Yvette Glass, is a co-owner and managing director of Evac+Chair® South Africa, a company that manufactures evacuation chairs to help people with mobility impairments, thus making them vulnerable to evacuate safely through stairs in an emergency. Yvette became an entrepreneur at the inspiring age of 50 years old, acquiring the Evac+Chair® company a few months just before the pandemic hit alongside her partner and husband Gavin Glass who has a mobility impairment (is partially paralysed).

Born in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, she was raised by entrepreneurial parents who were determined in everything that they set out to do. She later moved to Johannesburg and studied BCom Financial Accounting with UNISA. Yvette has extensive experience in the financial and tax fields that she gained through working in auditing and accounting practices as well as investment banking.

Being well-versed in the running of the manufacturing business and always willing to learn something new has led to the progressive success and growth of Evac+Chair® South Africa. One of the main goals of manufacturing the Evac+Chair® was to encourage all multi-storeyed buildings to have such equipment on hand to ensure safe evacuation of people with mobility impairments such as her spouse. This has been her area of passion and she continues to speak widely about the importance of creating a society that caters to people with disabilities, particularly when it comes to safety or in case of an emergency. Yvette emphasises that this is close to her heart because of Gavin, if he were to get stuck in a building on fire, he wouldn’t be able to run through the stairs to evacuate from the building without assistance, but the Evac+Chair® can make all the difference.

Aside from being a businesswoman, Yvette loves to read and spending time at home. In her own words she has this to say;

I am a determined, hardworking, and outgoing person who enjoys interacting with people and building relationships. Having gone into business I would like to ensure the continuity of our unique product and that it may be placed in all multi-storied buildings both residential and commercial.”

Yvette’s story is a reminder that it is never too late to chase after your dream and to pursue the things that matter to you and your loved ones! What might have started as a solution to help her spouse in the case of an emergency has now become something that  will benefit and ensure the safety of many other people in the case of emergencies.