Urban Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Project

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Urban Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Project
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Independent Living Principles

• Consumer Control
• Making Choices
• Taking Risks
• Accepting Responsibility

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Services offered through UEDP

• One-on-one consulting to develop a business idea
• Referral to other programs and services (ILRC or
  other)
• Business development resource library
• Introductory workshops and seminars

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Services offered through UEDP

• Access to training in small business management
• Assistance in preparing a business plan
• Access to loans at reasonable rates
• Follow up consulting after the business has been
  established

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UEDP Program Structure
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Advantages of Self-Employment

• Flexible work hours
• Contribute to your community
• Learn new skills
• Do something you love
• Gain self-confidence

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Advantages of Self-Employment

• Be your own boss
• Financial independence
• Can hire who you like
• Tax Breaks
• Make your dream a reality

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Advantages of Self-Employment

• Meet new people
• Take control of your life
• Provide a needed product or service
• Control your work environment

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Challenges of Self-Employment

• Long hours, hard work
• Stress
• Isolation
• Maintaining your health
• Financial security?

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Challenges of Self-Employment

• Discrimination
• Need for self-discipline
• Dealing with difficult customers or suppliers
• Lack of needed skills
• Business failure

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Challenges of Self-Employment

• Difficulty finding good staff
• Lack of financing
• Not enough time and energy for family or friends
• No benefits (holidays, health insurance, etc.)
• Impact on other income

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Top Reasons Why Businesses Fail

• General Business Factors
• 78 - Lack of a well developed business plan
• 73 - Overly optimistic sales predictions, or
  start-up costs

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Top Reasons Why Businesses Fail

• 70 - Not recognizing, or ignoring what they
  dont do well and not seeking help from those who
  do.
• 63 - Insufficient relevant and applicable
  business experience.

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Top Reasons Why Businesses Fail

• Financial Factors
• 82 - Poor cash flow management skills
• 79 - Not enough start-up money.
• 77 - Not pricing properly

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Top Reasons Why Businesses Fail

• Human Resource Factors
• 58 Inability to delegate properly -
  micro-managing work given to others or over
  delegating important responsibilities.
• 56 Hiring the wrong people lack of skills,
  friends, family, etc.

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The Loan Review Committee

• The committee is made up representatives from
• Assiniboine Credit Union
• The Womens Enterprise Centre
• A Community Member
• ILRCs Board of Directors
• ILRC Consumers

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The Loan Review Committee

• Reviews business plans submitted for financing,
  and making their recommendations to the ILRC
  Board of Directors.
• Meets as required, and reviews plans submitted to
  them a week before the committee meeting.

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How Does the Loan Review Committee Examine a
Business Plan?

• The cash-flow must indicate that enough profits
  will be generated to repay the loan and expenses.
• The management of the business must be handled by
  those with experience, capability, and know-how.
• The entrepreneurs disability must be accounted
  for in the business plan financially
  practically.

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Other Business Resources

• Canada/Manitoba Business Resource Centre
• Statistics Canada
• SEED Winnipeg
• Womens Enterprise Centre
• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services
• Manitoba Business Start Program
• Aboriginal Business Canada
• The Louis Riel Foundation
• The Jubilee Fund

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April 1, 2004 - March 31, 2005

• 200 Inquiries
• Information sessions
• Waived Fees at WEC
• Partner MB Business Start (14)
• 120 Inquiry meetings
• Marketing
• SEED Training(12)

• One to One Training (10)
• Referrals
• Workshops and Seminars
• 3 new businesses
• 2 business expansions
• 8 jobs created

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Since 1998

• 850 inquiries
• 20 businesses started
• 3 business operating with loans
• 6 business operating without a loan
• 35 business plans submitted

• 57 partner meetings
• Liasions created with various business resources
  both inside and outside of Winnipeg
• Numerous requests for workshops

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At Present

• 5 business close to loan review
• 2 businesses aiming to open without a loan
• 35 consumers
• Peer Support Group
• Monthly Information Sessions

• Monthly workshops
• Receiving approx 5 new inquires per week
• Meeting approx 10 new consumers monthly
• Developing new business resourses.