The working world is shifting rapidly, and it can be a challenge to keep up. As The Great Resignation marches on, gig-based jobs and working from home are becoming ubiquitous, which is great news for parents with disabilities. If being able to set your own schedule and manage your obligations and limitations while still satisfying customers and meeting deadlines appeals to you, being your own boss might be a good next move.
Forming and Expanding on Your Idea
The first step to starting any business is assessing what your skills are and what field they’d best apply to. Consider your hobbies and past jobs and the knowledge you’ve obtained from them. Much of these disciplines can translate well to business ownership. For instance, a former factory team lead will have management experience, while someone from retail may be adept at dealing with customers. Choosing the correct field for you is the most important part of the process.
Once you know the general idea for your company, you’ll need to write a business plan and decide on your business structure. An LLC, for instance, will protect its owner’s personal finances from debts and charges the company incurs. Different states and regions will have different laws and regulations regarding LLCs, so make sure to research how to start an LLC first if you don’t intend to hire a lawyer or formation company to handle the red tape.
Finding Funding
The more impressive your business plan is, the more likely you are to secure funding from investors and financial institutions. Before any individual or organization takes a risk on your idea, they’ll need to be convinced that your company is even viable. A well-researched and detailed business plan can demonstrate the likelihood of how quickly and to what extent investors can expect a return.
There are a variety of grants and programs at a disabled entrepreneur’s disposal. These range from seed capital to get the idea off the ground initially, to stipends and bailouts to bolster the business during hard times. Research governing bodies and advocacy groups in your area and your industry to see if you qualify.
Appealing to Your Clientele
Well-researched and conscientious advertising methods are the best way to draw customers into a new business. Word-of-mouth can bring moderate success, but a truly effective advertising campaign takes your operational area and client base into account. For example, older sets of customers with less technological experience will be easier to reach with local print advertising than targeted online ads.
Brand awareness is also vital to attracting patrons. An eye-catching logo or well-made banner are versatile images that you can reuse on all of your advertising and documentation, alerting satisfied customers that the company they liked before is still in business or providing them with something new. If you wish to avoid the often high fees of a capable graphic designer, many templates and tools are available online to help you make your own banner. Adding your logo, whatever text you like, and additional images to create a serviceable banner is surprisingly simple with a little practice.
Parents with disabilities often have too much on their plates to accommodate a regular day job. Starting a business may seem impossible at first, but the flexibility, control, and ability to shape the company to your personal needs and limitations make it well worth the additional stress.
This guest post contributed by Ed Carter of Able Futures. He uses his financial abilities to help people with disabilities plan ahead, as physical and mental disabilities often cause stress and confusion when it comes to financial planning.
Find him at https://ablefutures.org/
Your Work, Your Way 