Small Business Idea for People With Disabilities: Handmade Crafts From Home

For people with disabilities, managing a handmade crafts business at the comfort of their own home might help pave the way toward financial stability. 

Image from freepik

Eventually, once the startup, home-based business gets more and more established, it might afford financial freedom for people with disabilities. 

In time, people with disabilities managing small businesses can be included among a sector that's an asset to society.

Classifications of Disabilities

A disability can range from mild to moderate to severe. According to Republic Act (RA) 7277, a disability can fall into any of the following categories: 

• psychosocial disability
• mental disability 
• disability due to chronic illnesses 
• visual disability 
• orthopedic disability 
• learning disability

How Do You Define A Person With Disability (PWD)?

Regardless of level of severity and classification of disability, a person with disability is someone whose disability affects him physically, mentally, or socially.

There are people who, in spite of being afflicted with a disability, are doing their best to cope. 

They may have adjusted or altered, or completely modified, their lifestyles. 

If they have remained functional, they can opt to start a handmade crafts business from home as an alternative to employment. 

What Advantages Can A Person With Disability Gain From Managing A Handmade Crafts Business From Home? 

Low overhead expenses 

Since a handmade crafts business can be managed from home, a person with disability can set up a workspace at a corner of her bedroom, a craft room, a basement or den. 

A person with disability doesn't need to maintain a brick-and-mortar store and keep track of a large inventory. 

And while a person with disability must factor in the costs of utility, he can do meal preps in his own kitchen and not think about expenses for everyday commute.  

People with disabilities can comparison shop for craft materials of good quality at the most affordable prices

People with disabilities can shun buying craft materials from department stores or highly commercialized shopping spaces.

There's just as wide a variety of craft materials from lesser known stores that specialize on crafts, or the hobbies section of a general merchandise store. 

Another option is to bulk buy craft materials from online stores from shopping apps like Lazada, Tiktok, and Shopee.

The option for people with disabilities to operate a small business part-time at first 

It must be noted that anxiety  people with psychosocial disabilities. Therefore, some of them might be hesitant of facing the challenges of managing a small business from home.

People with disabilities can operate a handmade crafts business part-time at first. They can carve out 2-3 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, keeping the creative process simple and streamlined.

Multiple crafts have high-profit potential 

People with disabilities won't have any problems in coming up with salable ideas to sustain a home-based business, or even make it thrive. 

This makes handmade crafts a low-barrier-entry niche among small business ideas.

There are craft items that can easily be made by hand and sold at wholesale prices that will appeal to a wide market; stuff like bag charms, macrame keychains, refrigerator magnets, bouquets of chenille flowers, greeting cards, bookmarks, and amigurumi.

Image from freepik

The opportunity for people with disabilities to serve the needs of a niche market

There are potential customers out there who look for novelty, uniqueness, and even that rare "shock factor" in handcrafted products. 

If people with disabilities can meet the needs of such market, regardless of how niched, they have the potential to make a profit.  

The option for people with disabilities to sell their products online 

People with disabilities, as managers of small businesses, don't have the luxury of shelling out a huge budget for ads and other paid forms of marketing. 

Therefore, people with disabilities need to be as creative and imaginative as possible in promoting their handcrafted products. 

For starters, they can come up with their official Facebook Page and Instagram account and upload photos.

The option to get products delivered or shipped 

Customers are almost always looking for a small business that offers a delivery service. 

The good news is, as a person with disability, you can charge an extra fee for shipping or delivery.

There are multiple ways for people with disabilities to get paid

People with disabilities won't need to complain about collecting payment from customers.

In the Philippines, people with disabilities can download payments apps like GCash and Maya, as these are some of the fast and most convenient ways to accept payment (although not 100% hassle-free).

To Augment Other Sources of Income, You Can Manage A Small Business From Home Part-Time As A Person With Disability 

In contrast to developed countries like the United States, which grants people with disabilities a monthly allowance, the Philippines only allows certain privileges to individuals qualified as people with disabilities (PWDs). 

One of these privileges is a person with disability that allows a 20% discount for purchasing basic commodities like food and medicine.

Instances When Managing A Small Business Full-Time From Home Can Be Better for People With Disabilities

When employment isn't possible 

Under Republic Act No. 10524, at least 1% of positions in all government agencies, offices, and corporations in the Philippines shall be reserved for people with disabilities. 

Corporations and offices under the private sector are encouraged to do the same. 

While this can serve as a beacon of hope for people with disabilities that are still able to work, the fact remains that certain workplaces aren't conducive to the professional growth of people with disabilities. 

Some corporations don't offer flexible work arrangement. There are also office buildings that won't accommodate people in wheelchairs, or don't offer assistive technology for the visually impaired.

When mobility is limited 

If an individual has the type of disability that prevents him from driving to and from work, or taking public transport, managing a small business from home is a good way to generate income.

When certain jobs require skills that people with disabilities don't possess

If an individual took longer than expected to recover from an incident that left him partially or fully disabled, skills that he once possessed that made him occupationally fit may now be obsolete. 

Image from freepik

To illustrate, if a job or position for which a person with disability is vying requires mastery of computer or accounting software, or execution of sophisticated graphic design and a person with disability is lacking those skills, his chances to land the job are extremely low.

When people with disabilities need to consider their mental well-being 

It's a fact that in spite of numerous advocacies for equality in the workplace, people with disabilities still struggle with discrimination and office politics. 

Generating an income from a small business can be a good alternative to employment.

When people with disabilities want to keep face-to-face interaction down to a minimum

For some people with disabilities that cause them to be ridden with anxiety or social awkwardness, they might wish to keep face-to-face interaction down to a minimum. 

While a good amount of selling is essential for a business to thrive, what's even more important for people with disabilities is to invest in the right type of marketing. 

One of the best ways is to upload clear photos of their crafts across several social media platforms and attach corresponding keywords as hashtags (#).