| Background: |
Small businesses are the backbone of America, and according to data from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy, 99.9% of all U.S. businesses are small businesses (Main, 2023; U.S. SBA, 2022). Other statistics include: 1) 8 out of 10 small businesses have no employees and are run by a single owner; 2) 16% of small businesses have between one and 19 employees; and 3) the average salary of a small business owner is 3% above the national average mean wage (Main, 2023). Small businesses can be flexible and adaptable. Many develop around the skills of the owners and are designed to support their way of life and goals. Business activities that the owner cannot or does not want to do can be subcontracted or delegated. All these features make self-employment a good choice for people with disabilities who want to work but are not interested in or do not fit existing jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with disabilities in the general population of the United States in 2022 were more likely to be self-employed than those without a disability (9.5 percent versus 6.1 percent) (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). |
