Entrepreneurial spirit built of necessity

Finding a job can be difficult, and if you have a disability it’s even harder because of persistent workplace discrimination.

But people with a disability are increasingly taking control of their own lives, building their entrepreneurial skills and establishing their own enterprises.

Australians with disabilities are more likely than other Australians to be self-employed or entrepreneurs. About 13.1 per cent of people with disability are self-employed or entrepreneurs compared with only 9.2 per cent of non-disabled Australians.

Our research shows that one reason for the success of people with disabilities in self-employment is that fewer other opportunities have been open to them.

In total only 53.4 per cent of Australians with disabilities manage to find employment compared with 84.1 per cent of the non-disabled population.

Internationally, Australia ranks 21 out of 29 among OECD nations for the employment of people with disabilities.

Self-employment was the only option I had left. Workplaces say they're all about inclusion but in reality only a very short list of disabilities are welcome.

Like other disadvantaged Australians, including refugees and Indigenous Australians, those with disabilities view starting their own business as a way of creating their own jobs.

For the first national study of entrepreneurs with disability, an Australian Research Council linkage project supported by Settlement Services International, National Disability Services and BreakThru People Solutions, we interviewed 60 such entrepreneurs and surveyed a further 160. We found that, denied other opportunities, they had become frustrated, dejected and desperate to engage with the economy.

As one put it: “Hah! Choice had nothing to do with it. I tried to fit into traditional structured workplaces for several years, but it never worked. Across eight plus workplaces I have been bullied, undervalued, underpaid and even told to "work on fixing" my disability because it was inconvenient for someone.

“Self-employment was the only option I had left. Workplaces say they're all about inclusion but in reality only a very short list of disabilities are welcome.”

Many had experienced employer discrimination.

“I was waiting in the waiting room and overheard the people who were about to interview me; there were two people. The man said, "Oh, don't worry about the next interview, we're only doing it to be seen to be doing the right thing".

The barriers they faced setting up their own business were considerable, including access to finance, space, transport and, owing to previous discrimination, a lack of confidence in their own abilities.

Against this they were blessed with considerable assets that helped them succeed, among them innovative problem-solving skills, flexibility, tenacity, a sense of humour, preparedness to seek assistance, grace under pressure, and creativity.

Many had juggled salaried jobs while developing their start-ups and pivoted their business plans while refining ideas.

Like entrepreneurs everywhere, they want to network and seek out mentors.

“Whether it be Facebook groups or Slack channels, that’s how I keep in touch with lots of people and Twitter as well, LinkedIn, always asking people that I am talking to, meeting people at entrepreneurial events, 'Can you introduce me to someone?'. Building my network that way has really helped me.”

They pointed to considerable benefits from self-employment, including enhanced meaning in life, opportunities to contribute, self-esteem, and a wider range of relationships with people in the community.

“I’m very happy with the lifestyle. You know, how are we going to measure lifestyle? If I’d stayed in the banking industry and just plodded along, and was still there now, I’d be way, way, way better off financially, but that’s not the best measure.”

They shared a need to be positively regarded for their inherent abilities, skills and expertise, and their human potential, rather than through the lens of ableist norms, deficits and negative stereotypes.

No doubt many are struggling to survive the COVID-19 downturn as are other self-employed Australians. Our post COVID-19 survey identified a median -19.5 per cent downturn on turnover in their businesses.

But as our surveys and interviews show, entrepreneurs with a disability have a determination and resilience that can help them through tough times.

What would help is a more systematic approach to supporting people with disability set up a business and create their own jobs.

Of 44 mainstream accelerator and incubator programs identified from the StartUp Muster, only three identified any form of disability inclusion.

Hence the need for better inclusion in mainstream programs, and for programs like IgniteAbility that are tailored to support individuals with disability to provide a start-off point for their entrepreneurial journey.

We also need to harness the potential for the NDIS to incorporate education, self-employment and entrepreneurial initiatives within plans, if we want innovation and entrepreneurship to flourish.

Professor of Social Inclusion Simon Darcy, Professor of Social Economics Jock Collins and Research Fellow Dr Megan Stronach, from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Business School.

This opinion piece was first published on the Sydney Morning Herald's 'The Lowdown'. Read the original article.

Originally published 11 November 2020