Amramp CEO Honors His Late Dad With Lessons in Leadership, Life and Lasting Impact
For Justin Gordon, CEO of the Amramp Accessibility franchise, Father’s Day carries extra weight this year. It’s the first without his dad, Julian Gordon, the late founder of Amramp, who passed away in May 2024. Justin feels a powerful sense of gratitude for his father and the legacy he left behind. “It was a rare privilege to work by his side,” he says.
From 2013 to 2024, Justin worked closely with his father and learned from his leadership, integrity and commitment to helping others. “He was a brilliant mind driven to make a positive impact on the world.” Like many family businesses, the father-son duo had their disagreements, but what stands out to Justin now is how much those years together meant. “I spent a significant portion of my workday reliving, in a way, the missed opportunities of my childhood,” he says. “Joining Amramp and taking me under his wing once again, I had almost unlimited time working alongside him, learning the work he loved. It was a second chance to reconnect, to make him proud and for him to make me proud, too.”
Mission-Driven Franchise
The Amramp Accessibility franchise specializes in modular ramp systems and accessibility solutions for homes and businesses. This mission-driven organization helps people regain their freedom and independence. Originally a steel fabrication company, Amramp shifted its focus in the 1990s after Julian saw an opportunity to serve a critical need: safe and reliable wheelchair ramp access.
That need has only grown over time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2035, older adults will outnumber children — a first in U.S. history. With more Americans looking to age in place, demand for home accessibility solutions like ramps, stair lifts and grab bars continues to rise and Amramp is uniquely positioned to meet those needs with its proven model and compassionate approach.
When Julian decided to franchise the business, he wanted to do it with a franchisee-first mindset. “My father didn’t approach franchising like a traditional businessperson,” Gordon explains. “He sought out a lawyer who had built a career suing franchisors, just to learn what not to do. That’s how he shaped our values: Do what you say you’re going to do. Treat franchisees like partners. Make sure they’re happy and making money. The rest will fall into place.”
These principles continue to define Amramp today under Justin’s leadership. The brand now has a national footprint, with local franchise owners across the country providing quick-turnaround ramp installations, stair lifts, grab bars and other accessibility products. But behind the systems and services is a simple promise: no customer should ever be left stranded.
“My father taught me that if we make a mistake, the customer should never suffer for it,” Gordon says. “Even if we lose money, we finish the job. We must always make it right.”
Justin says he carries both his father’s values and his own as he leads the company. “He left shoes I’ll never fully fill, but I try,” he says. “He used to say, ‘I appreciate you,’ and now my email signature reads ‘with appreciation’— because I mean it every time I send it.”
Justin’s brother Jon also plays a vital role, leading sales for Amramp Boston and helping families across Massachusetts find the right accessibility solutions. “Working with Jon brings us closer,” Gordon says. “And it reminds me how lucky we are to have had the dad we did.”
Fatherhood has come full circle for Justin, who now has two young children of his own. “They remind me every day to be the best dad I can be, just like my dad did his best for us,” he says. “He mentored me not just in business, but in life and I try to pass that on.”
Memories of Working with his Father
Some of Justin’s fondest memories come from the moments that revealed his father’s character. One project in the early days of working with his father involved a complex commercial ramp leading to the third story of a Boston church. Contractors were skeptical, so Justin called in his dad.
“As soon as he walked into the field office, the whole room shifted,” Justin recalls. “He looked everyone in the eye and said, ‘Not to worry, we’ve done a project like this before and know exactly what to do.’ His calm confidence won over the room. That’s how he led — with heart.”
That heart extended beyond customers and franchisees to every team member. “He treated all people with respect, no matter their role,” says Justin. “He had an open-door policy, and despite his success, he remained humble. That’s what I admire most.”
Another of Justin’s favorite memories of his dad came in 2021, after Justin became CEO and relocated the company. “I would pick my dad up at his condo and drive him to spend a few hours in the new office. One day, on the ride home, we reflected on how things had changed and how we had grown since he founded Amramp. I remember fumbling over words, trying to tell him how grateful I was for the opportunity to help run such an incredible company that he started, and that we wouldn’t be where we were without him. He raised his hand to stop me, looked me in the eye, and said, ‘It’s OK for you to take credit for this too, you know.’ That was such a gift.”
Working in a Family Business
As the Amramp Accessibility franchise continues to grow, Justin honors his father’s memory every day. “I still feel like I did in that car ride: grateful,” he says. “We wouldn’t be here without him.”
This Father’s Day feels especially meaningful for Justin, who offers thoughtful advice to anyone fortunate enough to work with a parent in a family business. “Working with a parent in a family business as an adult can be one of the most incredible opportunities. One lesson I’ve learned is that two people with different needs can clash in ways that extend beyond the owner-employee relationship. The father built something that, in a way, is their baby, and it’s hard to share ownership, especially with the child whom they’ve raised. I encourage conversations about expectations and working with an advisor or peer group to help with transitions.”
Justin says that continuing his father’s mission is both a responsibility and a privilege. “Franchise consultants will work with me because Amramp is my father’s legacy and now my legacy. I’m fortunate to have good people working with me to run our company, some of whom my father recruited,” Justin says.
“One of my favorite things about this business is engaging with new people about what we do and finding ways to work with people to make a positive impact on our world. That’s what my dad did. And to all the fathers out there, thank you for all that you do.”
For details about Amramp franchise opportunities across the U.S., visit the company’s website.
