Successful Deaf/HH Entrepreneurs

Successful deaf and hard of hearing entrepreneurs. The numbers are few and far in between but they are out there if you look hard enough. What gets me excited is seeing successful, legitimate, ethical businesses run by deaf and hard of hearing entrepreneurs whether they know sign language or not. It becomes an even greater excitement if you personally know someone running a successful business and watched it grow from the very beginning. I don't say this often or make it apparent but there is a certain satisfaction on seeing deaf and hard of hearing entrepreneurs struggle after many years of hard work, the long hours they put in coming to fruition on the horizon and beyond when their businesses finally take off in a big way.

That's the American dream. But it ain't all that easy.

Approximately 50 percent of new businesses go out of business within 5 years in a good economy. The reason for failure is many.  It's even harder for deaf and hard of hearing owned businesses to survive beyond the first 5 year and I would consider a company a success if they survive beyond the 5 year magic mark.  Though nowadays it's harder still for any businesses to survive in our current recession economy when everybody is cutting back to save money.  So, it was a nice surprise seeing an article when RIT/NTID their first Deaf Entrepreneurs Roundtable Panel discussion last year in the effort to help uncover keys to successful deaf entrepreneurship.

The panel discussion, “Deaf and Hard of Hearing Entrepreneurs—Living the Dream,” explored a multitude of issues related to deaf entrepreneurship. The panel consisted of eight deaf and hard-of-hearing entrepreneurs from around the country who shared their keys to success and explained some of the challenges that they encountered along the way.

With the advantage of technology today communication is made possible between entrepreneurs regardless of communication preference as they share many common grounds than not. It's a great idea to bring together deaf and hard of hearing entrepreneurs to discuss ways to survive running a business and make it a successful one.  By learning from each other businesses can leverage those knowledge to better compete in a tough market dominated mostly by hearing people and businesses. So, it's hard to get the deserved recognition.

A coveted spot for any new businesses would to be featured in INC Magazine top 500 fastest growing private company. Although very, very few deaf or hard of hearing owned businesses ever get featured in INC Magazine such as Keen Guides whose owner was one of the RIT/NTID Deaf Entrepreneurs Roundtable Panel members in 2010. One key to recognizance is for a business to be a "game changer." You have a particular technology or business model that fits what it appears to be a niche market but only to find out it's really a much bigger market once the idea takes off by fulfilling a demand. Inclusivity is the key in many business models in the deaf/hh -owned businesses. Inclusivity is a rather large market need to fill when you have 36 million people with hearing loss in the United States who typically do not have the same type of access and enjoyment that hearing people have.

Company: Keen Guides In 2004, Catherine McNally — deaf since she was 8 months old — was at a museum and asked for an alternative to the audio tour… only to be handed a 50-page manuscript. Talk about an “aha” moment. Today, her company makes mobile tours available on iTunes that use captions and American Sign Language; there are currently 136 tours available in Seattle, New Orleans and the Washington, DC, area, among others. While funding is pending, McNally is charging full-speed ahead with plans to reach 1,111 sites across the US by November.

The Message: “I am using my work to bring greater awareness for inclusive accessibility in cultural tourism,” McNally says. www.keenguides.com.

This is what I've always advocated, the need for inclusiveness for all people, deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people regardless of communication preference.  There is no feeling of inclusiveness when you watch a video that isn't captioned or subtitled (that can be done by capable people and without much effort versus those who refuse on ideological grounds) and instead gets handed a transcript of that video whether it's done with voice or sign language. There are a few deaf and hard of hearing businesses that I'm aware of who had that "Ah ha" moment and decided to make a business out of it. A time when everything makes sense to risk it because no one else thought of it before on the need to make it work. What makes many deaf and hard of hearing owned businesses successful is their fulfillment of the need for deaf and hard of hearing customers and clients to feel included because they know exactly how they feel.  And that, my friends, is a potential multi-billion dollar market place with 36 million people with hearing loss in the United States.  The question is, how can you tap into that potential?

For hearing people only........

My wife and I had a good time at Deaf Nation in Portland recently this Sunday where we caught up with friends, especially seeing one of my dear friend I haven't seen in person for 19 years. It was unexpected and we surprised each other by literally bumping into each other. It was great chatting with my friend catching up and swapping stories with my wife and friends. Even Joel Barish came by and chatted with me and my wife, and our friends at the table. Interesting information from Joel on how he handles jet lags. I won't tell you what it is. You'll have to ask him.

Met Ron Rice, the famous NTID swimmer, who was introduced to me because of my blog by another NTID alumnus I know:

Ron Rice was the first All-American in RIT swimming history, placing in the 200-yard freestyle at the 1974-75 NCAA Championship. He repeated a year later as part of the 400-yard freestyle relay. The first National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) student to earn All-American plaudits, the native of Warren, Mich. won 82 of 85 races during a brilliant career. He led the team in scoring all four seasons and was Most Valuable Swimmer four times. He served as tri-captain in 1976-77. Rice also set nine school records. Equally impressive are his 16 world records and 12 Gold Medals at the World Games for the Deaf. He was named World Deaf Athlete of the Year and American Athletic Association of the Deaf Athlete of the Year in 1973. Twice he was NTID Male Athlete of the Year.

Ron told me about my blog and how he reads it on occasion and even commented on it a few times. He enjoys reading it. Said that people need to understand and respect other people's opinions. I agree.  Nice to meet a gold medalist! Great chat.

Also, I met and sat down with Miriam Richards who is also very good friend of my friend (that I just bumped into after 19 years) which I didn't know. If you don't recognize the name Miriam Richards she is the person who is attempting to be the first deaf person to climb the 50 highest peaks in the United States. She has a book that came out earlier this year called "Highpoint of Persistence: The Miriam Richards Story."  Sounds like a very interesting and adventurous book to read! Might want to take a look at it.

Oh, about the title, I thought it would get your attention. But it's funny what people think of me just because of my blog. I'm certainly not surprised on what some people think or believe about me.  I can only shake my head at their sad misinformation just because of hate that blind them to say such things.

ICED....over II

From what JPR said this morning on what he saw last night April 7, 2011:

I thought I would share this news with you.

Last night, I watched Dr. Jane K. Fernandes' presentation at NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) on the topic of inclusive Deaf Studies. A little bit after she was introduced, she mentioned about the past ICED and how it recognized that the Milan resolution was in error. Then, she mentioned about respecting all languages and forms of communication. She mentioned that she was giving her presentation in honor of that respect for all forms of communication. The main thrust of her presentation was that the discipline of Deaf Studies should be broadened to include the diverse deaf people outside of the standard ASL deaf signers in the Deaf culture. I am sure that this is familiar to all of you.

I thought that it was neat and nice that she remembered and recognized the importance of the respect for all languages and forms of communication that she decided to honor it with her presentation. Given that this happened in close proximity with Mr. Mike McConnell's and Candy's blog, I wanted to share this news.

(She and other co-author wrote two articles whose web links are shown at the bottom of the webpage at http://www.rit.edu/ntid/lyon/speakers/jane-k-fernandes-phd ).

Joseph Pietro Riolo

Interesting development. I wrote my blog on April 4, 2011 and she gave her speech on April 7, 2011 on basically about diversity and respect for all communications and languages per the ICED recommendations.

Thank you for the heads up, JPR.

Rush Limbaugh Donates Half Million Dollars to HEI to help Speed up Cure for Hearing Loss

Rush Limbaugh, the famous deaf radio personality and well known political commentator, recently donated $500,000 to the House Ear Institute (HEI). You can also see HEI's September 16, 2009 news release on Rush Limbaugh's donaton as well.

The HEI is known for their research role for the cure and restoration of hearing loss. Approximately 50% of HEI's annual budget comes from generous contributions. Rush' latest half of a million dollar contribution to HEI will certainly help speed up the process in finding a cure for hearing loss.