Self-Employment Provides Options for Many Iowans

In tough economic times, it can be a struggle to find the right job. For those Iowans with disabilities, finding employment can be an even bigger challenge. However, some people have found they can turn their marketable skills into their own business.

In fact, small businesses, defined for research purposes by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy as less than 500 employees, created 78.9 percent of net new jobs as of the most recent year with data (2005) (1). The very smallest of those businesses - microenterprises - businesses with five or fewer employees and requiring $35,000 or less in start-up capital provide 308,168 jobs to people in Iowa (2) .

Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) is a state agency with the mission of providing expert, individualized services to Iowans with disabilities to achieve independence through successful employment and economic support. The Iowa Self-Employment (ISE) Program, in collaboration with the Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB), has the third highest successful vocational placement for those seeking services at IVRS. See graph of IVRS placements (PDF Document).

How do you know if self-employment is the right choice for you? Your IVRS/IDB counselor can help you find out if you're eligible for IVRS services and provide the resources you need to discover if self-employment is the right strategy for your career success. To be eligible for services you must have a documented physical, emotional or learning condition that affects work and training. Contact IVRS to find the office nearest you, or call us at 515-281-4211 (V/TTY) to be referred to an IVRS counselor in your area. Persons who are blind or severely visually impaired should contact the Iowa Department for the Blind or (toll-free in Iowa): 800-362-2587.

Once you are eligible, an ISE Business Development Specialist will work with you and your counselor to assist you through the process of becoming an entrepreneur. We offer workshops, guidance for starting a new business and support systems for qualified individuals. Those who are eligible for the ISE Program can receive up to $10,000 for technical assistance and/or $10,000 in financial assistance.

"Research continues to show that small businesses and entrepreneurs will play important roles in the economy's eventual recovery through their flexibility and ability to create innovative solutions, new industries and jobs .(3)" The IVRS Self-Employment program has helped Iowans launch 36 new businesses in Iowa. Your chances for a successful venture are enhanced by the expertise of your IVRS counselor and the support and services offered by the Iowa Self-Employment Program. Our clients have found success in a variety of new enterprises. Read about Anna Bradley in Inc. Magazine, Marvin Van Beek, named 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Iowa Commission of Persons with Disabilities, and Carl Fields, owner of The Coffee Barn Roasterie, to learn more about how the ISE Program has helped Iowans become gainfully self-employed.

The ISE Program provides quality, expert, client-centered services to Iowans with disabilities that embraces diversity, promotes successful business ownership and results in self-sufficiency and economic development. For more information about the Iowa Self-Employment Program, see our web site and ask your IVRS/IDB counselor if self-employment is the right option for you!

 

Quick facts about the ISE Program

  • Enables people to work, adding to the local economy.

  • Self employment provides options for persons with disabilities that may not be available in the open market.

  • Currently, 109 consumers are being served statewide by our IVRS Business Development Specialists (active cases).

  • 36 new businesses have been successfully established across Iowa since October 2007.

  • Disabling conditions range from moderate to severe.

  • The average wage for IVRS-assisted business owners was $14.13 an hour in the fiscal year ending 09/30/08.

  • The weekly number of hours worked by IVRS self-employed clients was 32.80 in the fiscal year ending 09/30/08.

(1). Source: Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration, from data provided by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Statistics of U.S. Businesses. Data collection of this type started in 1989 and is only available through 2004. See http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/sbfaq.pdf
(2). Source: Microenterprise in Iowa, statistics derived from U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Commerce 2004 data sources. See http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=149
(3). Source: Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration, The Small Business Economy: A Report To The President, 2009 edition, page 11.