Long workdays, nights filled with ceiling-gazing, scary financial risks: Entrepreneurs with disabilities experience the same challenges anyone does when launching a startup. Yet people with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be self-employed than people without a disability, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Getting around: ask those who know
Today, startups can tap into markets that have been long underserved, according to Jason DaSilva, creator of AXS Map, which details how accessible venues are to people with mobility disabilities. DaSilva’s launch was borne of his own experience: inadequate information about how to get around with a mobility disability.
DaSilva, who uses a wheelchair, sees a huge, untapped market for services like his. “People with disabilities are 20% of the world’s population,” DaSilva said. “There are many underserved populations. It’s an up-and-coming market.”
That doesn’t mean the journey is easy, though. “I face barriers every day,” he said. “My biggest challenge [now] is scaling up and finding the correct number of people to work with.” His advice for people with disabilities who dream bigger than a routine job? “Don’t bite off more than you can chew,” he said. “Staying on target is the biggest thing. Make sure you remain focused on your idea.”
Getting around: ask those who know
Today, startups can tap into markets that have been long underserved, according to Jason DaSilva, creator of AXS Map, which details how accessible venues are to people with mobility disabilities. DaSilva’s launch was borne of his own experience: inadequate information about how to get around with a mobility disability.
DaSilva, who uses a wheelchair, sees a huge, untapped market for services like his. “People with disabilities are 20% of the world’s population,” DaSilva said. “There are many underserved populations. It’s an up-and-coming market.”
That doesn’t mean the journey is easy, though. “I face barriers every day,” he said. “My biggest challenge [now] is scaling up and finding the correct number of people to work with.” His advice for people with disabilities who dream bigger than a routine job? “Don’t bite off more than you can chew,” he said. “Staying on target is the biggest thing. Make sure you remain focused on your idea.”
Tapping Untapped
Markets &
Dreams
for People With Disabilities
By JoAnne Dyer