zealand’s North Island.
2007
In 2007, Deborah had a hype-realistic dream that warned her of a series of tornados that would ravage her family’s seaside home three weeks later, effectively saving her life. The storms left the Chester family with nothing but each other, destroying all of their material possessions and forcing them to move in with friends.
This became a turning point in Deborah’s personal journey. She learned that she could survive absolutely anything, and that no setback was too dire as long as she had her family. She began to pay closer attention to her dreams and watch for the signs the universe was sending. Her husband Chris would have a similarly realistic dream where is saw Debrorah curb their cars wheels (even though they didn’t own a car at the time) in what would become the inspiration for the Rim-Pro Tec
17-hour workdays
Deborah pushed through a decade of 17-hour workdays, intensive research, and a patent process so complicated and discouraging. In the face of staggering loss, personal and professional betrayal, and a patent process so grueling and discouraging that many a lesser man would have given up, she persevered. Through it all, her unwavering faith and inner wisdom were the key factors that guided her as she grew her idea into a worldwide brand.
Today…
Deborah is a self-made millionaire, author, and motivational speaker, but she has never forgotten the shock of finding herself broke and homeless at the age of 33. She and her family take regular trips to Fiji, helping the local residents there with medical expenses and basic living essentials. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband Chris, where they working to set up a foundation to support parents and children cope with trauma.
Deborah’s three adult children have inherited her uncompromising work ethic and entrepreneurial drive, each building their own ventures while working in the family businesses (which makes it easy to spend quality time together). She is thrilled to be able to share her story and hopes it will inspire women around the world to trust in themselves and follow their dreams.
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