6 Reasons Why Self-Employment Benefits Disabled Individuals
By: Zoey Schvan
Hello there, lovely Whimble readers! I’m always happy to share stories about my work, and am super honoured to be here!
When you’re disabled, your life can look and feel very different from those who aren’t. Maintaining a full-time workload can be challenging due to unique needs. Today I shall be discussing six different reasons why being an entrepreneur can make life so much easier when you are a disabled person.
1. Flexibility with Scheduling
As mentioned above, working a typical 9-5 job can be quite demanding when it comes to scheduling. For example, someone with a chronic illness may have regular medical appointments they need to attend. While employers can offer time off, it can feel daunting for the disabled employee to ask. If a disabled person is self-employed, they are then able to create their own schedule based on their needs.
This also comes into play with certain conditions that might make morning hours more challenging. When this is the case, afternoon and/or evening hours can be a business owner’s work hours.
Lastly, when it comes to flexibility with working hours, another important aspect is the location of said work. For so long, the disabled population begged to be able to work remotely, and this suddenly (miraculously) became possible back when Covid started. Even though sadly these possibilities are going away, as an entrepreneur, you can still choose where you work. As insignificant as it may seem to some people, this accommodation means a world of difference to us disabled folk.
2. Client Choices
We are all familiar with that boss or colleague that just doesn’t seem to like us. We all have to deal with challenging people in our lives, but when we have to work with them every day, it can make the environment so much less enjoyable. Many medical conditions are negatively impacted by stress and anxiety, which would be all too common in this workplace scenario. When someone has their own business, they have much more flexibility when it comes to choosing clients.
This also rings true for making connections of any kind, whether it be for specific projects, or even just for networking. Creating bonds with like-minded people can be one of the most powerful parts of entrepreneurship.
3. Financial Independence
Many disabled individuals receive income assistance from the government, which can be extremely limiting when it comes to income allowances. Maintaining either full or part-time work can create confusing and problematic situations with organizations such as the Ontario Disability Support Program. While this should not be the case, it sadly is our reality right now. However, when someone is self-employed, they can set their own fees, decide where to spend their income, and have much more financial independence.
4. Fun
This one, in my opinion, is the biggest plus of being an entrepreneur. I always tell my clients to make sure they are starting their business in an area they’re passionate about. When this is the case, you will basically have an excuse to constantly be focused on your passion. It’s a cliche, but it's true that if you do something you enjoy, you’ll never really feel like you're working.
While this is definitely an advantage for any entrepreneur, disabled or not, it truly has a positive impact on your health when you are not constantly stressed or anxious. Yay for non-stressed disabled people!
5. Unique Perspectives
People who have disabilities also have their own unique experiences and perspectives. In the workforce, these are often overlooked due to ableism. We are either not hired or not heard for so many different reasons. When we run our own show, our voice has a better chance of getting out there. We can be as loud as we want, whether that be in advocacy or in any other area.
6. Confidence
Here comes my last point, and I do believe I saved one of the best for last. Owning your own business, your own schedule, location and passion, can be a real confidence boost for any average Joe. Throw into the equation all the ableism and inaccessibility we face on a daily basis, and counteract it with running your own business, and the sky really feels like it’s the limit.
If you think entrepreneurship could make your disabled life easier, you can always reach out to me for one-on-one or group coaching!
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Header image (group of people at a table) via Pixabay by HANSUAN FABREGAS
Hi! My name is Zoey Schvan, I’m a 33-year-old disabled entrepreneurship coach based in Ottawa. I have a super rare condition called familial dysautonomia (FD), which is a progressive disorder that affects my nervous system. I’ve had this my whole life, and am very proud to be able to share my journey with my fellow disabled entrepreneurs, in the hopes that it may help them in any way. I work with my clients at whatever part of their entrepreneurial journey they may be.
Apart from this, I also offer content writing services and do advocacy work for the disabled community.
Instagram / Twitter : @zoeyschvan
