“It is said that character is revealed by how we respond to adversity. We believe that it is our social responsibility as high-character individuals to do all we can to help those who can’t help themselves,”—this is the philosophy that drives entrepreneur, ordained minister, and CEO Ryan Kippes, to continually create a lasting impact on people’s lives. Today, he has done so much more as his company provided livelihood opportunities to his community.
Ryan Kippes knows how hard it is for individuals and families who go through IDD. In fact, in 2011, the entrepreneur was diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately, he was able to beat the disease in the same year. Since then, Ryan has devoted his life, passion, and expertise to ensure that those who suffer get a helping hand through his companies. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he worked as a program manager for Abilities Inc. and as a senior bilingual case manager at Paso A Paso Inc. It was with these companies that Ryan’s skill as a case manager grew.
Ryan Kippes has been working with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) since 2008. His experiences eventually led him to create Adonai Inc, an HCS Medicaid waiver program that serves the IDD community across Texas. Since 2011, the company has fostered a community of like-minded individuals who aim to find their purpose beyond monetary gain like the founder. Adonai Inc. has provided jobs for caregivers, therapists, and many other professionals.
Asked why Adonai Inc. became a huge success, Ryan Kippes shared that it was because of his carefully-crafted “visibility ecosystem.” The said ecosystem consists of a step-by-step process to attract, nurture, and convert prospects into happy, independent clients by focusing on building an authentic relationship with the client rather than on the financial gain.
Besides bettering the lives of his clients, Ryan Kippes also wanted to ensure that the caregivers and direct care providers working under his company receive above-average rates. He understands that his employees deserve a just living wage, leading him to guarantee a rate of $15 per hour in 2020.
Additionally, Ryan Kippes built Servant’s Heart Behavioral Health Clinic in 2017 to reach out to underserved communities, especially those with people of color and special needs. As a gay man himself, Ryan is a thriving advocate of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that his companies serve the gay community as well. “Servant’s Heart is all about dispelling the taboo of mental health and therapy,” shared Ryan.
Despite his success today, Ryan Kippes shared that he never intended to lead the path he is living today. Although he was an advocate of many worthy causes, becoming a case manager was an accidental milestone.
“The job sort of fell in my lap. Growing up with two drug-addicted parents planted an instinct to serve those in need. When I saw the opportunity to make real change, a lasting change as a case manager, I felt empowered. I met some incredible people along the way who shared my enthusiasm for serving this demographic, but I quickly realized that a majority of the leadership in place was disconnected and more concerned with profits than facilitating lasting change,” said Ryan Kippes.
Ryan Kippes is at the forefront of the mental health culture change. He emphasizes that there is yet so much to accomplish for the community at large. Ryan wants to stay on top of the wave, leading others with entrepreneurial innovation towards success. In five years, Ryan aims to become a congressman for Texas, believing that lasting change is possible through legislative action.
Learn more about Ryan Kippes on his website.
