Thanks, Mary! What a great bunch of groups! I'm going to join up in a few!
Starting a business can be sooooo hard with a disability. I find keeping the books really hard, but that's not such a surprise when you consider that traumatic brain injuries are why I'm disabled. I consider my office assistant to be a disability-related expense!
My particular work (doctor of naturopathy) meets up with a whole ton of regulations and laws, and there are a whole lot of forms to fill out and people to please, so I really can't do it alone. I tried and tried for many years and just spun myself into the ground. I think it's probably common for many people with disabilities to have trouble going into business without any help. Heck, there are days when I can't even read!
Money is one thing that makes it real hard for a lot of us. A disability check doesn't go very far in buying inventory, supplies and all that. Business expenses can really ad up. I find it very important to keep my business and personal finances as far apart as I possibly can, because otherwise I end up not eating just to have money to pay business bills, and that is definitely not a good thing.
Plus another big huge challenge for me in starting a business has been the temptation to spread myself too thin. To keep a house...heck, just to get up and get dressed every day...can be a big enough of a task...plus the yard, the kids, the meals, etc....I found it real hard to get anything done without completely wearing myself out once I added a business into the mix. My particular disability involves being tired anyway. I have brain injuries which brought sleep disorders and fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. My symtoms are exacerbated when I try to do too much at one time, which is something I quite often do. So I have to remember that if I really want to get anything done on a consistent basis, to not try and do it all at one time or I'll be knocked right out of the box, if you know what I mean!
I did massage as part of my work. Well last week I decided to stop. I was starting to build up quite a few regular clients and the income was looking real good, but I couldn't take the physical stress. It was really starting to set me way back so I had to quit. It's important to know your areas of weakness before you commit. Right now I'm focusing on presentations, for instance, and so I have to keep in mind not to wait till the last minute before I prepare. With brain injury that could be bad, because it's easy for me to zone out and not be able to do it at the last minute sometimes. I have to keep that in mind.
I've learned a lot of lessons about how disability can come into play is what I'm trying to say. I think this would be a good thread to talk about things like that. Not only in starting a business, but in working our jobs if we have one. There are a lot of people in the workforce who have disabilities, too. I know I had a disability before I surrendered to the fact I couldn't work a regular job, and trying to work with a disability was a tremendous hardship on me.
Anyways, does anyone else have any comments on this? I think this could be a good thread.
Vibe
I would suggest starting with the Rehabilitative Services Administration. I completed a program through their agency here in my state to help disabled people get started up in their own business, and I got a pretty nice grant.
Many people with disabilities find it easier to run their own business than to work a regular job. I know that's how it is for me. I work here at home where I can control my own environment and the hours I work. It has made all the difference to me!
Social Security does allow some income to be made without taking away. Then after that amount has been reached they let you make so much more with only reducing the check by $1 for every $2 made until a higher amount has been reached. (I'm not sure what the exact numbers are.) When the higer amount is reached, the checks stop at that point, but only on a month to month basis...leaving the option to always slow down. Also, the medical benefits continue straight through until still even more income is made. At that point a person is off the disability program entirely, but they are still legally disabled until their doctor says they are not, because disability is medically, not financially, determined.
Being disabled does not mean you can't own a business or work! It's a big challenge but it's such an empowering choice! Best wishes, Selena...and anyone else on this same path. You definitely ARE in the right place!!!
Vibraceous, ND
See my biz? I was told that NO one with brain injuries could have their own biz, but I do!!! 
Good morning Selena,
This group is not really geared for business ideas as most all of us are either on disability income or waiting for disability income. I am sure that you can other groups on Care2 that are set-up for businesses and you should be able to get some good and helpful ideas. I am sorry that you might not find much helpful info. or ideas on this group and I am not going to delete your post as maybe some members do have some ideas for you. Thank you for joining us and maybe you might something helpful for life issues here or for a loved one.
Hello. I was just wondering do you know anything about starting a business? Are there many rules and many fees? Do you know how I can find out? I have an idea floating in my head and I want to have ideas before I pursue it. Selena
