Home: Message List - Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

intechspecial — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:15:51 GMT

Any other persons with disabilities out there?

Anyone with disabilities care to network with me?

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

intechspecial — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:49:38 GMT

I would have to agree with you on all points SJCARPENTRY.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

SJCarpentry — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:45:50 GMT

i think small business is often perfect for people with disabilities. I feel in general like other small business owners will go out of there way to help, and often you can get some early PR, customers etc by marketing that fact. after a while, of course, you have to succeed because of what you offer, but I think it's a great avenue for someone with disabilities. and of course, if you use a broad definitiaion, you may consider that many of us have them - whether it's alcoholism, ADD or whatever.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

intechspecial — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:49:30 GMT

Some of my "attitude" or complaining comes from my own lack of acceptance, or potentially my inability to accept. I refuse to live on, accepting limitations.

I do not mean to sound so negative, I am just frustrated with myself and my limitations. Whether these limitations are self imposed or not depends on who you talk to, as everyone has the answer to my limitations. Doctors, family, friends, complete strangers, everyone has an opinion about what it is like, and what I should do to overcome it. Yet only the ones that have the same type of disability as me truly understands what it is like.

I am even more frustrated of my current business success level, as my limitations(self imposed or not) have affected my ability to be successful.

I am trying to reach out to others that might have a disability and be a business owner as well. I should probably just not even bring up this topic of a disability in regards to business as what relevance does it really have? The relevance it has is really more on a personal level than anything. I apologize to bring this sensitive topic up and not expect a positive response.

Maybe I am reaching in the wrong place, or maybe this is unprofessional to do this here. It is difficult not to speak of something that has such affect on my life from day to day. I hate these limitations I have whether they are self-imposed or not, they are still limitations.

Someone asked that I post what exactly my disability is, and for me to say what type of disability I have would open a entirely different can of worms, and I am not willing to open myself to the responses I might receive.

The other side to this is that my business is one of my tools I use to deal with my disability, and I have found the topic of disability and work to be extremely sensitive to not only myself but others as well. So why ignore the problem, self imposed or not? Why pretend like it is not there? I open the doors to ridicule and praise, encouragement or disgust, as those doors are already opened.

I am willing to bet that their are others that at the very least will be empowered by this post, if only out of disgust.

So be it.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

intechspecial — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:05:10 GMT

Luckiest -

My company is based in Streetsboro, Oh(Cleveland-Akron area).

I would also like to mention that I called DomainDiva earlier, and her intention was not how I interrupted it. She was acutally really nice.

If i mis-interrupted your view as well Luckiest, I apologize again.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

LUCKIEST — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:38:11 GMT

Where are you located (like CIty and State)??

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

Lighthouse24 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:22:55 GMT

Well, I disagree with the first statement in the initial post -- that "disabled" means or implies "unable to work."

"Disabled" literally means "lacking a power." It doesn't mean lacking every power. All of us have certain powers or abilities, and all of us lack certain powers and abilities.

"Disabled" legally means "having a condition that substantially and indefinitely limits one or more major life activities." Conditions include mobility, cognitive, speech, hearing, and visual impairments.

So . . . a person can literally "lack the power to hear" and legally "have a hearing impairment," and still be quite capable of working (or running a business). Is such a person capable of working at or running every type of business? No -- but then, who is?

Success is all about how well we develop and apply the abilities we have.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

designer — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:13:00 GMT

I would imagine there are various types of disabilities. There are some people with no arms but put a paint brush in their mouth and still paint beautiful things. If they had a friend with a Web site, then the person with a disability can still have a business and sell their painting on-line.

Someone might be wheelchair bound and can't get around, but be very good at home on a computer as a technical person.

I guess we would have to know what your disablity is and then we can help you from there to overcome or suggest how to overcome your specific barriers in life with a business and what you'd love to do. Where there is a wlll....there is a way!!!!!

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

intechspecial — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:52:48 GMT

Luckiest,

If I am wrong I offer my apologies.

I would like to hear more about the Board of Independent Living and what it is they do.

Re: Disabled Owned Small Business - Oxymoron?

LUCKIEST — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:37:04 GMT

You are so WRONG
You did reach a person who reaches out to people in my community dealing
with a disability. I am on the Board of the Independent Living.
LUCKIEST