It is a sad but known fact that 1 billion people have disabilities and often these disabilities can turn life’s simplest tasks into stressful and daunting chores. Another sad fact is that most of these physically impaired individuals are veterans.
Persons with disabilities often are underrepresented and underutilized in the workplace. They tend to experience higher rates of unemployment than the general population, despite the fact that many persons with disabilities are eager and able to work.
As someone with disability, starting your own business may seem a bit daunting. Still, there are several benefits to do so. One of the major advantages of becoming self-employed is that you are much more likely to be able to choose your own work hours. Working from home is an attractive prospect, depending on the type of disability. Owning your own business can provide you with flexibility and a substantial income.
Business Opportunities
So, what are some of this business opportunities that a person with disability can actually do and be able to feed him or herself or the family?
- Affiliate marketing: This is a type of business where you advertise some specific products for someone else. It is mostly done online.
- Freelance writing: For those with good writing skills, you can start writing articles from home as a freelancer and earn some income.
- Designing: You can make money by designing websites or media, such as posters or ads.
- Knitting: For those who have lower limb paralysis, that can start a knitting business from home since hands are functioning quite okay.
- Bead making: just like the above instance, one can also venture into bead making and make money from it. All he needs to have are some technical skills and some marketing skills.
- Starting of a retail business: sometimes opening a small retail business can be very rewarding for those with disabilities. Opening a small store at your own house premises allows you to run your business without moving out and it will bring your customers to your own doorstep.
- Launching a startup franchise: if one can find a niche in the local markets, it may be possible for him or her to launch a startup. One could even start something that helps others with disabilities like their own by offering his services or though employment.
First of all, one has to choose the most suitable business for themselves in accordance with level of disability, mobility, skills, and of course availability of required resources. For these purposes, one can look for special financing. People with disabilities might qualify for special loans and grants for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Help is also available online. There are plenty of websites with a variety of resources and advice articles specifically for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Those sites can help one think through every stage of the process of starting the business- from writing down the whole business plan to designing the business website in order to find a business mentor.
Stephen Masha