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Living with a disability should not stop you from pursuing your dreams, including starting a small business. This is the very tenet of The Burgeon Growth Initiative. Whether you have always dreamed of opening your own company or it is your newest ambition, starting a business requires lots of hard work, and there can be extra hurdles depending on your condition. Add in kids and family commitments, and the whole endeavor may seem overwhelming. Fortunately, you can break the process down into smaller steps to make it more manageable.

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1. Develop a Business Plan

One of the first steps is developing a business

plan. Whether you bake the best crepes in town,

know how to fix any electrical problem that

comes your way, or create artistic masterpieces

people pay handsomely for, those skills are

wasted if you do not take time to come up with

a strategic business plan and gain the right

exposure.

 

A business plan is a map of how to format and execute your ideas into a successful company. A business plan should include detailed explanations of the products or services you offer, your budget, market analyses with specifics on your target audiences, and leadership structure. A variety of templates are available to help guide you through the plan development process.

 

Once your business plan is near the final stages, request an employer identification number. An EIN is a nine-digit number used by the Internal Revenue Service to identify your company and properly assess reported wages and payroll taxes for you and your staff. Getting your IRS EIN request started early will help your federal and state tax filing go smoother, regardless of your return submission schedule.

 

2. Hire an Assistant

While you may not be able to hire every company employee right away, hiring an executive assistant is a good place to start. Depending on your disability, you may have physical limitations that make it difficult to accomplish certain tasks. An assistant can take some of these jobs off your plate, plus it is helpful having someone there to help with all the paperwork, phone calls, and emails that flood in when getting a company off the ground.

 

3. Create a Schedule

As a parent, you not only have to manage all your commitments but your children’s as well. Add in all the to-do items for starting a company, and it can seem like there is not enough time in the day. Time management is key to ensuring all tasks are completed and nothing slips through the cracks, as well as in developing healthy habits.

 

Create a daily schedule to help keep you organized and on task. Manage your calendar online or purchase a good old-fashioned paper planner. 

 

4. Apply for Grants

According to one report, twice as many people with disabilities are self-employed as those without disabilities. As such, the government offers numerous grants for these individuals pursuing business ownership.

 

One of the wonderful things about grants is that you do not have to pay them back. Additionally, you can apply for as many as your heart desires. Money received can be put back into business development or applicable projects, such as adding a wheelchair ramp to the entrance of your storefront.

 

Perhaps you have been putting off starting your company due to your parental responsibilities or fear of your disability being a hindrance. However, these factors should not stop you from pursuing this goal, and a solid strategy can help you build an entrepreneurial reality out of your dreams. The Burgeon Growth Initiative can guide you step by step on your journey to success. Get started.

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