Marianne Weber, MS, OTR/L: OT in Adaptive Apparel

In this episode, we will learn from Marianne Weber, MS, OTR/L.  Marianne is an occupational therapist and the founder and CEO of Even Adaptive, an innovative intimate apparel brand for women navigating disability and change. Her journey began in 2018, while completing her master’s degree in occupational therapy and concurrently receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. That moment reshaped her sense of identity, belonging, and self-worth—and ultimately set her on a mission. Marianne brought her clinical experience from neurology at a major hospital—where she witnessed women facing loss of independence, self‐esteem, and comfort in their daily lives—to the founding of Even Adaptive in 2021. Her core belief: intimacy, clothing, and confidence are inseparable, and no one should lose their sense of self because of a disability. With a background as a licensed occupational therapist, Marianne applies therapeutic, user-centered insights to design. In collaboration with the industrial fashion-design team Interwoven Design Group, she developed what the brand calls the world’s first one-hand magnet clasp for intimates, enabling ease and independence without sacrificing beauty. Marianne’s work sits at the intersection of adaptive design, women’s health, self-confidence, and inclusive fashion. Through Even Adaptive, she invites a broader conversation about what it means to feel sexy, capable, and seen—especially when traditional clothing systems fall short.

Q & A with Marianne:

Please tell us a little about yourself and a few favorite occupations.

Hi, I’m Marianne Weber. I’m originally from New England and completed my undergraduate studies at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. I went on to earn my Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine, Florida. A few of my favorite occupations are cooking, gardening, playing pickleball, hiking, camping, and traveling whenever I get the chance.

What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?

I'm excited to contribute to this podcast series because I believe it's essential to highlight the inherent creativity of occupational therapists and the critical role we play in helping people engage meaningfully with their environments and daily activities. Outside of the profession, there's often a limited understanding of just how broad and versatile our skill set truly is—and how it can be applied to nearly every aspect of life. Through this series, I'm hoping to showcase how my background in occupational therapy has informed the creative process of designing adaptive intimates, and how that experience could inspire another OT to explore designing their own adaptive garment or product.

Please describe the UncommonOT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve and the needs that you address.

The UncommonOT work I do centers around my role as the founder of Even Adaptive, a company that designs adaptive intimates for women with disabilities. We currently offer three products: a bra with a front magnetic clasp, a thong with bilateral magnetic closures, and a traditional thong. These products are designed to meet the needs of women of all ages who experience range of motion limitations or other disabilities that make traditional undergarments difficult to use. Our adaptive bra, for example, provides an alternative to the typical hook-and-eye closure, making it accessible for individuals with limited upper body mobility or one-handed use. Similarly, the magnetic thong was created with the goal of allowing users who are seated—whether due to mobility aids or extended bed rest—to dress themselves without needing to stand. The core design philosophy behind Even Adaptive is to create products that work for people at the margins of physical ability, with the understanding that if we design for those with the greatest need, many others will benefit too. While no single product can serve everyone perfectly, we aim to offer adaptable solutions that enhance dignity, autonomy, and ease of dressing for a wide range of individuals.

What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?

What inspired me to pursue this type of OT work was my personal experience being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis while I was in graduate school. During that time, I grappled with the emotional weight of living with a chronic illness—the fear of waking up one day with significant changes to my physical abilities, and the anxiety about how that might affect my independence, identity, and even relationships. It was an incredibly isolating and vulnerable time. As I began practicing occupational therapy in a neurology setting, I met many women navigating similar experiences—struggling with new diagnoses and the emotional toll that came with them. I noticed a pattern: many felt disconnected from their identities, unable to dress how they wanted or feel like themselves. And while our role as OTs is to support people in returning to meaningful daily activities, I realized there was a gap—we didn’t have practical, dignified solutions for something as fundamental as bras and underwear. I came to understand that intimate apparel is more than just clothing. It’s the base layer that affects how people feel about themselves, how they move through the world, and even how they experience intimacy—both with others and with themselves. When my patients couldn’t put on a bra independently, it impacted their confidence, autonomy, and quality of life. As a creative and solutions-oriented person, it felt like a natural step for me to address this unmet need. That’s what led me to found Even Adaptive—to design functional, beautiful intimates that restore both dignity and ease to daily life for women with disabilities.

How did you get there? Can you describe your path?

I began this journey by attempting to create a prototype on my own, but quickly realized the complexity of designing bras and underwear—particularly when function, accessibility, and aesthetics all need to be considered. I didn’t have a background in apparel design, so I reached out for support and eventually connected with Interwoven Design, a wearable industrial design group. They played a crucial role in helping me develop the magnetic clasp that’s now central to our adaptive bra. The design and development process took over a year and involved multiple iterations. We ultimately landed on a patent-pending closure system that uses a magnet-assisted mechanism and a unique one-piece clasp that flips to engage and disengage with ease. It’s a completely new technology, and there's nothing else like it currently on the market. It was a long, expensive, and incredibly educational process—one that taught me how to create a product that is not only functional, but also beautiful and aligned with the values of our brand. Throughout the past three years, I’ve continued practicing as an occupational therapist. I worked full-time at Johns Hopkins during the early stages of Even Adaptive and made the decision in August 2024 to step away from full-time work to focus more fully on the company. I now work PRN about 20 hours a week, which allows me to stay clinically active and maintain a direct connection with the patient populations I serve. That clinical work continues to inform our design choices and ensures that I remain grounded in the real-world needs of the people we're designing for.

Please describe a typical day or OT session at your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?

In my unique OT setting as the founder of Even Adaptive, a typical day blends entrepreneurship with occupational therapy principles. I start each morning by prioritizing my own routines—coffee, checking the news, and spending time in my garden. These occupations ground me and help protect my mental health, which is something I learned to value both personally and professionally as an OT. Once my day begins, I move into my home office where I manage the business side of things: answering emails from customers, collaborators, and ambassadors, coordinating partnerships, and handling content creation for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I also manage order fulfillment and the day-to-day operations of the business. Throughout it all, I use my OT skill set constantly. For example, when someone reaches out on social media asking if our products could help with something like hip pain, I instinctively assess their inquiry the way I would a patient—considering the underlying need, diagnosis, or condition that might be informing that question. My training helps me interpret the root of a customer's challenge, even from a brief comment or message, and respond in a way that is clinically informed, empathetic, and solution-oriented. On days when I work PRN as an OT in an acute care hospital, I provide hands-on care to patients—mostly in medicine units—focusing on ADLs, evaluations, and discharge planning. That work keeps my clinical skills sharp and ensures I stay connected to patient care, which directly informs product design and communication with our customer base. Lastly, one of the biggest ways I apply OT skills is through goal setting. Whether I’m planning the next six months of business growth or mapping out long-term vision, I use the SMART goal framework daily—something I learned in grad school and still rely on. It's become second nature not only in my work but in my personal life too; in fact, my husband and I both use SMART goals to stay on track with our individual and family priorities. OT is the lens through which I approach my business, my relationships, and my routines—it's deeply integrated into every part of my day.

Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?

There are plenty of highs and lows that come with running a small business, and I’ve learned to ride those waves as part of the process. A recent high that really stood out was meeting a graduate student from MICA here in Baltimore who’s studying business and wants to launch her own adaptive fashion line. She uses a power wheelchair and reached out to me for advice. We met for coffee, talked about her goals, and shared ideas—and at the end of our conversation, I showed her the Even Adaptive bra. Her face lit up when she said, “I think I can put this on by myself.” She typically relies on a full-time caregiver for dressing, so seeing her react with that sense of possibility and independence was incredibly rewarding. Moments like that remind me why I started Even Adaptive in the first place—to create real impact in people’s daily lives. A recent low has been the transition to overseas manufacturing. We had to make the difficult decision to move production outside of the U.S. due to the prohibitively high costs of domestic manufacturing. That transition took nearly a year, during which we had no product available for sale and lost momentum. It was frustrating and disheartening at times to feel stuck in limbo, especially when the demand and excitement were there. But in hindsight, the time spent was worth it—the new production quality is significantly better, the fit has improved, and the product is now far more polished and professional. That low point turned into a learning opportunity, and we’ve come out of it stronger.

How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?

I stay current in my role by continuing to work PRN as an occupational therapist, which helps me maintain and apply my clinical skills regularly. I also prioritize ongoing education through formal channels like continuing education courses and by attending the AOTA Annual Conference each year. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn from peers and leaders in the field, especially in emerging areas such as sex and intimacy, DEI, sleep science, and broader IADLs that impact everyday life. Beyond formal learning, I place a high value on connecting with young women living with disabilities—particularly those navigating chronic illness outside of the hospital setting. These individuals often aren't seen in acute care, so hearing directly from them gives me insight into their lived experiences, daily challenges, and unmet needs. That feedback is invaluable as I continue designing adaptive products that are not just functional, but deeply meaningful in promoting independence and dignity.

Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting?  How do OT or the services you provide get funded?

In the startup phase of building Even Adaptive, all revenue from product sales is reinvested directly back into the business. That includes funding future product development, production costs, photoshoots, marketing, and advertising. None of the income from sales goes toward my personal salary at this stage, which is a common reality for early-stage entrepreneurs. To support myself financially, I continue to work about 20 hours a week as a PRN occupational therapist. In my current PRN role, I earn $57 an hour, which allows me to cover my living expenses without needing to draw from the business. This balance has given me the freedom to grow Even Adaptive intentionally and sustainably without compromising its mission or financial foundation.

Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?

First, try to bootstrap your funding. Avoid taking out loans or seeking major investments too early. Taking your time allows you to test ideas, refine your business model, and build a more solid foundation before adding the pressure of outside financial commitments. Second, if possible, continue working in the OT field while building your startup. It may take several years before your business becomes financially sustainable, so staying connected to clinical work not only supports you financially but also keeps your skills sharp and your perspective grounded in client needs. Third, don’t be afraid to share your founder story. Being open and vulnerable about why you're doing this work—especially if it’s tied to personal experiences—can be a powerful tool for building connection and trust. For me, it took a long time to feel comfortable sharing that my own MS diagnosis was part of what inspired Even Adaptive, but being honest about it has made the mission resonate even more deeply with our community. So, in short: bootstrap where you can, be patient with the process, and stay true to your story. That authenticity and persistence will carry you far.

What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?

One common misconception I’d call out is the idea that getting investment—especially from angel investors—is easy or straightforward. There’s this belief that if you have a good idea, you can just pitch it and people will be ready to hand over large sums of money. In reality, it’s incredibly difficult, especially as a female founder creating a product for a marginalized community. Even though most people I talk to agree that our product is needed and impactful, translating that into financial backing is a whole different story. There’s often a disconnect between belief in the mission and actual investment. So, I’d say the myth is that if your idea is good enough, funding will automatically follow—it doesn’t work that way, especially in underrepresented spaces.

How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?

You can contact me directly at marianne@evenadaptive.com. All of our products are available at www.evenadaptive.com, and you can follow us on Instagram and TikTok—our handle is @evenadaptive (all lowercase, no punctuation). I’d be thrilled to connect with any OTs who want to talk about our work or are interested in joining our ambassador program. Please don’t hesitate to reach out via email or DM—we’d love to hear from you!

Please list any resources you would like me to include with your Show Notes (courses, articles, assessments, tools, etc.)

Email: marianne@evenadaptive.com

Website: www.evenadaptive.com

Instagram: @evenadaptive

TikTok: @evenadaptive

As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you, or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

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