One of the challenges facing potential entrepreneurs with disabilities is identifying the myriad of technical and monetary resources, agencies, experts, and opportunities available across the United States. This live webcast will outline many of the most common and important sources of support for business developers and owners and suggest strategies for partnering and leveraging opportunities for mutual gain. Progressive strategies for integrating rehabilitation capacity within the generic system will be presented, thereby avoiding the fiscal and societal costs of erecting parallel systems.

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Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) and board members serve millions of people with disabilities daily in communities across the country. CRPs are constantly engaged in financial successes and frustrations in accessing, developing, maintaining and creating funding to provide the best possible services and choices to each person they serve. Self-employment often requires unique "creative funding" skills, social capital leveraging, and leadership of CRP employees and board members. This session addresses the ongoing experiences, successes and frustrations of Allegan, a CRP that is an early adopter of self-employment as choice for individuals with disabilities.

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Now in the third year of her start-up business plan, Dusty Dutton can look back on the growth and development of Dusty's Puppets and see how valuable the early planning was to the current success. Dusty also understands the importance of the dedicated support from her Business Circle as well as her local service provider. As her business moves forward toward more self-sufficiency and stability, these on-going resources will remain critical to her continued success. This webcast will review the initial plan and progress to date, describe the development of her business income streams, and her vision of the future as Dusty's Puppets. Dusty hopes that her experiences will assist and inspire others who are interested in following their dreams as successful entrepreneurs!

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A critical step in the business planning process is identifying the support services that business owners will need to assure success in implementing and maintaining their businesses. For people who are enrolled in and using the services provided through a Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver, there are unique opportunities for funding some of the disability specific support services. This live webcast will provide some examples of how waivers can and cannot be used in supporting a business owner with a disability. Tips for how to incorporate waiver services in the business resource plan will be provided as well as tips on how to learn more about the specific waiver programs in each participant's state.

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A local Small Business Development Counselor can be a great assistant in the planning and implementation of a business plan. Because running a small business is a large challenge, a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can help a business owner or potential owner assess their skills and weaknesses, and then build a team of support that will allow the owner to focus on his or her skills and obtain assistance on weaknesses. This basic understanding is vital to the success and longevity of a small business. In this webcast, the focus will be on the level of service that can be expected by a person with a disability from the SBDC and the information that is needed from a SBDC counselor. Although face-to-face services are available throughout the country, there is limited access in some areas, and therefore information also will be provided on working online with the SBDC program.

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Planning for a business start-up is one thing, but finding funding for business start-up is yet another. Often, great business ideas are not implemented, because financial feasibility is not a focus during the business planning process. This webcast will review the components of financial feasibility during the business planning process, including adequate capitalization for business success. Micro and small business loan products will be discussed including local and national resources. Discussion points will address who is likely to qualify for a loan and what to do if an entrepreneur is not able to get a loan.

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