Going self-employed can be a big challenge in anyone’s life. If you suffer from a chronic illness or disability, that challenge increases tenfold. However, that doesn’t mean that working for yourself when you have a disability is completely impossible. In this modern day and age, it is a perfectly viable career path for anyone.
There are certainly some things you will have to overcome as you work on setting up your new business and career. Things will get stressful at times, and you may question your ability to achieve success as someone who is self-employed and disabled. But I can assure you that anything is possible. To help you reach your goals here is my guide to making self-employment work with a disability.
Get Support
Before you start to set up your own company or advertise your skills, you need to think about getting support. There are a few organisations out there who specialise in helping disabled people set up as a freelancer. One of those organisations is miEnterprise. This group helps people with mental health issues and learning disabilities to set up their very own business. There are also other groups and charities out there who can help you. They specialise in getting people with physical disabilities set up in their own business. You can find these online. But why get help from these groups? The main reason you should seek their help is that they have lots of experience. They will know what works and what doesn’t. When you need advice and recommendations on certain aspects of business, they are certainly the ones to turn to.
Find Funding
No matter what your business idea is, you will need to have sufficient funding in order to see it through to completion. If you have previously been in full-time employment, you might have saved up a substantial amount to invest in your new business. If not, don’t worry. There are still ways you can get the money for your new endeavour. One of the best ways is to apply for a business grant. There are many that are aimed solely at disabled entrepreneurs. The different local councils offer various grants for people living in their area, so check on their website to see what is available for you. There are also some charities that provide startup loans to disabled entrepreneurs. Such as the Frederick’s Foundation.
Adapt Your Home
You will probably be spending a lot more time in your house if you work from home. If you struggle getting around the house, you might already have some adaptions to make it easier for you. However, these might need some additions adding to them if you are spending even more time at home. There may also be some specific adaptations that could be made that will make it easier for you to run your business at home. For example, a new desk that can be used from a wheelchair. If you are able to get adaptions to make your work life easier, be sure to get them. You will then find that your day is a lot more comfortable.
Don’t Be Afraid Of Technology
It is very important to be open to all kinds of technology. And by that, I mean tech that can help your business and tech that can help you live your day-to-day life. Modern business is heavily reliant on technology, and you will find that a lot of work is carried out online. With more and more companies moving online, you’ll find that there is now very little work that is carried out offline. So be sure to be open to modern technology. Otherwise, you may find that your business and work suffer. Something else that you shouldn’t be scared of is social media. By embracing social media and creating business accounts on Facebook and Twitter, you will find it easier to grow your audience. You should also use plenty of technology in your everyday life as well. It can help cut down on your tasks and help free up your time.
Get Help From The Experts
Your home is now your office, so if something goes wrong with your home, something will go wrong with your office. For example, a leak in your bathroom could have an effect on your work. You might spend time trying to sort it out; time that you should have spent on work. So it is important to get help from people when you need it. One of the best things you can do is to save the phone numbers of a few handymen in your mobile phone’s contact list. That way, if you have an emergency, you won’t waste time searching for a contact. Don’t forget to also include the number of an it support firm as well. That way, if something goes wrong with your computer, you can have someone out to fix it in no time at all.
Know When To Take A Break
Working with a chronic illness or disability can be very tough. You will find that you get tired easily and might even find it difficult to concentrate at times. Of course, no matter how your business is going, your health should be the number one priority. The best way to look after your health is to regular breaks. If you feel like you are getting tired or stressed out, just take a quick break. It doesn’t have to be long; even just ten minutes away from a computer screen should give you enough time to refresh. As someone who is self-employed, you might find it difficult to balance your work and leisure time. Try not to work long days. Instead, give yourself a daily schedule that allows you to finish at a reasonable time. Then you can spend the evening relaxing and thinking about anything other than work! It is important you let yourself have the weekends completely off. If you work too hard, you will find that you burn out, which can have a negative impact on your health.
Network Online
Networking is very important for entrepreneurs and the self-employed, no matter what industry or field you work in. By frequent networking, you will gain more contacts, which means more potential clients. Not only that, though, but you will be able to find out how potential competitors are doing, and how your industry is doing overall. Unfortunately, as a disabled entrepreneur, you might not be able to make it to as many networking events as you might like to. Thanks to the internet, though, you can still network with plenty of people. It just won’t be in person.
One of the best ways to make connections online is through social media. Twitter is the perfect platform for finding and connecting with potential clients and customers. You will also be able to follow your competitors to see the kind of things that they are working on at the minute. There are other ways to network online other than social media. Look out for industry-specific forums and message boards that you could join. Alternatively, turn on comments on your company blog. That will give readers the chance to leave their opinions. If someone comments, interact with them as it could encourage them to use your services.
Ask Family And Friends For Help
No one is superhuman, and we all need a little help from our loved ones at some point in our lives. And who better to ask for help than our nearest and dearest? Of course, they might not be able to help you with the business side of things, but they can certainly help with other stuff. If you are struggling to meet a deadline and need to pick kids up from school, ask your parents or friends if someone can do the school run. You’ll find that family and friends are saviours when it comes to childcare! If you need a favour, don’t be afraid to ask people. They will be only too happy to help you out and support you with your new business endeavour.
Be Confident
The main thing to remember when you are setting up your very own business is to be confident. Positive thinking is key to help you achieve your goals. Whatever happens, you shouldn’t let your disability or illness hold you back. If anything, use it as something to spur you on to achieve your goals. Today, there is no reason why somebody with a chronic illness or disability should set up their own business. And, as you can see in this blog post, there are many sources of help and support.
Hopefully, this blog post will have shown you that becoming an entrepreneur with a disability isn’t so hard. It certainly isn’t as impossible as you might think. It just takes a little more thought and dedication. If you seek help from the right sources, you will be set up and ready to go in no time at all. And you’ll find your new career very rewarding indeed!
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