By Ron Snyder - Maria Welch knows what it’s like to be down and out, homeless (twice) and struggling to make it through each day.

But dealing with that adversity only helped to shape Welch into the person she is today: the founder and CEO of a respirator and durable medical equipment home care company that employs 55 people and generated around $9 million in revenue last year.

Not bad for someone without a college degree.

“I never thought I would have this,” Welch said “I just wanted to provide for my family and do a great job. This was not my aspiration. I’m thankful and grateful and feel it’s my responsibility to help others that was in my shoes.”

Welch, 47, founded Respira Medical nearly a decade ago as a matter of survival. A single mother and the victim of domestic violence, Welch found herself unemployed and homeless.
Welch, whose first marriage was arranged to a 24-year-old lieutenant commander of the Colombian Navy when she was 14, even at one point contemplated suicide before receiving assistance from the Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, Inc. The local non-profit works to empower its clients, predominately lower income women and the unemployed, to achieve financial stability through entrepreneurship.

“Through WEB I found a world of opportunity,” Welch said. “I was able to find programs where I had endless opportunity when I thought I had nothing out there. When you go into that unemployment stage, it’s a prideful thing. I’m not stupid. I am a productive worker who has a lot to offer. You just don’t know what is out there for you. It’s OK to feel bad for yourself, but you have to snap out of it.”

WEB Chief Executive Officer Joanne Saltzberg said Welch is the perfect role model for those who want to improve their lives but believe their troubles are too great to overcome.

“Maria has such a wonderful story,” Saltzberg said. “Even without everything she has been through, Maria is an inspiration as she built a successful business in an industry that is historically male-dominated.”

Much of the inspiration behind Welch starting Respira – which means to breath in Spanish – came from taking care of her late father, Miguel Better. A longtime ironworker from Colombia, he eventually was diagnosed with asbestosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Better ultimately required home respiratory care. While he had excellent insurance, Welch believes the various home care providers he had were more interested in making a profit than ensuring he had the best care possible.

“When I saw what he went through with COPD, it was dreadful and awful,” Welch said. “He would fight as long as he could, but when you can’t breathe, you can’t breathe. He was bedridden and took 2 ½ years to pass away. During those years, I saw medical companies bringing all types of equipment to the house just so they could bill the insurance company. That’s now I operate Respira. We don’t give people anything but what they need. We’re really cautious about that.”

Welch believes that attention to patient care played a large factor in the growth of her company, which she started in the basement of her home. She then moved into an office in Woodlawn before settling on the company’s current location, an 8,200-square-foot facility in Linthicum.

“It’s all about improving quality of life not just for the patient but for the caregiver because they often need just as much help navigating through this health care system,” Welch said.

Welch said despite her success she has never forgotten the adversity she faced in her life. She remains determined to tell her story to others while also trying to give back to the community in any way she can.
This includes serving on numerous boards and committees. She currently is the chair of the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs and has also served as past president of the Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, president of Centro de La Comunidad and past president of Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, among others.

“She just has a big heart,” said Elizabeth Leight, who serves with Welch on the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs. “She is always looking for ways of helping those in need and is constantly aware of issues impacting the Latino community.”

Rick Martinez, Welch’s fiance, said her desire to help those in need is what separates her from other business owners.

“There are a lot of people out there who overcome adversity to become successful,” said Martinez, the president of Project Enhancement Corp. “But to then come back and help those going through tough times now is really special.”

Welch said she believes being a Hispanic woman makes it more important to be active in charitable causes, especially in today’s climate when immigration is such a heated issue throughout the country.

“This is a time people are recognizing that Latinos are here and productive,” Welch said. “We are not just those who come looking for the American dream that are undocumented. We are also business owners, professionals and students. We’re here to make a statement. I’ll fight for the rights of the undocumented. I’ve heard their stories and understand why they are here.

“Nobody understands that the opportunities to come here like my parents did [legally] no longer exists. People don’t understand the oppression that is out there in other countries. We have human rights that in other places don’t exist. They don’t understand that there are countries are abused and women out there.”

-Summer 2010 print edition