Launching a home-based business can be a great way to earn an income as a disabled parent. Whether you need to be home to care for your kids or you can’t find accommodating employment in your area, nothing will beat the flexibility of being your own boss. As a business owner, you’ll get to work when, how, and wherever you like. And if you have a disability, you can take advantage of all kinds of funding opportunities and business resources to make your professional dreams more attainable. Check out the following tips from PrintingApes to learn more!
Enroll in Online School to Sharpen Your Skills
Not sure how to run a business? Don’t worry! You can learn everything you need to know about business ownership from an online MBA program. Going back to school is a great way to sharpen your business skills and gain confidence as a home-based entrepreneur. At school, you’ll learn about business strategy, management, leadership, self-awareness, self-assessment, and more! Plus, online school is a fantastic alternative to in-person learning for busy parents with disabilities.
Do Market Research
Before moving forward with your business plans, do some market research. Active Campaign explains that market research will help you identify targeted niche groups within your industry who are likely to be interested in your business. By researching these audience groups, you can fine-tune your business idea to serve an unmet need. For example, you might discover other parents with special needs struggle with specific challenges that you can solve with your business.
Access Special Funding
Although home businesses typically don’t require a lot of funding to get started, you might need some financial assistance to get off the ground. Perhaps you need to stock inventory, buy supplies, or invest in marketing. Whatever you need money for, take advantage of special funding opportunities designed for entrepreneurs with disabilities. For example, Chron explains that you may qualify for several small business grants available on databases like Grants.gov, GrantsNet, and FedBizOpps.gov.
You can also try crowdfunding your business. Crowdfunding works particularly well for tech companies, board games, books, unique inventions, and businesses that aim to solve a pressing social problem.
Make Use of Helpful Tech Tools
It can be tough to find time and energy to work on your business when you’re juggling your kids as well as your own needs. Make use of helpful tech tools to streamline your business! For example, you can make use of accounting software to automate time-consuming financial tasks like sending invoices and tracking expenses. Similarly, you can use customer relationship management tools to save time when communicating with customers.
The federal government also provides a wide range of informative resources to help entrepreneurs with disabilities learn about self-employment, business management, and making use of assistive technology. Resources like these can help prospective entrepreneurs overcome any challenges in their way!
Be Authentic and Real
While you don’t have to disclose your disability to your customers, being authentic with your audience is a great way to connect with people who may be interested in your business. For example, if your target customers also have disabilities, they’ll feel more connected to your business brand if you’re open about your own disability. Beyond being transparent about your disability, try to let your authentic personality shine through when interacting with customers.
If you want to start a small business, don’t let anything stop you. Being a parent with a disability can be challenging, but it shouldn’t hold you back from achieving your entrepreneurial dreams. With the right educational opportunities, informational resources, and tech tools, anyone can launch a business!
Are you ready to market your new business? PrintingApes offers custom printing services so you can create branded banners, displays, signs, vinyl graphics, apparel, accessories, and more! Check out our website to learn more!