Disabled and Proud Entrepreneurs (DAPEs)

[Xuxan]

I am about to launch a webring that is designed just for people with disabilities who substantially operate their own businesses and utilize websites. It will be up and running very soon - http://www.DAPEs.info

[LaMemChose]

There is something very off about a few of the requirements for participation in your webring, Susan. You want a photograph documenting a person's dis? Sounds more than a tad devo-esque. Not only that, any ab/wannabe/pretender could hop in a chair or strap on braces as as "proof."

Another option you offer is for a person to describe her/his disability. That isn't exactly "proof" either.

Another option is for a person to be recommended by someone in the webring. Again, not "proof."

Participation as a consumer could suffice as "proof."

Seems the only proof is a physician's letter. Would seem disclosing the disability wouldn't be necessary.

BTW, why the change from pd nemesis to Xuxan? :thinking:

[Xuxan]

I want a webring to be limited to and benefit people with disabilities who own their own businesses. I want to spend as many of my dollars as possible on businesses run by people with disabilities. I am tired of businesses who make their money off of us.

I am not asking for "proof", I am asking for something that demonstrates they most likely have a disability.

I don't think being a part of this webring is going to be so important that anyone is going to go out of their way to fabricate something - and if they do - so be it.

I asked that my name to be changed to what I use everywhere else because some thought I was trying to hide and that was never the intent- I was just incredibly pissed off and sad when I originally registered here and chose that name.

Susan

[thejoker]

IOW, don't purchase my product or services because I am competent but because I am a crip and can verify my cripness

yuck

[adi chicago]

i always was my own boss.before my injury.to run a profitable buissnes is my goal again.[not for money ....for a cure and hope]

[LaMemChose]

IOW, don't purchase my product or services because I am competent but because I am a crip and can verify my cripness

yuck

When it comes to purchasing products or services I'm not going to do business with a person simply because she or he is dis. I will buy because the product or service is superior, is delivered in a timely, appropriate manner, has a fair market price and meets my needs.

All things being equal, if I had a choice of two businesses and happen to know one is operated by a person who's dis, I'd go dis.

I'm not one to use a dis directory and hope the product or service I want is listed there. I'll go to a business directory and look for what I need. That provides a better opportunity to compare apples to apples.

A dis business directory seems an unfortunate segregation. It could be useful for compaines who are required to utilize the services and products of minority businesses, but I don't see much value beyond that.

It's too much those unfortunate phone solicitations of, "Buy my lightbulbs 'cause I'm blind ..."

[Xuxan]

No, it is about people who want to deliberately support businesses that are owned by people with disabilities. I choose not to shop at Walmart because I do not want to support their already deep pockets. If I have a choice between making a purchase that I know falls in line with my values and one that does not - I pick the former.

[Xuxan]

It's a webring - which means a person has already found one of the businesses in the ring. No one is soliciting anyone - it is your choice to click on a webring link or not. I think of it as more similar to an online mall - all kinds of products located in the same place - you go to shop at one place and discover other places you also want to shop at. There are discount malls, high end malls, strips malls, the Mall of America - all kinds of mals - this just happens to be an online mall of businesses created by people or inclduing people with disabilities.

[LaMemChose]

No, it is about people who want to deliberately support businesses that are owned by people with disabilities. I choose not to shop at Walmart because I do not want to support their already deep pockets. If I have a choice between making a purchase that I know falls in line with my values and one that does not - I pick the former.

But why put the disability front and center instead of the product or service? That's patronizing. It says, "I'm dis and want you do do business with me because I'm dis, not because I necessarily excel at what I do."

The business world is not the Special Olympics with everyone clapping and cheering, having a feel good moment.

Savvy dis business owners are going to put their products and services first because the products and services are superior, not themselves because they're gimped. They're going to target their potential customers by offering the best, not going for gimpathy dollars from consumers who want a cheap "feel good."

I had a small business some years ago. My disability wasn't mentioned until it came to meeting the potential clients face-to-face and they saw me. Even then, it wasn't the reason anyone did buisiness with me. For a few, they did business in spite of it.

I hope anyone who lists on the webring agressively markets elsewhere. The webring may provide a few feel good bucks, but isn't likely to support a serious biz.

Most entrepreneurs who are dis are entrepreneurs who happen to be dis, not charities in need of someone's kindness. Looking only to gimpathy is hopefully not part of a serious marketing plan.

[thejoker]

As a person with a disability and the owner of a business, I do not want to be known as the crip woman, I want to be known as a woman who is competent and capable and if a person meets me they may notice, oh by the way, I am a person with a disability. I am not selling my disability, I am selling my talents and skills.

Susan, you never cease to amaze me at your lack of basic understanding - you grab the medical model of the poor crip every time. If you ever begin to implement the concepts of the IL movement, you could be an effective advocate.

The last thing people with disabilities need is more "special treatment" - we need a level playing field and your attempts to segregate and illuminate disabilities for profit is at best misguided, at worst disgusting.

[Xuxan]

There are lots of very small businesses called micro enterprises that don't have much in the way of advertising dollars and never will. Simply having a website to them is a major investment, which is why I am giving away free pages on my website. Just because a person has a quality product or service to sell doesn't mean they have an easy time getting the word out they exist and finding customers.

Don't like the concept? Don't utilize the webring. Simple.

[adi chicago]

marketing ideology...everything is made to be sell....my soul and faith never ever.
adi the buisness man.

[LaMemChose]

There are lots of very small businesses called micro enterprises that don't have much in the way of advertising dollars and never will. Simply having a website to them is a major investment, which is why I am giving away free pages on my website. Just because a person has a quality product or service to sell doesn't mean they have an easy time getting the word out they exist and finding customers.

Don't like the concept? Don't utilize the webring. Simple.

Your market (people who will buy whatever if the person's dis) is infinitely small. It's also denigrating to people with disabilities given your approach.

It doesn't take major advertising bucks to run a microbiz, but it does take creativity to reach potential prospects.

Limiting one's business to looking for people who want to do business with us because we're disabled smacks of paternalism and condescension. We are no longer on the same playing field, not even in the same game as other businesses to do that.

I notice your son's shirts are listed in the ring. Will you also list the sex toys you proffer?

[thejoker]

Most if not all of XX's "advocacy" efforts involve the medical model of disability. Doesn't seem to bother her one bit that her efforts are in direct opposition with the IL movement. People First Language is not her strong suit either. She plugs along with her "poor crippled" attitude and doesn't get she is the problem, not the solution.

BTW LaMemChose, I love the term "gimpathy"

[Xuxan]

You can't please all of the people all of the time, but I am going to please you all by contributing nothing further to this thread. I put the link up - that is all I intended to do.

[Andy]

I say set the example using your 'proof of disability'. I'm still not convinced of your motivations with the disabled fixation that is apparent along with your questionable association to our ranks you provided in the past. I wont get into using disability as a marketing tool, I think others already have that covered.

[Scott Pruett]

FYI: a chunk of webring code to an unrelated entity on a business site is far from professional. I have a small business that targets a very specific local/semi-local market & it would serve absolutely no purpose to put this on one of my sites. I'm not knocking your idea but you might want to rethink it if you hope for participation from a number of users.

[Mike C]

As a person with a disability and the owner of a business, I do not want to be known as the crip woman, I want to be known as a woman who is competent and capable and if a person meets me they may notice, oh by the way, I am a person with a disability. I am not selling my disability, I am selling my talents and skills.

Susan, you never cease to amaze me at your lack of basic understanding - you grab the medical model of the poor crip every time. If you ever begin to implement the concepts of the IL movement, you could be an effective advocate.

The last thing people with disabilities need is more "special treatment" - we need a level playing field and your attempts to segregate and illuminate disabilities for profit is at best misguided, at worst disgusting.
The G/L community is loaded with NGO´s supporting themselves.

http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/interests/usgaybuslks.html