Non-profit organisation RespectAbility has launched a free Disability Entrepreneurship Toolkit for jobseekers with disabilities who want to set up their own business.
The new toolkit provides materials, advice and guides for people with disabilities who want to start their own enterprise or develop entrepreneurial skills. Its launch was timed to meet the increasing interest in the new docu-series Born for Business; featured on Peacock (in the USA) and CRAVE (in Canada).
Born for Business focuses on the talents, innovations and impact of entrepreneurs with varying disabilities. Produced by Shopify Studios and Bunim/Murray Productions, the series shines the spotlight on four emerging entrepreneurs: Chris Triebes; Qiana Allen; Collette Divitto; and Lexi Zanghi.
FLEXIBLE SELF-EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Entrepreneurship and self-employment can be a valuable and viable option for disabled people looking to enter the job market on their own terms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with disabilities are self-employed at nearly twice the rate of their non-disabled peers. Additionally, the 2019 American Community Survey, found that approximately 700,000 workers with disabilities were self-employed; enjoying the flexibility and opportunities that entrepreneurship provides.
Approximately 70% of disabled people want to work; and thousands could become entrepreneurs if they can develop their skills and access capital. However, potential entrepreneurs with disabilities need resources, assets and support in order to translate their entrepreneurial ideas into actual, viable businesses. “Born for Business shows what people with disabilities CAN achieve,” stated Philip Kahn-Pauli, Policy and Practices Director at RespectAbility and the main author of the new toolkit. “We hope that this toolkit will give viewers the resources they need to achieve their goals as well.”
HONING INNOVATION SKILLS
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, President of RespectAbility, agrees: “The pandemic is a time of massive change; and many people and companies need to innovate and adapt. These are skills long honed by people with disabilities who need to circumvent barriers to success. Now is a great time for people with disabilities to use their skills as innovators to start highly successful businesses.”
Click here for more information about the free tools.
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