These Entrepreneurs Are Paving The Way For Founders With Disabilities

Hoby Wedler calls himself a “non-visual, sensory guide to all the greatest things life has to offer.” Wedler, 37, who was born blind, is an organic chemist who earned his PhD from the University of California before becoming a product development expert in the food and beverage space. The serial entrepreneur, a former Forbes 30 Under 30, pioneered Tasting in the Dark, a blindfolded food-and-beverage experience; co-founded marketing firm SensPoint and a partner in Emotitech, a company that helps clients to design more human technology.

New York City-based sommelier Yannick Benjamin is co-founder of Contento Restaurant in East Harlem, N.Y., and Beaupierre Wines & Spirits, a shop in Hell’s Kitchen. After being paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident at age 25, he also became an advocate for people with disabilities. He’s co-founder and director of development at Wheeling Forward, an advocacy organization that develops innovative fitness programs for people with spinal cord injuries.

Nina Bektic-Marrero, who is legally blind, founded the consulting and training firm PM Excellence after a career in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as a program manager. She also teaches project management at the City University of New York and serves as a director of the American Academy of Project Management.

These three entrepreneurs came together to offer insight on how to build a thriving business while living with disabilities at the New York Public Library on Nov. 4 in a livestream panel, “Entrepreneurial Success: Disability is No Barrier.”

Finding traditional jobs is challenging for many people with disabilities—with 87% not participating in the paid labor force, according to 2022 research by the National Disability Institute. A lack of physical accommodations, limited workplace flexibility and discrimination all contribute to high unemployment.

Some workers with disabilities are now following the lead of entrepreneurs like Wedler, Benjamin and Bektic-Marrero and designing their own careers as small business owners. There are now 1.8 million people with disabilities running businesses, according to the National Disability Institute. Running a business can be a better option for those with the entrepreneurial spirit than a traditional job. Entrepreneurs with disabilities earned 14% more, on average than counterparts with disabilities in salaried jobs, according to 2024 findings from the SBA Office of Advocacy.

That said, entrepreneurs with disabilities face unique challenges. I had the opportunity to learn how Wedler, Benjamin and Bektic-Marrero are navigating them and finding success in their careers as a volunteer moderator for the panel. Here are some of the key takeaways.

Define your own potential. “I can choose to view disability as a limitation I choose to reject, that I will not involve myself in,” says Bektic-Marrero. “I choose to make sure people understand the only difference between me and them is I have a unique perspective.”

Be your own biggest champion. While there are many people who will help a new entrepreneur with mentoring and resources, motivation has to come from within. “Nobody should be more excited for your journey than you are,” said Bektic-Marrero.

Have a solid plan for your career. Building a business takes intention, and, given that a disability may bring some detours, it is important to do your homework, create a plan—and then act on it quickly, according to Bektic-Marrero. “Your life is like a vehicle, and you have to hold that steering wheel and figure out the direction you want to go,” Bektic-Marrero said.

Even with a plan, stay ready for “re-routing,” she added. “You’re not going to have a perfect plan…and then you’ll adjust things as you’re driving that vehicle, called your company,” she said.

Cultivate persistence. Benjamin grew up in the hospitality business, learning how to run eateries from his parents, restaurateurs in France. After his accident, he noticed how few people he saw in his field with similar disabilities—and realized he’d have to forge his own path.

“Certainly, trying to navigate the world of hospitality with a disability was not an easy thing to do—only for the fact that it’s not a very common thing, unfortunately, and it should be—but through time, through trial and error, persist and resist. I was able to navigate it,” he said.

Partner with people who have complementary skills.” I have no illusions—I simply cannot do everything,” says Benjamin. “Climbing up the ladder and changing a light bulb or carrying 2 or 3 wine cases is going to be challenging without a doubt. And so hopefully…I’ve worked on other skill sets, knowing that other people don’t have them, and I can complement them.”

See yourself as a problem-solver. People with disabilities often have to think ahead about how they will navigate challenges that might not exist for able-bodied people. That ability can become a career strength, according to Wedler. “As people with disabilities, we are problem solvers, “Wedler said. “If you live in an able-bodied world with a disability, you figure out how to do things. If I need to figure out how to cross a really confusing intersection myself, I use my ears, and I get across.”

Wedler has found this problem-solving has helped him grow his business. “Even if times are extremely challenging, I’m being pushed to figure out new things and new ways to run the business,” said Wedler. “And that’s when it feels so good to get out there and problem-solve.

Prove exceptional value. Being underestimated is a challenge that many people with disabilities face. Rather than try to make your case to doubters, advised Wedler, “Show, don’t tell. Just work hard. Show them what we can do. It’s amazing how you can turn those expectations over, and turn them right around.”

Embrace a collaborative mindset. Networking is essential for anyone in business, but it can be challenging for people who are not able to drive or easily leave their homes. Wedler has found that the AI-powered “superconnector” Lunch Club is a good way to meet potential collaborators. “The biggest gift I offer my clients is not the services I provide,” says Wedler. “It’s the network I have and the connections I make for them.”

Practice social accessibility. Whether a business owner has disabilities or not, there are opportunities to help people with disabilities feel welcome, Benajmin pointed out. “We talk a lot about making sure that the actual business is ADA compliant, making sure the doors are wide enough, making sure we have grab bars, adaptive flatware, all really important things right?” Benjamin said. “But sometimes we forget about actually, how do we serve people who have a disability, whether it’s people who are part of the low-vision, blind community, hard of hearing, those with intellectual disabilities? I think that’s something that’s certainly not discussed enough. And that’s something we can all certainly practice, no matter how old the building is, or how limited our funds are.”