Business and Development Plans for Disabled Entrepreneurs

Disabled people often face additional challenges in life, but just like anyone, they have plenty of opportunities to start their own businesses and become successful entrepreneurs. Many successful entrepreneurs have had disabilities, including Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein. Entrepreneurship is particularly appealing to people with disabilities because it can be a path to financial independence and self-sufficiency. While traditional employment options may pose accessibility and discrimination barriers, entrepreneurship allows disabled individuals to pursue their passions, create jobs, and make their mark on the business world. And today, there are more resources than ever before to help anyone start a business.

Business Plans

A business plan is a blueprint for your business that outlines your goals, strategies, and steps that you plan to take to ensure your success. A comprehensive business plan includes a clear mission statement, a description of the product or service that the business will offer, a market analysis, a marketing strategy, and financial projections. An effective business plan should also outline any accommodations or modifications necessary to ensure that the business is accessible and inclusive for disabled individuals. By incorporating accessibility into their business plans, disabled entrepreneurs can create more inclusive businesses and appeal to a broader audience.

• Effective One-Page Business Plans: SCORE offers advice on how to write a good business plan that’s only a page long.

• How to Write a Business Plan: The Small Business Administration provides a short video course in how to create a business plan here.

• Business Guide for Entrepreneurs With Disabilities: Learn the steps you need to follow to start your own business, from creating a business plan to finding local resources that can help you.

• How to Set Up a Business in the U.K.: This document from the British government gives guidance and resources for starting a business.

• Get Support for Your Veteran-Owned Small Business: Many veterans, including those who are disabled, choose to start a business after their discharge, and they can take advantage of government resources to help them.

• Seven Elements of a Business Plan: Make sure that your business plan includes these elements to form a complete picture of your goals and how you intend to achieve them.

Marketing Strategies

Developing effective marketing strategies is vital to help any business reach potential customers, build brand awareness, and increase sales. Marketing materials should also be accessible and inclusive, and a disabled entrepreneur’s first-hand experience with accessibility can often give them an advantage in this area. Disabled entrepreneurs may also want to consider partnering with disability-focused organizations or social media influencers to reach a wider audience, including people who share your business’s values.

• What Is a Digital Marketing Strategy? The American Marketing Association explores the different elements of digital marketing and tactics you can use to make your business more successful online.

• How to Repurpose Video for Maximum Social Media Impact: Making videos for online marketing can take quite a bit of work, but you can maximize their value by repurposing them across different social platforms.

• Three Questions Businesses Should Ask When They Get Started With Google Ads: Before you start buying ads on Google, think carefully about how you can get the best results.

• Marketing Plans and Why They’re Necessary: Read about the steps you’ll need to go through to plan out how to effectively market your business.

• Conducting a Social Marketing Campaign: People expect every business to have a well-maintained social media presence, and this can also be an effective outlet for marketing.

• What Are Some Best Practices When Starting a Podcast? Making your own podcast can give you another avenue to market yourself and your skills.

Outreach and Growth

Reaching out to potential customers and growing a business can be challenging for any entrepreneur. One of the most crucial parts of growing your business can be building a network of supportive individuals who can offer advice and help when you need it. Attending networking events and conferences can help you to create and strengthen important connections. It’s also important to build connections with your customers and potential customers. Something as simple as sponsoring a local event or helping a worthwhile cause can foster goodwill as well as build brand recognition.

• Volunteering to Build More Equitable Communities: One good way to raise your brand’s visibility and connect with your community is through volunteering.

• Six Tips to Build a Long-Term Growth Engine for Startups: Learn some tips to help your new business have sustained growth over time.

• Five Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs With Disabilities: Networking can help any entrepreneur to make valuable connections.

• Hiring and Working With Independent Talent: Over time, you may find yourself needing to hire freelancers to help you with your growing business.

• Chamber of Commerce for Persons With Disabilities: This online chamber of commerce can be a useful resource for business owners looking to learn from each other.

• Networking for Entrepreneurs: Tips and Strategies: Your business contacts can be a valuable source of advice, referrals, and even financial backing.

Additional Tools and Information for Small Businesses and Disabled Business Owners

Below is a list of additional resources and tools you can use to gain traction with your ventures. Whether it is general networking strategies or technical research and development tax credits these resources will help get you pointed in the right direction.

• Job Accommodation Network

• Self-Employment for People With Disabilities

• Small-Business Resiliency Guide

• Funding Resources for Disabled Entrepreneurs

• 12 Tips for Creating Inclusive and Accessible Hybrid Meetings

• Disability Entrepreneurship Institute

• Road to Self-Sufficiency: A Guide to Entrepreneurship for Youth With Disabilities

• How to Calculate Your R&D Tax Credit

• Understanding Entrepreneurship and Disability

• Small-Business Ownership by People With Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities

 

This page was last updated by Steven Jefferies