Making business ownership a reality

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http://www.patriciaebauer.com/making-business-ownership-a-reality

Making business ownership a reality

Published

in Down Syndrome News, Volume 30, Number 6. Reprinted with permission of the

author and the National Down Syndrome Congress (www.ndsccenter.org).

By Martha Blue-Banning

Research Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

When our son, , graduated from public school eight years ago, our vision

for his future included competitive employment in the community. We never, ever

dreamed, however, that would one day be a successful business owner.

had several jobs in the community before and just after he graduated at

age 21 from the public school system. Most of these jobs were in fast-food

restaurants — not because enjoyed this type of employment, but because

those were the jobs that were available in our town.

We learned, over time, that the employee turnover rate is extremely high in

the fast-food business — both for employees and supervisors. The constant

supervisor “revolving door” was particularly difficult for .

Each time his supervisor changed, was at the mercy of the new

supervisor’s personality and perceptions of individuals with

disabilities. His last supervisor made the job especially unpleasant.

When was in junior high, we used a process called Group Action Planning

(GAP) to begin his transition planning outside of school. This process involves

a group of family, friends, and professionals forming a reliable alliance for

the purpose of realizing a vision for an individual with a disability. We

called this group of people, ’s “GAP.”

’s GAP met on a regular basis in our home for over seven years. At

the time, we had no idea what a profound impact this informal group of family,

friends, and professionals would have on ’s life. During one meeting,

and his GAP brainstormed about employment options other than fast-food

work. One GAP member knew that our state’s Developmental Disabilities

Council* offered small business grants as microenterprise startup funds for individuals

with developmental disabilities.

Everyone in the GAP became excited about this possibility, so at the same

meeting we began to explore possible types of businesses that matched

’s strengths and interests and that might have an open niche in our

community.

We talked about ’s characteristics, strengths and abilities that

might affect what kind of job was the best match for him. is not a morning

person. His interests include uniforms, physical activity and drinking sodas.

likes to be around lots of people and have variety in his work tasks.

Given these characteristics, we eventually chose the vending business. Once

we made this decision, our conversation turned to where the machines would be

placed. Another GAP member suggested the new health facility that was being

built near the local hospital. Three health organizations, including public

health, would occupy the building. We guessed that the mission of these three

organizations would be in alignment with what we were trying to do, so we agreed

that the health facility would be a good place to begin.

I later met with the directors of the three organizations. I explained about

’s potential business and asked if they would be interested in

placing vending machines in their break rooms if the grant was funded. The

directors were enthusiastic about the idea and provided us with letters of

support that we could include in ’s grant application.

Our next steps included researching the vending machine business and talking

with people in our region who had experience in the profession. By this time,

we were convinced that this was a job that would enjoy and succeed at.

After we obtained a council grant application, we made an appointment with

our local small business development center to get help in writing the business

plan. The center provided essential guidance in writing a detailed description

of ’s proposed business and its goals. That business plan:

• explained the business ownership and legal structure;

• identified the skills and experience that we brought to the

business;

• described the products and service the business would offer; and

• identified the specific niche for vending products/service in our

community.

The plan described our marketing plan, the financial management (e.g.,

monthly operating budget, accounting methodology), and the operations plan

(e.g., the day-to-day management, necessary equipment, and purchase/delivery of

the sodas/snacks). The grant required “in-kind” support, which were

resources that have cash value that we would provide. Our in-kind support

included:

• use of a van to pick up and transport products to service machines;

• van maintenance and insurance;

• storage facility and utilities for vending products (’s

house);

• telephone service (’s telephone);

• refrigerator (’s refrigerator);

• accounting services (his dad’s job); and

• training support to ’s job coach (his mom’s job).

Approximately six weeks after the grant was submitted, we received word that

it had been funded and ’s Vending Service was born!

One of our first steps after the grant was funded was to form a corporation

to shelter the money his business earned until the business grew large enough

to replace the federal benefits he would lose when his assets became too great.

The business income is reinvested in the corporation to fund business expansion

until the vending company is large enough to support ’s living

expenses.

has now owned ’s Vending Service for seven years and the

business has doubled in size. We’ve become more

“professional” and even have a business logo (designed by

’s brother-in-law, who is a graphic designer) embroidered on shirts

and hats for and his job coach.

While we have not advertised, the business has grown from six machines to 12

(six soda machines and six snack machines) by word of mouth. The community has

been extremely supportive of the business.

In addition to the health facility, now has machines at city hall, the

city airport, a fire station, and a fraternity on campus. now stocks the

soda machines with little support. The snack machines are more complex and more

difficult to stock.

Over the past seven years, we have learned many “lessons.” We

learned the hard way that the sodas have to be stored out of the van in extreme

weather (freezing weather in winter and heat in summer).

One job coach left the van filled with newly purchased sodas outside in the

sun all afternoon in 100-degree heat. Thirty cases of exploding sodas make

quite a mess!

We learned that soda machines are easier to maintain and are more profitable

than snack machines. Snacks go out of date much more quickly than sodas and, at

times, this has created expensive losses.

We learned that good job coaches are hard to find and that we are the

substitute job coach when a regular coach is ill or quits. We’ve been

thrilled to watch establish friendships with many employees at the

organizations where his machines are placed.

We’ve learned that is really the business’s best public

relations representative. And probably the biggest lesson we’ve learned

is to not underestimate ’s capabilities.

In taking this giant leap into the business world, we moved into unchartered

territory for us. Because we took the risk, today gives back to his

community and pays taxes just like every other businessman. For the first time

ever, he has a job he enjoys, with friends who take time to stop and talk in

every facility where he has a vending machine.

Everywhere goes, he meets another friend; and those friends have

resulted in providing more business opportunities than we ever imagined he

would have. Like every dream, making the business a reality began with the

first step and lots of work and help from our reliable allies and others in the

community. It’s working — and so is .

* Every state has a developmental disability council. The council’s

task is to identify the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities in

their state and to develop ways to meet those needs. To find your state’s

council, visit www.nacdd.org/pages/councils.htm.

** Small Business Development Centers are a part of the U.S. Small Business

Administration. They offer management assistance to current and prospective

small business ownership. To find a center in your region, visit

www.sba.gov/localresources/index.html.

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