Flexible working has given the disabled community more work opportunities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt feels like this is such a great time to be talking about this topic, because during the pandemic I felt like it was this amazing moment for those who needed to work from home, who had a disability, had a chronic illness, because it proved to the world as a whole, that you can do this job remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here we are a couple of years on and I kind of wanted to check in with you and find out is that still the case? How is the situation looking for those who want to work and have a disability?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. So yeah, the pandemic was, for all of the difficulties that it brought, and especially for disabled people as well and everything that brought with it, it did validate that remote working works, flexible working works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a shame that it, I think, took a pandemic for society to adjust, to make those sorts of adjustments that disabled people had been asking for, for decades and had been denied for a really long time. It made the world of work a lot more accessible in that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And certainly with Patchwork Hub, I remember in 2019 when I spoke to employers about what we were trying to do and about more accessible ways of working, they loved the idea, but they were like, \u201cWe don\u2019t have jobs that can be done remotely. We don\u2019t have jobs that can be done a little bit more flexibly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think for most people it was like one day a week, with Fridays working from home. That was the typical response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whereas now, there\u2019s a real moment of opportunity I think for employers and for businesses to ensure that as we move into a hopefully post-pandemic world and sort of the new normal, to make sure that those accommodations and those accessibility adjustments stay not just for disabled people, but people who might have caring responsibilities, might be parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It makes the world of work so much more accessible for so many people. So it\u2019s a real moment of opportunity, I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, Beth, set the scene for me. Tell me about this disability employment gap. How big is this issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, just to initially explain, the disability employment gap for anyone who\u2019s unfamiliar, it\u2019s basically the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people, and I think the latest data, it stands at around 30%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So in other words, the employment rate for disabled people is around 30% lower than the employment rate for non-disabled people. And it\u2019s a really serious issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think first of all, it represents a serious failure and letting down of disabled people in the country. While there\u2019s obviously some disabled people unable to work due to their health, and that\u2019s really important to recognise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s far too many disabled people who are kept out of work because of barriers in conventional practices and the way we do things that just simply don\u2019t need to be there. And the issue\u2019s not just serious for the disabled people who are being excluded and let down, it impacts everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think there was a recent government report that said about getting 1 million more disabled people into work, would increase economic output by \u00a315 billion annually, and that\u2019s just getting disabled people into work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine the potential for society if we can lower the barriers that disabled people face once in work and truly allow them to pursue their full potential. Disabled people are the largest minority group, comprising over 20% of the working population, and it\u2019s also the only minority group that any of us can join in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it\u2019s such an important issue to be thinking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nHidden disabilities and integrating disabled people into the future of work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re so passionate about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to tell me a bit about how your experiences prompted you to create Patchwork and how, I don\u2019t know, how you managed to not be dissuaded, how you managed to keep on plugging away and getting the opportunities that you wanted despite perhaps the barriers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYes, definitely. I guess to go back to where I was when I started Patchwork Hub, because I think that paints a bit of a picture for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study in the States, and it was at Harvard University, and before I arrived, I did everything that I could have done in terms of trying to prepare, I provided medical documentation of all of my needs and everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unfortunately, because I wasn\u2019t a primary wheelchair user, I was given a room up eight flights of stairs with no lift and no other suitable alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it meant there were periods of the year where I was completely confined to my room, because my illness meant I physically couldn\u2019t climb the stairs to leave the floor. And this was just one of a whole host of inaccessibility issues that I faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was frustrating because the university was on paper, an institution committed to accessibility and meeting the needs of its pupils, and I had all of the doctor\u2019s letters and things that I needed to say why I needed the adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think part of the issue was that I was speaking to people that had a very traditional view of disability or what a disabled person was, and I didn\u2019t fit that, because a lot of my disabilities were invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I actually think that assumption works both ways. Sometimes the barriers that I\u2019d faced were around when people, once they realised, I was disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially as an entrepreneur, far too often I\u2019ve experienced this switch from being treated as an innovating entrepreneur who\u2019s been to Oxford and Harvard, to people treating me like my business must necessarily be some small-scale, even frivolous thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That it\u2019s good I can keep myself occupied and that because of my disability, they sort of immediately reduce their expectations of me and their assumptions about what my aim must be. And it was sort of all of that that led to me realising the need for Patchwork Hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had the original idea when I was in the States, and I was facing all of these challenges and I identified as disabled in a way I hadn\u2019t really needed to before, and I was living on another continent without my family or support network, and it was quite tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in feeling so alone, I found community in getting really involved in disability advocacy work, trying to find and use my voice to drive positive policy change. And it was through that work that I met so many talented, amazing people who were facing really similar issues to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They had skills to offer and ambitions that they wanted to achieve, but the barriers in the way things were done just meant they were missing out, and it meant society was missing out on their potential as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And obviously, that was pre-pandemic, and it\u2019s a different climate now, but it was definitely my experience which led me to having the idea for starting Patchwork Hub, and also trying to approach disability and inclusion in a way that hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found in starting the business that the only accessible solutions that existed were disability-specific, and while they\u2019re doing really important work, it\u2019s so important that accessibility and disability inclusion is mainstreamed, and that\u2019s what Patchwork Hub is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, through the platform and our training and consultancy, we\u2019re working to ensure that disabled people are integrated into the future of work, front and centre of the change, rather than a sort of separate category added on at the end or an afterthought, which I think has sometimes been the case in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing people\u2019s perception on disability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/08\/YBCA_FY19_Intacct_V3_0338-1-1215x810.jpg\")
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It feels like this is such a great time to be talking about this topic, because during the pandemic I felt like it was this amazing moment for those who needed to work from home, who had a disability, had a chronic illness, because it proved to the world as a whole, that you can do this job remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here we are a couple of years on and I kind of wanted to check in with you and find out is that still the case? How is the situation looking for those who want to work and have a disability?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. So yeah, the pandemic was, for all of the difficulties that it brought, and especially for disabled people as well and everything that brought with it, it did validate that remote working works, flexible working works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a shame that it, I think, took a pandemic for society to adjust, to make those sorts of adjustments that disabled people had been asking for, for decades and had been denied for a really long time. It made the world of work a lot more accessible in that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And certainly with Patchwork Hub, I remember in 2019 when I spoke to employers about what we were trying to do and about more accessible ways of working, they loved the idea, but they were like, \u201cWe don\u2019t have jobs that can be done remotely. We don\u2019t have jobs that can be done a little bit more flexibly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think for most people it was like one day a week, with Fridays working from home. That was the typical response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whereas now, there\u2019s a real moment of opportunity I think for employers and for businesses to ensure that as we move into a hopefully post-pandemic world and sort of the new normal, to make sure that those accommodations and those accessibility adjustments stay not just for disabled people, but people who might have caring responsibilities, might be parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It makes the world of work so much more accessible for so many people. So it\u2019s a real moment of opportunity, I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, Beth, set the scene for me. Tell me about this disability employment gap. How big is this issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, just to initially explain, the disability employment gap for anyone who\u2019s unfamiliar, it\u2019s basically the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people, and I think the latest data, it stands at around 30%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So in other words, the employment rate for disabled people is around 30% lower than the employment rate for non-disabled people. And it\u2019s a really serious issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think first of all, it represents a serious failure and letting down of disabled people in the country. While there\u2019s obviously some disabled people unable to work due to their health, and that\u2019s really important to recognise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s far too many disabled people who are kept out of work because of barriers in conventional practices and the way we do things that just simply don\u2019t need to be there. And the issue\u2019s not just serious for the disabled people who are being excluded and let down, it impacts everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think there was a recent government report that said about getting 1 million more disabled people into work, would increase economic output by \u00a315 billion annually, and that\u2019s just getting disabled people into work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine the potential for society if we can lower the barriers that disabled people face once in work and truly allow them to pursue their full potential. Disabled people are the largest minority group, comprising over 20% of the working population, and it\u2019s also the only minority group that any of us can join in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it\u2019s such an important issue to be thinking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nHidden disabilities and integrating disabled people into the future of work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re so passionate about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to tell me a bit about how your experiences prompted you to create Patchwork and how, I don\u2019t know, how you managed to not be dissuaded, how you managed to keep on plugging away and getting the opportunities that you wanted despite perhaps the barriers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYes, definitely. I guess to go back to where I was when I started Patchwork Hub, because I think that paints a bit of a picture for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study in the States, and it was at Harvard University, and before I arrived, I did everything that I could have done in terms of trying to prepare, I provided medical documentation of all of my needs and everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unfortunately, because I wasn\u2019t a primary wheelchair user, I was given a room up eight flights of stairs with no lift and no other suitable alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it meant there were periods of the year where I was completely confined to my room, because my illness meant I physically couldn\u2019t climb the stairs to leave the floor. And this was just one of a whole host of inaccessibility issues that I faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was frustrating because the university was on paper, an institution committed to accessibility and meeting the needs of its pupils, and I had all of the doctor\u2019s letters and things that I needed to say why I needed the adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think part of the issue was that I was speaking to people that had a very traditional view of disability or what a disabled person was, and I didn\u2019t fit that, because a lot of my disabilities were invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I actually think that assumption works both ways. Sometimes the barriers that I\u2019d faced were around when people, once they realised, I was disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially as an entrepreneur, far too often I\u2019ve experienced this switch from being treated as an innovating entrepreneur who\u2019s been to Oxford and Harvard, to people treating me like my business must necessarily be some small-scale, even frivolous thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That it\u2019s good I can keep myself occupied and that because of my disability, they sort of immediately reduce their expectations of me and their assumptions about what my aim must be. And it was sort of all of that that led to me realising the need for Patchwork Hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had the original idea when I was in the States, and I was facing all of these challenges and I identified as disabled in a way I hadn\u2019t really needed to before, and I was living on another continent without my family or support network, and it was quite tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in feeling so alone, I found community in getting really involved in disability advocacy work, trying to find and use my voice to drive positive policy change. And it was through that work that I met so many talented, amazing people who were facing really similar issues to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They had skills to offer and ambitions that they wanted to achieve, but the barriers in the way things were done just meant they were missing out, and it meant society was missing out on their potential as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And obviously, that was pre-pandemic, and it\u2019s a different climate now, but it was definitely my experience which led me to having the idea for starting Patchwork Hub, and also trying to approach disability and inclusion in a way that hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found in starting the business that the only accessible solutions that existed were disability-specific, and while they\u2019re doing really important work, it\u2019s so important that accessibility and disability inclusion is mainstreamed, and that\u2019s what Patchwork Hub is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, through the platform and our training and consultancy, we\u2019re working to ensure that disabled people are integrated into the future of work, front and centre of the change, rather than a sort of separate category added on at the end or an afterthought, which I think has sometimes been the case in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing people\u2019s perception on disability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
So, Beth, set the scene for me. Tell me about this disability employment gap. How big is this issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, just to initially explain, the disability employment gap for anyone who\u2019s unfamiliar, it\u2019s basically the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people, and I think the latest data, it stands at around 30%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So in other words, the employment rate for disabled people is around 30% lower than the employment rate for non-disabled people. And it\u2019s a really serious issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think first of all, it represents a serious failure and letting down of disabled people in the country. While there\u2019s obviously some disabled people unable to work due to their health, and that\u2019s really important to recognise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s far too many disabled people who are kept out of work because of barriers in conventional practices and the way we do things that just simply don\u2019t need to be there. And the issue\u2019s not just serious for the disabled people who are being excluded and let down, it impacts everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think there was a recent government report that said about getting 1 million more disabled people into work, would increase economic output by \u00a315 billion annually, and that\u2019s just getting disabled people into work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine the potential for society if we can lower the barriers that disabled people face once in work and truly allow them to pursue their full potential. Disabled people are the largest minority group, comprising over 20% of the working population, and it\u2019s also the only minority group that any of us can join in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it\u2019s such an important issue to be thinking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nHidden disabilities and integrating disabled people into the future of work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re so passionate about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to tell me a bit about how your experiences prompted you to create Patchwork and how, I don\u2019t know, how you managed to not be dissuaded, how you managed to keep on plugging away and getting the opportunities that you wanted despite perhaps the barriers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYes, definitely. I guess to go back to where I was when I started Patchwork Hub, because I think that paints a bit of a picture for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study in the States, and it was at Harvard University, and before I arrived, I did everything that I could have done in terms of trying to prepare, I provided medical documentation of all of my needs and everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unfortunately, because I wasn\u2019t a primary wheelchair user, I was given a room up eight flights of stairs with no lift and no other suitable alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it meant there were periods of the year where I was completely confined to my room, because my illness meant I physically couldn\u2019t climb the stairs to leave the floor. And this was just one of a whole host of inaccessibility issues that I faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was frustrating because the university was on paper, an institution committed to accessibility and meeting the needs of its pupils, and I had all of the doctor\u2019s letters and things that I needed to say why I needed the adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think part of the issue was that I was speaking to people that had a very traditional view of disability or what a disabled person was, and I didn\u2019t fit that, because a lot of my disabilities were invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I actually think that assumption works both ways. Sometimes the barriers that I\u2019d faced were around when people, once they realised, I was disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially as an entrepreneur, far too often I\u2019ve experienced this switch from being treated as an innovating entrepreneur who\u2019s been to Oxford and Harvard, to people treating me like my business must necessarily be some small-scale, even frivolous thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That it\u2019s good I can keep myself occupied and that because of my disability, they sort of immediately reduce their expectations of me and their assumptions about what my aim must be. And it was sort of all of that that led to me realising the need for Patchwork Hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had the original idea when I was in the States, and I was facing all of these challenges and I identified as disabled in a way I hadn\u2019t really needed to before, and I was living on another continent without my family or support network, and it was quite tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in feeling so alone, I found community in getting really involved in disability advocacy work, trying to find and use my voice to drive positive policy change. And it was through that work that I met so many talented, amazing people who were facing really similar issues to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They had skills to offer and ambitions that they wanted to achieve, but the barriers in the way things were done just meant they were missing out, and it meant society was missing out on their potential as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And obviously, that was pre-pandemic, and it\u2019s a different climate now, but it was definitely my experience which led me to having the idea for starting Patchwork Hub, and also trying to approach disability and inclusion in a way that hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found in starting the business that the only accessible solutions that existed were disability-specific, and while they\u2019re doing really important work, it\u2019s so important that accessibility and disability inclusion is mainstreamed, and that\u2019s what Patchwork Hub is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, through the platform and our training and consultancy, we\u2019re working to ensure that disabled people are integrated into the future of work, front and centre of the change, rather than a sort of separate category added on at the end or an afterthought, which I think has sometimes been the case in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing people\u2019s perception on disability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Hidden disabilities and integrating disabled people into the future of work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd you\u2019re so passionate about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to tell me a bit about how your experiences prompted you to create Patchwork and how, I don\u2019t know, how you managed to not be dissuaded, how you managed to keep on plugging away and getting the opportunities that you wanted despite perhaps the barriers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYes, definitely. I guess to go back to where I was when I started Patchwork Hub, because I think that paints a bit of a picture for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study in the States, and it was at Harvard University, and before I arrived, I did everything that I could have done in terms of trying to prepare, I provided medical documentation of all of my needs and everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unfortunately, because I wasn\u2019t a primary wheelchair user, I was given a room up eight flights of stairs with no lift and no other suitable alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it meant there were periods of the year where I was completely confined to my room, because my illness meant I physically couldn\u2019t climb the stairs to leave the floor. And this was just one of a whole host of inaccessibility issues that I faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was frustrating because the university was on paper, an institution committed to accessibility and meeting the needs of its pupils, and I had all of the doctor\u2019s letters and things that I needed to say why I needed the adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think part of the issue was that I was speaking to people that had a very traditional view of disability or what a disabled person was, and I didn\u2019t fit that, because a lot of my disabilities were invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I actually think that assumption works both ways. Sometimes the barriers that I\u2019d faced were around when people, once they realised, I was disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially as an entrepreneur, far too often I\u2019ve experienced this switch from being treated as an innovating entrepreneur who\u2019s been to Oxford and Harvard, to people treating me like my business must necessarily be some small-scale, even frivolous thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That it\u2019s good I can keep myself occupied and that because of my disability, they sort of immediately reduce their expectations of me and their assumptions about what my aim must be. And it was sort of all of that that led to me realising the need for Patchwork Hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had the original idea when I was in the States, and I was facing all of these challenges and I identified as disabled in a way I hadn\u2019t really needed to before, and I was living on another continent without my family or support network, and it was quite tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in feeling so alone, I found community in getting really involved in disability advocacy work, trying to find and use my voice to drive positive policy change. And it was through that work that I met so many talented, amazing people who were facing really similar issues to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They had skills to offer and ambitions that they wanted to achieve, but the barriers in the way things were done just meant they were missing out, and it meant society was missing out on their potential as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And obviously, that was pre-pandemic, and it\u2019s a different climate now, but it was definitely my experience which led me to having the idea for starting Patchwork Hub, and also trying to approach disability and inclusion in a way that hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found in starting the business that the only accessible solutions that existed were disability-specific, and while they\u2019re doing really important work, it\u2019s so important that accessibility and disability inclusion is mainstreamed, and that\u2019s what Patchwork Hub is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, through the platform and our training and consultancy, we\u2019re working to ensure that disabled people are integrated into the future of work, front and centre of the change, rather than a sort of separate category added on at the end or an afterthought, which I think has sometimes been the case in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing people\u2019s perception on disability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
And you\u2019re so passionate about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to tell me a bit about how your experiences prompted you to create Patchwork and how, I don\u2019t know, how you managed to not be dissuaded, how you managed to keep on plugging away and getting the opportunities that you wanted despite perhaps the barriers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYes, definitely. I guess to go back to where I was when I started Patchwork Hub, because I think that paints a bit of a picture for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study in the States, and it was at Harvard University, and before I arrived, I did everything that I could have done in terms of trying to prepare, I provided medical documentation of all of my needs and everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unfortunately, because I wasn\u2019t a primary wheelchair user, I was given a room up eight flights of stairs with no lift and no other suitable alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it meant there were periods of the year where I was completely confined to my room, because my illness meant I physically couldn\u2019t climb the stairs to leave the floor. And this was just one of a whole host of inaccessibility issues that I faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was frustrating because the university was on paper, an institution committed to accessibility and meeting the needs of its pupils, and I had all of the doctor\u2019s letters and things that I needed to say why I needed the adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think part of the issue was that I was speaking to people that had a very traditional view of disability or what a disabled person was, and I didn\u2019t fit that, because a lot of my disabilities were invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I actually think that assumption works both ways. Sometimes the barriers that I\u2019d faced were around when people, once they realised, I was disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially as an entrepreneur, far too often I\u2019ve experienced this switch from being treated as an innovating entrepreneur who\u2019s been to Oxford and Harvard, to people treating me like my business must necessarily be some small-scale, even frivolous thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That it\u2019s good I can keep myself occupied and that because of my disability, they sort of immediately reduce their expectations of me and their assumptions about what my aim must be. And it was sort of all of that that led to me realising the need for Patchwork Hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had the original idea when I was in the States, and I was facing all of these challenges and I identified as disabled in a way I hadn\u2019t really needed to before, and I was living on another continent without my family or support network, and it was quite tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in feeling so alone, I found community in getting really involved in disability advocacy work, trying to find and use my voice to drive positive policy change. And it was through that work that I met so many talented, amazing people who were facing really similar issues to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They had skills to offer and ambitions that they wanted to achieve, but the barriers in the way things were done just meant they were missing out, and it meant society was missing out on their potential as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And obviously, that was pre-pandemic, and it\u2019s a different climate now, but it was definitely my experience which led me to having the idea for starting Patchwork Hub, and also trying to approach disability and inclusion in a way that hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found in starting the business that the only accessible solutions that existed were disability-specific, and while they\u2019re doing really important work, it\u2019s so important that accessibility and disability inclusion is mainstreamed, and that\u2019s what Patchwork Hub is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, through the platform and our training and consultancy, we\u2019re working to ensure that disabled people are integrated into the future of work, front and centre of the change, rather than a sort of separate category added on at the end or an afterthought, which I think has sometimes been the case in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing people\u2019s perception on disability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo, tell us how through the consultancy, I suppose specifically, you are helping to change the job market, change the wider industry, and how you are also advocating for policy change that\u2019s going to actually make this much fairer for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In terms of our services that we do, alongside helping employers attract the diverse talent for our recruitment schemes and our jobs board, the training and consultancy is helping employers who a lot of the time have the commitment to make change, and it\u2019s just a lack of know-how or a lack of awareness of the barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, we run training sessions through to bespoke consultancy projects, where we help them on their disability inclusion journey. And a lot of the times, it\u2019s not just improvements around disability, it\u2019s improvements around flexible working for all members of the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about helping employers improve their approaches across the whole talent lifecycle, from the attraction of talent through to retention, and by working with employers to build their understanding, their processes, and their approach to drive the more inclusive future of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in terms of the policy side, that\u2019s something that we do a lot of, and I do a lot of advocacy to try and help to make sure that the narrative around disability and the approach that government takes is one that doesn\u2019t see disabled people as the problem, but as the opportunity that it affords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way in which we do that with employers and with government, we use a social model of disability, which is something that a lot of disability-inclusive employers and charities now use. So, just to give a quick explanation of this if anybody\u2019s unfamiliar, which they will highly likely be if they\u2019ve not come across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, when people think about disability, they would often think of what\u2019s called a medical model of disability. The medical model focuses on what\u2019s wrong with a person and says that people are disabled by their impairments or differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world which says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So for example, a barrier could be something physical, like being in a wheelchair and unable to get up the stairs because there\u2019s no lift, or it could be barriers caused by people\u2019s attitudes to difference, like assuming there are certain lives disabled people can\u2019t lead or things they can\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The social model frames the problems as the societal barriers rather than viewing disabled people as a problem, and it\u2019s a much more helpful way to think about a lot of the issues we face and the policies that we can drive in terms of positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think sometimes the political approach still seems to be stuck in that old-fashioned medical model view of disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So whether our government, or any government in fact, when they frame disabled people as a problem rather than the barriers that they face being the issue, it fuels a very unhelpful narrative, which makes it very difficult to drive positive change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a lot of the work that we do is in trying to educate employers and businesses, but government too, in terms of disabled people not being the problem. They\u2019re a disenfranchised, underutilised, and supremely talented cohort of society whose potential is currently being wasted because there\u2019s nowhere near enough action taken to remove those barriers that prevent them from excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I think a lot of the work that we\u2019re doing both in the business side and the government side is also trying to change attitudes as well as the actual processes and practices, which is a key part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much progress has Patchwork Hub made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
I\u2019m getting a sense of just how enormous this task is, this almost Sisyphean task pushing this boulder up this mountain, because you\u2019re not just dealing with employers, you almost have to be speaking to the people who build the offices in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to be speaking to the planners who are giving the planning permission for these places to be. I mean, it touches every part of life really, civil, and professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how much progress have you made? How have you changed things for the better so far?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a good question. It definitely is a mammoth task that one person can\u2019t take on, on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think for us, it\u2019s the changing the policies and making sure, it\u2019s those quick wins and those things that might seem small victories in terms of connecting a disabled person with a job that they deserve and removing barriers in the process for them, so they can just be set up to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in the making sure that employers are creating a culture for disclosure for their disabled employees, because sometimes we speak to employers that employ hundreds or thousands of individuals, and they say, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any disabled employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s probably unlikely to be the case given the fact that one in five of the UK population is disabled, even though there probably are a lot of barriers that are preventing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes if there\u2019s not a culture where people feel able to share their needs or there\u2019s no sort of adjustments process in place, that can actually be at the very start in terms of just making sure that employers and line managers and recruiters are aware of what those barriers are so that you can then go about addressing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also in terms of the quick wins that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it\u2019s sort of both the long-term vision for change and the impact that we do with our work, but it\u2019s also those things that might seem small, but for individuals in your team or for people who are enjoying your social media content that make so much difference in removing barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019m happy to talk a bit more about those quick wins if that\u2019s helpful at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nMaking content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Making content more accessible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Yeah, I\u2019d love to hear about those, because that must be the thing that keeps you going when you\u2019ve had a hard day or you feel like you\u2019re banging on a brick wall, and then someone sends you an amazing message saying, \u201cThank you, I\u2019ve got this great job and I\u2019m loving it and I would never have got here without you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, that must just be the biggest buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, absolutely. It makes everything worthwhile, and it\u2019s something that\u2019s definitely been a tough journey to get to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be in a situation where we\u2019re impactfully helping individuals that are so talented, that for so long have also become disenfranchised in the job-hunting process where they\u2019ve had hundreds of applications that have been unsuccessful just because of sharing their access needs, which a lot of the time are very small adjustments that they might require. But it\u2019s just that lack of awareness for employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, the sort of even small wins, like in small businesses that we work with, where they might not be employing people, but in terms of making their content more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, making sure that all of their videos have captions, alt text and image descriptions on their posts. It\u2019s small things like that really make a big difference. It\u2019s also in terms of brand improvement, brand reputation and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many different areas, alongside making a more positive user experience for candidates or employees or customers, it also just makes it a bit more accessible for everybody to enjoy the content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know for me, I watch too many reels and TikToks, and using captions for that, it makes so much difference for so many people that might not be dependent upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s that idea that goes through a lot of our work, that accessibility, even though it\u2019s essential for some people, it\u2019s useful for so many of us in terms of those innovations that come through being more accessible and inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How funding went from \u00a3300k to \u00a330k<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYeah, that makes sense. And I\u2019m fascinated by what you said earlier about it\u2019s not just about infrastructure change, you\u2019re also pushing for sort of attitudinal change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you mentioned that you\u2019ve been in situations as an entrepreneur where you\u2019ve been treated one way, and then you\u2019ve explained, \u201cWell, this is why I\u2019m invested in this idea, I have a disability,\u201d and then the temperature\u2019s dropped, and you\u2019ve had a very different response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell me a bit about some of those experiences and what you did?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In terms of access to funding, I\u2019ve been in rooms with investors, where in the early days before it was as public about my own disability, and they weren\u2019t aware going into it that I was a disabled entrepreneur myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unfortunately, the reality was that I would go in, the conversation would start with us talking about raising \u00a3300,000 as a sort of pre-seed round, and then by the end of the conversation it had slowly gone down to \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And literally, it was nothing at all to do with the financials, the strategy, it was as soon as I was discussing the nature of my disability and because for me, my conditions are chronic illnesses and a lot of the time the symptoms that come with that, can sometimes be unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I guess for some investors that are unaware, it can switch them off to it, just because they\u2019re not used to dealing with disability and what that looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s that traditional view, and it goes back to the workplace as well, that rigid view of this is the way things are done, this is the way you should work and produce these outputs. It\u2019s about the work getting completed rather than how it gets to that end result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s I think something that\u2019s been really frustrating and something that I\u2019ve had to overcome in thinking about access to funding, and also the burnout culture that\u2019s quite pervasive in the startup world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why I\u2019ve been fortunate to be a part of mainstream accelerators and entrepreneurial spaces, and I\u2019ve always tried to advocate and raise the issue of accessibility. Because whilst it\u2019s fantastic to have disability-specific support programs, a lot of the time, until disabled people have access to those mainstream spaces, I don\u2019t think that things are going to change at the rate that they need to, and I think sometimes it can feel a bit like an echo chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this isn\u2019t just true of disability. I think this is true in so many areas now, where the only people that engage with certain issues are the people that were already educated or allies to begin with, and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to raise awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think the other thing with barriers that entrepreneurs often face with disabilities, is the sort of pervasive burnout culture and burning the candle at both ends, and that sort of idea that to be a successful entrepreneur you\u2019ve got to hustle and have a side hustle and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s something that\u2019s very difficult for people with disabilities to do, in terms of holding down a full-time job whilst starting a business, when you\u2019re also managing conditions that sometimes in themselves can feel like full-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that\u2019s something that often gets overlooked. And it\u2019s about finding another path forward, even though I definitely haven\u2019t quite found that balance yet myself, I\u2019m still currently working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s trying to change that culture that can sometimes be a bit toxic, and it causes burnout with so many entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think especially when you are dealing with health conditions with quite complex symptoms, that can also be something that\u2019s quite difficult to try and keep up with when that\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re operating within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your disability shouldn\u2019t make you any less of a role model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIs it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Is it a lot of pressure being a kind of more high-profile business owner who\u2019s becoming very successful with a disability to be this aspirational, inspiring character to other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think the first thing I\u2019d say is, that I would love to think that I might be able to lift up and help other would-be entrepreneurs with disabilities. There\u2019s so many amazing disabled entrepreneurs out there, and people that have definitely acted as role models for me. I\u2019d be honoured if anybody ever thought the same about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think that a massive pinch-me moment last year was I made it into the Shaw Trust Power 100, of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, and I\u2019d literally looked up to the people on that list for years in my own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it\u2019s just an incredible honour to think that I might be in that position, and that\u2019s why I think conversations like this are so important. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity, because I think it\u2019s really important to ensure that in mainstream entrepreneurial spaces, that people are getting those voices and that we are able to share our stories, and it not feel like a risk to our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think so often, I felt worried about being vulnerable about my symptoms. And May awareness month has been the awareness month for lots of my conditions, and it\u2019s something that I really worried about sharing exactly what I went through in terms of my everyday barriers and what that looks like because of the worries around clients seeing certain things or investors seeing certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But actually, thinking about it, it shouldn\u2019t make any difference because it hasn\u2019t affected at all what I\u2019ve achieved or what other disabled entrepreneurs manage to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about measuring us on, and if anything those additional things is, and that lived experience is what makes our stories and our journeys even more fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also in terms of the work that we deliver and that expertise that we bring, particularly in this sector, is really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to respond to discrimination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBecause you could have walked into that investment meeting and not mentioned any of it. You could have just taken the \u00a3300,000 and gone home, but you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what was your response when you saw that number dwindle? I mean, do at that point just walk out of the room, or do you challenge the investor, or do you just think, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019ve dodged a bullet. I\u2019m really glad that you\u2019re not backing my company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
I think now, I feel a lot more confident calling people out on it a bit more, but when it happened, I wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think this is the thing, is that a lot of the time people might assume that disabled people are really confident with their needs and confident with advocating for themselves. A lot of the time people are, but sometimes if people haven\u2019t gone through those barriers, like the first time it happened to me, I was just shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think I went away from the meeting, I was very easy to convince myself I hadn\u2019t missed out because I didn\u2019t think they were quite value-aligned by the end of it. But I think that it\u2019s so important to try and challenge where we can challenge inaccessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I think one of the things I\u2019d say as well, if this is something that any listeners have ever gone through, is not always you need to challenge people in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it\u2019s educating people afterwards or before, and that\u2019s something that, there\u2019s no right way of advocating for yourself or advocating for your needs. And I think as much as it\u2019s great to be bold and challenge people, that\u2019s not always easy for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for me with the way in which my disability can affect my speech, and as you can tell sometimes through my answers to these questions, it can affect my cognitive functioning, and so sometimes saying stuff on the spot isn\u2019t necessarily the best way for me to get my point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s definitely something that I have followed up afterwards, and they\u2019ve since improved on it. But they won\u2019t be investing in Patchwork Hub anytime soon, by my choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s very diplomatic, very well put and very measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that many people probably would\u2019ve felt like they could lose their temper and been completely vindicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
What is the structure of a social enterprise and what are its benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnd I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
And I just want to find out a bit more about the structure of Patchwork. So, this is a social enterprise. What were the benefits on going that particular route? Why not be purely for-profit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And how has that particular structure affected your plans for the future, your growth, maybe some of your ambitions beyond just having a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo actually, we get the best of both worlds being a social enterprise. We\u2019re a certified social enterprise, we\u2019re also a for-profit business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just to explain what that actually means in practice. Our formal legal structure, we\u2019re a limited company by shares, but our company\u2019s social mission and purpose is enshrined into our articles, and that mission is basically decent work for all with a vision that everybody who is able to and wanting to, is given the opportunity to thrive in work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as a social enterprise, that aim is at the heart of all we do, and in particular half of our profits go back into the company and supporting its social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what that means in practice in terms of our approach, is that some avenues of funding just aren\u2019t that suitable for us. So for instance, obviously VC investors that are purely driven by profit, although there\u2019s technically nothing to stop them investing, they might not be the best fit for us given that social impact commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually something I\u2019m thinking quite a lot about at the moment, because we\u2019re currently gearing up for an investment round, and in doing so, we\u2019re looking more at impact investing to ensure that value alignment that\u2019s really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, I think that that value alignment is so important to anyone raising investment regardless of the nature of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reason I wanted to go down the social enterprise route and the specific structure we\u2019ve taken was because in looking at the competitive landscape, both in recruitment and the consultancy sector, and just in the mainstream startup space, I was frustrated by the lack of social responsibility that big firms took when their scale afforded them so much opportunity for impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I wanted to build a sustainable social enterprise that had the potential to scale in the same way as other companies that monopolise the market, but that authentically produced measurable social impact and had it at the core of its ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just from a societal angle of building a more inclusive society. Even with my pure business hat on, this avenue made the most sense in terms of giving us competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think is something like 87% of consumers choose a company based on its advocacy of a social issue, and I think that in 2023, corporate social responsibility is not an issue that can be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I genuinely think when people are given the choice of a platform to use, whether it be an employer or a jobseeker, given the option they would choose a social enterprise that authentically lives its values, and any money spent on services, you know you\u2019re also making the world that little bit better by doing so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yeah, it sort of runs through everything that we do really, that social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small steps startups can take to become more inclusive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Bex Burn-Callander:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s makes perfect sense, because convinced, I\u2019m a hundred percent convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to that point about how some of these enormous companies that have the resources to really be more inclusive and how you\u2019re kind of guiding them on that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I want to speak for some of our listeners who might be very small startups, they might be at the beginning of their journey, and they might be listening to this thinking, \u201cThis makes perfect sense to me. I would love to be more inclusive, but I\u2019m so busy, I\u2019m already working all these hours and I don\u2019t have any money, and we need to hire someone in five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you speak to those people about making small changes, and what should those small changes be in the moment that could help your mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Kume-Holland:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
It\u2019s a really good question, because I completely appreciate running a small business and everything that comes with it, it can feel like a whole issue to approach in terms of accessibility and disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the first thing that I\u2019d say in terms of myth-busting a bit is the idea that access has to cost money. I don\u2019t think in lots of cases, and I\u2019ll just go onto a couple of examples that might help, but it doesn\u2019t have to cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even from an employer side, if you are employing anyone, reasonable adjustments, I think the average cost is \u00a375 for employers, and there are access to work schemes and things that can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in terms of things that are sort of quick wins that small businesses could do, and anyone really, regardless of if you\u2019re a small business owner, you could implement this in your work, I think first on the communication side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, whether it\u2019s internal comms or external on social media or elsewhere, there are lots of things that businesses could implement really quickly and at little cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of these things could be on all meeting invites, making sure to just ask whether there\u2019s any adjustments people might need to help them access the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, literally just a sentence or two in an invite with, or if you are running sign up forms, and you\u2019ve got an Eventbrite event where you can just add a simple question that asks people about their access needs, and it takes the pressure off of the individual to always have to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other thing is having a mandatory video on policy at work and running workshops and things like that. As someone who runs these workshops and meetings every day, I totally get it that sometimes it\u2019s less than ideal when you\u2019re hosting, and everyone has their videos off, and it\u2019s hard to gauge engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for some people, putting their videos on at certain times of day can be a real barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example for me, because of my symptoms in the morning and the personal care I undertake, it\u2019s often not possible for me to have my video on. And that\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t invite people onto video, as it\u2019s lovely to be able to see people\u2019s faces virtually, but just always trying to remember to pose it as a question on an invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, say something like, \u201cYou are able to come on video?\u201d, rather than making it a mandatory requirement, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think the final practical quick win just for anybody who uses social media is just, you might not realise it, but there are so many barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing and enjoying your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So some initial things you can do is making sure to always include captions in your videos, making sure to provide transcripts to any audio, and image descriptions and alt text for any images you post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this last point, alt text is basically a simple description of the image which allows users with low vision to consume your content via a screen reader or assistive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And an image description is very similar to that, but it\u2019s a written description of the image in the caption itself, and it\u2019s not only helpful to people with a visual impairment, but people with different styles of learning and relating to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for people with sensory processing differences like me, or autistic or dyslexic people, they might benefit from having something written in text rather than the image. There are so many benefits for so many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I could go on forever giving different examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hopefully that gives a flavour of what small businesses can do, and none of that stuff costs any money to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by this small business story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWherever you\u2019re listening or watching, subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoin our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
We are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join our community to share your insights and stories on X @Sag<\/a>e<\/a>Ireland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram @SageOfficial<\/a> or in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find out more about Beth on her website<\/a> or her LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more on Patchwork Hub, check out their website<\/a> or drop them a follow-on Instagram<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n Get your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t As a result of experiencing challenges relating to her own disability, Beth Kume-Holland created Patchwork Hub to help make workplaces more inclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":14959,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[130,132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-14966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2024\/01\/Blog_S2_Ep30.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14966"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Want to know more about Beth Kume-Holland or Patchwork Hub?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Small business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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