Kaye Moors: Turning Personal Barriers Into a Mission for Digital Accessibility
Kaye Moors founded DRUM Studios back in 2006 with a simple goal: to build a digital media agency that offered honest, jargon-free advice. But it was a life-altering health crisis years later that gave her work its deepest purpose. After surviving two strokes and a ten-hour brainstem surgery, Kaye was left hemiplegic alongside multiple invisible disabilities, and told she would never work again.
Rather than step back, Kaye spent the following six years balancing intensive rehabilitation with running her business, determined to prove that limits are made to be pushed. Her firsthand experience of being suddenly locked out of the digital tools she once relied on gave her a rare, lived understanding of web accessibility, one she has since turned into DRUM's core mission: helping companies meet WCAG standards and build products that are genuinely usable for everyone.
Today, DRUM works to close a striking gap: 96% of websites still fail basic accessibility standards. Backed by a loyal client base spanning over 15 years and a diverse community of user testers, Kaye and her team are pushing the industry toward a future where a change in physical ability never has to mean a loss of professional autonomy.
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Q: What inspired you to start DRUM Studios?
I founded DRUM back in 2006 to build a digital media agency that cut through the jargon to provide honest advice and a multidisciplinary, highly accessible approach. However, my deepest inspiration emerged later in life. After surviving two strokes and a grueling 10-hour brainstem surgery, I was left hemiplegic (paralyzed down my left side) alongside multiple invisible disabilities. This life-changing event exposed the stark disparities disabled people face, but it also fueled my determination to keep running my business, even after being told I would never work again.
For the past six years, I have juggled intensive rehabilitation alongside my career to prove that anything is possible if you are willing to push your limits every day. Despite the common misconception that a brain injury equates to a lack of capability, I have leveraged my decades of marketing expertise and my profound personal understanding of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to lead DRUM to new heights. My disability allows me to see the digital world through a different lens, ensuring our services are not just functional, but truly inclusive.
We have turned personal barriers into a professional mission, ensuring our work makes a measurable, positive impact on an underserved community. I truly believe that good can emerge from adversity. My strokes and surgery showed me exactly how our industry can do even better, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to drive that meaningful change.
Q: What problem are you solving?
Currently, 96% of websites fail to meet basic accessibility standards. While the world is shifting to a digital-first model, we are leaving a massive chunk of society behind. DRUM bridges this gap through expert WCAG auditing, dedicated training, and authentic user testing conducted directly within the disabled community. By ensuring digital products are usable for everyone, we are turning a notoriously exclusive industry into an inclusive one.
While we compete with standard digital agencies, DRUM occupies a unique niche. We don't just build digital assets; we future-proof them through rigorous accessibility standards and testing backed by our large, diverse database of user testers, something traditional agencies simply cannot match. This loyalty-first model is proven by a core client base that has remained with us for over 15 years.
We are driven by the belief that digital accessibility is a fundamental right, not a "nice-to-have." For our clients, compliance unlocks a massive, underserved market and provides a clear competitive advantage. For the end-user, it ensures equal access to the modern world. We are passionate about our work because we aren't just coding; we are removing the digital barriers that limit human potential.
This mission is fueled entirely by my lived experience. After successfully running my business for over a decade, I suddenly acquired a disability that, overnight, rendered the tools I relied on completely unusable. I found myself effectively "locked out" of my own business marketing because the platforms I paid for weren't built for someone like me. My story is not an edge case. With 3% of the working population acquiring a disability each year, there is a massive demographic of professionals being forced out of their own ventures by digital gatekeeping. This also means we are looking at internal systems more heavily to enable disabled employees can actually use the systems their employers use.
What's next for you?
For me personally, the focus is on continuing my rehabilitation, finishing my book, and growing the community I’ve built around Never Grey—a space dedicated to helping the disabled community find accessible, adaptive, and beautifully designed products.
For DRUM, the next chapter is about aggressively reducing that staggering 96% failure rate for websites and apps. We are focused on scaling our operations to take on high-impact projects, solving critical digital barriers, and making the online world a much more welcoming and equitable place for everyone.
Are you a woman leader with an inspiring journey to tell? Founded by Women is on a mission to elevate and amplify the voices of women making an impact.
If you’re breaking barriers, driving change, or paving the way for others, we’d love to feature your story. Get in touch with us today!
👉 hi@foundedbywomen.org
