Disability Owned Podcast

National Disability Institute
  • 5.0 (1)
  • NON-PROFIT

Welcome to the Disability Owned podcast series. This series will highlight information and resources, including entrepreneurial support programs, from the small business support ecosystem. Each podcast will feature information on strategies, programs, and resources to inform entrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities. The content was developed under a U.S. Department of Education grant H421F240198 and does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department.

  1. JAN 18

    Season Four Episode 4: Redefining Purpose Through Entrepreneurship: Veterans, Disability, and Opportunity

    In this episode, Gary Shaheen, Ph.D., Director for Mental Health Initiatives at the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, is joined by Misty Fox, Director of Entrepreneurship & Small Business at the D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Together, they spotlight entrepreneurship as a powerful pathway to independence, purpose, and renewed identity for Veterans with disabilities. The conversation explores the transformative impact of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), highlighting how the program equips Veterans with the tools, training, and confidence needed to launch their own ventures. Listeners will gain insight into how entrepreneurship can help Veterans redefine their futures and build meaningful, self-directed lives beyond service.

    24 min

  2. JAN 18

    Season Four Episode 3: ABLE Accounts Made Simple: Tools for Financial Confidence and Entrepreneurship

    In this episode, Nikki Powis, Director of Small Business Programs at the National Disability Institute, is joined by Jody Ellis, Director of the ABLE National Resource Center, for a clear and practical conversation about ABLE accounts. Jody breaks down everything listeners need to know—from eligibility requirements and how to open the right account to understanding qualified expenses and how ABLE accounts interact with Social Security benefits. The discussion also explores how ABLE accounts can support entrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities, along with where to find trusted resources and guidance. Whether you're new to ABLE or looking to make the most of your account, this episode offers actionable insights to help you take greater control of your financial future.

    27 min

  3. JAN 18

    Season Four Episode 2: Empowerment in Action: Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs to Thrive

    In this episode, Caroline Bolas, Small Business Specialist at the National Disability Institute, sits down with Stephanie Swanson, an ICF-credentialed coach and founder of The Empower Network. Stephanie shares her personal journey into entrepreneurship and the mission driving her work to support disabled business owners. Together, they explore the real challenges disabled entrepreneurs face—from accessing funding to finding meaningful mentorship—while also highlighting powerful success stories from The Empower Network. Listeners will gain practical, encouraging advice and a deeper understanding of how community, coaching, and intentional support can help disabled entrepreneurs not just start businesses, but truly thrive.

    29 min

  4. JAN 18

    Season Four Episode 1: When Creativity Meets Opportunity: Supporting Disability-Owned Businesses

    In this episode, Caroline Bolas, Small Business Specialist at the National Disability Institute, is joined by Sue Babin, Special Projects Coordinator at the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council, along with Rachel Rasnick, owner of Rachel Rasnick Art and More, and her mother, Karen Rasnick. Together, they explore how entrepreneurship can open doors, build confidence and skills, and create meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities. The conversation highlights the joy of creative business ownership, the essential role of family support, and the importance of inclusive policies that center disability-led businesses. Listeners will hear practical advice, hopeful visions for the future, and concrete ways to support and champion disability-owned enterprises in their own communities.

    29 min

  5. 09/23/2024

    Season Three Episode 6: Invisible Strengths: The Hidden Advantage in Today's Workforce

    In this episode, guest Mariah Barber, Founder and CEO of Invisible Strengths, is interviewed by host Caroline Bolas, Small Business Specialist at NDI. Drawing on her own experiences, Mariah  provides insights into the challenges that individuals with disabilities, especially those with intersecting identities, can face when trying to find employment. Listeners will learn why it benefits employers to be more inclusive, the steps that both employers and job seekers can take and where to find resources and support.

    30 min

  6. 09/23/2024

    Season Three Episode 5: Creative Minds, Innovative Solutions: Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs Speak

    In this episode, guests Lilian Aluri of The Nerdware Store and J Li of Prototype Thinking Labs are interviewed by host Lydia X.Z. Brown, Director of Public Policy at NDI. his episode features a conversation with two neurodivergent small business owners. Lilian Aluri started her art business, The Nerdware Store, at the beginning of 2021 to share whimsical and fandom-inspired designs with fellow nerds. Her anxiety and depression have shaped much of her adult life and inform her artistic and professional pursuits. J Li is the creator and Senior Partner of Prototype Thinking Labs, a specialized innovation consultancy based in the San Francisco Bay Area. J draws from her experience as a disabled business leader to reinvent the design and innovation process and make work itself more user-friendly for the people doing it.

    47 min

  7. 09/23/2024

    Season Three Episode 4: The Neurodivergent Advantage: Unique Perspectives in Business Leadership

    In this episode, guests Elayne Otstot of Singing River Consulting and Dr. Karissa Burnett of Divergent Pathways are interviewed by host Lydia X.Z. Brown, Director of Public Policy at NDI. The conversation delves into the experiences of two neurodivergent small business owners. Elayne shares insights from her accessibility and communications consultancy, which focuses on disability inclusion and project management for nonprofits and creatives. Dr. Burnett discusses her journey as a psychologist and entrepreneur, highlighting the establishment of her neurodiversity-affirming private practice in 2021. Together, they explore the challenges and triumphs of running businesses as neurodivergent individuals, offering valuable perspectives on inclusion and entrepreneurship in their respective fields.

    49 min

  8. 09/23/2024

    Season Three Episode 3: From Job Seeker to Change Maker: Dr. Kirk Adams on Transforming Workplace Inclusion

    Dr. Kirk Adams Consultant, Inspiration Foundation, is interviewed by host Nikki Powis, Director, Small Business Programs, NDI. Dr. Adams has been a Blind job seeker, an employee in corporate America facing challenges around accommodation and discrimination and an employer of people who are Blind and DeafBlind. He has a PhD in Leadership and Change and wants to make it easier for the next Blind person to gain early work experience, build skills and find meaningful employment. He shares the things that helped him along the way and the work he is currently doing to help the next generation.

    24 min
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About

Welcome to the Disability Owned podcast series. This series will highlight information and resources, including entrepreneurial support programs, from the small business support ecosystem. Each podcast will feature information on strategies, programs, and resources to inform entrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities. The content was developed under a U.S. Department of Education grant H421F240198 and does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department.

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