Live Chat Transcript - Cary Griffin

Should a consumer contribute funds to the business? if it is within their means 
this is a perfect place to use a PASS, but not a criteria for starting a 
business

What constitutes a closure in self-employment? I think states can set some 
benchmarks regarding hours and wages, however it can be difficult to measure 
wages in a small business,  I suggest that a successful closure be determined on 
an individualized basis, and est. in the individual plan of employment (IEP)

What are the community resources to help in writing a business plan? Small 
Business Dev. Centers will advise on business plans but generally won't write them. 
sometimes SCORE members can be helpful in designing a plan, this is an area we 
need to build capacity thru staff dev. and purchase of service

What kind of training do providers need to support people in business? there's a 
role for rehab providers and the business community to work together because 
typical business consultants will not understand the intricacies of disability 
and benefit systems. Staff need training to recognize and dev. good business 
ideas so they are taken seriously by the other business community resources at a 
minimum staff need to understand basic business feasibility basic soc. sec. 
regulations, basic financing, a basic understanding of how money works, a basic 
understanding of marketing and sales, and a basic understanding of operations.

<MN> #lobby -> What are your sources for the success rates of small businesses 
("Most small businesses succeed" & "50%  owned by people with disabilities")? 
The US Dept of Commerce

<ocp> #lobby -> Please clarify PASS...what is it...tell us more about it?? There 
is a link to the Soc. Sec. Considerations manual on the webcast  webpage

<KBCN> #lobby -> Do you know of any initiatives within the Small Business 
Administration to assist self-employment for persons with disabilities? the SBA 
serves all people because it is a Fed. program. but may not have the tech. 
background you're looking for, which presents an opportunity for partnership & 
collaboration

<Scott> #lobby -> At what point does the  PASS Cadre consider a business to be 
beyond its start-up period? the concern of the PASS cadre would be is the person 
preceding  in the manor that they had est. their PASS. If the business is 
changing or evolving perhaps a PASS revision would be necessary

rsm> #lobby -> Do most state voc rehab agencies have a staff resource person to 
assist folks with business plans? Probably not, however many VR agencies have 
people who do focus on aspects of self employment sometimes thru the Business 
Enterprise Program. and some states such as CO, WA, & KY have people who are 
designated as small business experts

<ttriangle> #lobby -> Do you find that loans are easier or more difficult for 
people with disabilities to get (SBA loans)? We haven't loaded people with debt 
one reason is that people in poverty experience high anxiety when faced with mo. 
payments and providing startup costs are a legitimate role of various rehab 
funding. The  Abilities Fund in Iowa does provide startup funding and loans for 
various small businesses, www.abilitiesfund.org

<kw> #lobby -> Do you anticipate offering more comprehensive training in this 
area in the near future? If so when and through what medium? Yes, in the future a 
webcourse and also Griffin-Hammis Assoc. and the Rural Institute both offer 
extensive training in self employment

<Colleen> #lobby -> Who in the community could  help write a business plan? Ever 
used college business major interns for this purpose? Various SBA staff can help. 
We have to some degree used students in some communities to help at looking at 
business feasibility and marketing approaches. The nice thing about PASS plans 
or VR support is that the person has money to buy these things professionally.

<Rob> #lobby -> R2W has taken a close look at how Colorado DVR handles self-
employment candidates.  The process takes around 1.5 years!  And very few have 
actually survived all the way to the end of the process.  Are there any other 
states which process self-employment candidates more quickly? Hi Rob! As you know 
many states are struggling with both policy and staff competencies in this 
area. Some states like MT are approaching self employment and learning as they 
go. I suspect that this is as much a leadership issue as it is a resource issue.

<cgriffin> #lobby -> If your question didn't get answered please post it on the 
Discussion Forum on the Chatroom webpage.