[Njabs-talk] NFB/eBay Entrepreneurs Project

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

On September 15, in a joint press release, the NFB and eBay 

announced the NFB/eBay Entrepreneurs Program..

 

We are now seeking blind people who want to participate in this innovative pilot 

program.

 
Business Start Up Pilot

The NFB/eBay Entrepreneur Project is looking for serious entrepreneurs who want to 

create new eBay businesses or expand existing businesses to include eBay 

selling. We will offer successful applicants intensive eBay training and connect 

them with successful blind business people and other experts who will provide 

assistance in specific areas, such as business planning, development, and 

working with accessible accounting software.

 Individuals chosen for the Business Start Up Pilot will take part in an intensive training 

program at the NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore. They will receive 

transportation, lodging, training classes, accessible training materials, and 

ongoing mentorship support.

 If running your own eBay business appeals to you, please write us at entrepreneurs at nfb.org and request an 

Entrepreneur Program package. Your letter of interest should include: 



a resume describing your employment and education history, with particular 

  emphasis on entrepreneurial projects; 

  
a brief description of the product or service you intend to market using 

  eBay; (Is this a completely new enterprise, or are you intending to create an 

  eBay outlet for a business that already exists?) 

  
a basic budget outline. 
Because this is a pilot 

program intended to demonstrate the viability of eBay businesses run by blind 

individuals, we must select from applicants those with the strongest plans and 

the greatest willingness to mentor the blind people who will follow. 


Training the Trainers

 In order to provide opportunity to as many people 

as possible, we will train interested blind people to be eBay certified 

education specialists. EBay Certified Education Specialists are people who buy 

and sell on eBay themselves and want to create a business teaching others how to 

do it. The trainers we train will be equipped to teach other blind people who 

use screen readers; they will also be certified to teach the sighted. With 

ninety-two million people already using eBay and more joining the community 

every day, the business opportunity for anyone who can teach them how to be more 

effective is enormous!

 The Certified Education Specialist training will consist of a program that will take place at the NFB Jernigan 

Institute in Baltimore, plus follow-up individualized support and group 

teleconference training. Those selected for the “Train the 

Trainers” program will receive transportation, lodging, training classes, 

accessible training materials, and ongoing mentorship 

support.

 Is being an eBay Certified Education Specialist for you?

 If you have a deep desire to be of service to 

others, an entrepreneurial spirit, the aptitude to teach, and basic computer 

literacy using screen readers, we want to hear from you. 

Because selling on eBay has not been readily accessible to 

blind people in the past, you will not need to have experience as an eBay seller 

to take part in the first “Train the Trainers” class. However, you will need to 

demonstrate success in buying and selling on eBay in order to graduate and 

receive certification. 

 You will need some ability to use a 

screen reader to access web sites, though it is not necessary to be a screen 

reader power user. 

 
To apply to enter the “train the 

trainers” inaugural class, send a letter to entrepreneurs at nfb.org explaining your 

background, qualifications (particularly your entrepreneurial and/or teaching 

experience), and telling us why you want to become an eBay Certified Education 

Specialist. 

 

Testing the Waters

 

Even if you do not yet have a perfectly developed business plan, we still want to 

hear from you. As eBay trainers receive certification, we will help connect you 

with them so that you can get started on the path to running your own eBay 

business.

Contact entrepreneurs at nfb.org or phone 



Mary Ellen Gabias, coordinator 

NFB/eBay Entrepreneurs 

Project

(410) 878-2660 for further information or an application 

package.




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