[nabentre] Entrepreneurship training, business grants and loans for blind entrepreneurs

Fri Feb 24 14:12:05 UTC 2012

Thanks all for your valuable input and suggestions.  I'll definitely
look into all the resources you mention.
Have any of you or disabled entrepreneurs you know tried obtaining
small loans from microfinance institution?
The impression I am getting from your responses is that if you have
tax-returns documents, receipts, good business plans, there are many
business grants or financial support opportunities for blind
entrepreneurs at the state level. Would that be a fair statement?
Thanks again.
Phil

On 2/23/12, Zeeshan Khan <zeek786 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Please check out many different crorwdfunding companies that help start ups
> such as kickstarter and such or go to crowdsourcing. org for more companies
> there.
>
> On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 1:38 PM, cheryl echevarria <
> cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Being a business owner here on Long Island, I have applied for grants, but
>> never gotten one. I applied for a bank loan, but you must be in business
>> over 2 years to qualify for one, and show them all taxes and receipts, all
>> spending that you did on the business.  You can google grants for your
>> type
>> of business, I also applied as a woman owned business, as a disabled
>> person.  I also applied to the CBVH here in NY State for funds, but you
>> must submit to them a business plan, and show them receipts for everything
>> and they will reimburse you on it.  It also has to be an approved item, if
>> it is not then they won't pay for it.
>> Try the small business organization in your town and state and see what
>> they have to offer.
>> Cheryl Echevarria
>>
>> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
>>
>> Cheryl Echevarria
>> http://www.echevarriatravel.com
>> 631-456-5394
>> reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>>
>> For daily updates read our blog at
>> http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
>>
>> > From: gabias at telus.net
>> > To: nabentre at nfbnet.org
>> > Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:42:16 -0800
>> > Subject: Re: [nabentre] Entrepreneurship training,    business grants
>> and  loans for blind entrepreneurs
>> >
>> > The answer to your question depends in part on what sort of business
>> you're
>> > planning.  The Small Business Administration (in theory) has loans and
>> > grants, but the competition is fierce!  They can put you in contact with
>> > SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives.  SCORE members offer
>> help in
>> > creating a business plan and have been known to help entrepreneurs find
>> > funding sources.
>> >
>> > Remember that vocational rehabilitation also provides funding for
>> business
>> > start ups.  If you can create a strong case and do your homework, you
>> > can
>> > get funding from your state agency.  Many rehabilitation counselors have
>> a
>> > background in social services rather than business, so it's extremely
>> > important that you do the leg work in developing your business plan.
>> > The
>> > more developed your plan, the more likely you are to get it funded.
>> >
>> > I know of a man who is doing sales on eBay.  He wanted to expand his
>> > business but needed money to purchase more inventory to sell.  He has
>> > contacts in the liquidation business; he could purchase quantities of
>> > discontinued products that have resale value.  Unfortunately, those
>> > items
>> > are available immediately or not at all.  By the time a purchase order
>> could
>> > be obtained from state government, the items in question would have been
>> > long gone.
>> >
>> > So this man got creative. He asked the state to buy him packing tape;
>> lots
>> > and lots of packing tape.  Packing tape never goes on clearance and is a
>> > fairly stably priced retail item.  So the state bought him several
>> thousand
>> > dollars worth of packing tape; because of the quantity involved, it was
>> > available at a discount.  Then the man sold the tape on eBay to help
>> other
>> > sellers in their business.  He was able to sell it for less than the
>> > item
>> > would cost in a store, even with shipping.  He saved all the money he
>> > received from selling packing tape and had it available as cash to use
>> when
>> > fantastic liquidation deals became available.
>> >
>> > I'm not suggesting that you ask your state to buy you truckloads of
>> packing
>> > tape.  I'm suggesting that creative thinking may be required if you're
>> going
>> > to apply for rehabilitation help with your new business.
>> >
>> > If you check on the web, a number of sites promise to pitch your idea to
>> > potential investors.  Though such links can be very useful, I urge you
>> > to
>> > investigate carefully before you entrust your business ideas to them.
>>  Like
>> > any other sort of business, there are a few fraud artists mixed in with
>> the
>> > honorable people.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On
>> > Behalf Of Brad Dunsé
>> > Sent: February 23, 2012 4:14 AM
>> > To: NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List
>> > Subject: Re: [nabentre] Entrepreneurship training, business grants and
>> loans
>> > for blind entrepreneurs
>> >
>> > Hadley has the Forsythe Center, an
>> > on-line  modular course on various aspects of business. I've not taken
>> any
>> > myself. But you can find it at www.hadley.edu
>> >
>> >
>> > Brad
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On 2/23/2012  05:55 AM Philip S said...
>> > >Hi group,
>> > >My name is Phil.  I am an entrepreneur, and was wondering what types of
>> > >resources are available to help blind entrepreneurs start their
>> > >business?  Are there entrepreneurship training program, business grant,
>> > >business loans specifically for people with disabilities that you are
>> > >aware of?  What are your opinions of these programs? Have you thought
>> > >about getting a grant or loan and where have you tried?
>> > >Thanks!
>> > >Phil
>> > >
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>> > >music.com
>> >
>> >
>> > Brad Dunsé
>> >
>> > "If you can get to a bridge within 2.5 minutes from where ever you are
>> > at
>> > the moment...
>> > You might be a songwriter." --Capt'n Frank
>> >
>> > http://www.braddunsemusic.com
>> >
>> > http://www.facebook.com/braddunse
>> >
>> > http://www.twitter.com/braddunse
>> >
>> >
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>
> --
> Zeeshan Khan
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