Disabled business owners shine in new podcast: My Business Stars
Media release
22 June 2023
CCS Disability Action is thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new podcast series, My Business Stars, starting on Helen Keller Day, Tuesday 27 June.
Created in partnership with the Disability Business Network and hosted by “That Blind Woman” Julie Woods, the podcast series will delve into the diverse experiences of successful entrepreneurs in the disabled community. In each episode, guests from all walks of life sit down for a conversation about the ups and downs of their journeys and how they got to where they are today.
With guests ranging from professional speakers to social entrepreneurs, this podcast will provide unique insight into the lived experience of disabled business owners all over the country.
“I can only describe these conversations as astonishing,” says Woods. “Business owners have been so willing to share the good and the bad, which has made this window into their journeys so enlightening.”
Woods believes that the podcast is an important opportunity for people to learn about what it’s really like for disabled people in business and the physical, social, and attitudinal barriers that affect employment equity.
“When I asked one disabled business owner why he went into business, he said it was because he was unemployable.”
The interviews will also highlight the positive impact that disabled people can have on the economic landscape and the way business ownership can create opportunities to work in a way that fits their individual needs and goals.
“I love uncovering what advantage a business owner feels their impairment gives them,” says Woods. “One business owner described their disability as a passport for having open conversations with their clients – it’s the kind of authentic engagement every company wants to cultivate.”
“When disabled people are empowered at work and in business it doesn’t just benefit the economy, there are so many personal advantages as well. These conversations highlight how much disabled people enjoy the freedom that having a business can bring to their lives.”
CCS Disability Action Chief Executive Mel Smith says the podcast is a perfect fit for the organisation’s values.
“We firmly believe that disabled people have the same right to meaningful employment as every other New Zealander,” says Smith. “We are proud to be partnering with the Disability Business Network to create a podcast that uplifts the voices of disabled business owners and provides a space where they can have authentic discussions about their experiences.”
The My Business Stars podcast is being produced by Dunedin community access station Otago Access Radio. Each of the 10 episodes will broadcast weekly at 12:00 pm on Tuesdays and replay at 6:00 pm on Thursdays on OAR 105.4FM, commencing 27 June 2023. Full episodes will also be available at: https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/my-business-stars
For further information contact:
Julie Woods
Phone: 021 913 513
Email: Julie@ThatBlindWoman.co.nz
CCS Disability Action Background Information
CCS Disability Action is the largest pan disability support and advocacy organisation in New Zealand. CCS Disability Action has been advocating for disabled people to be included in the community since 1935. We provide direct support to approximately 5,000 children, young people and adults through our 18 branches, which operate from Northland to Invercargill. Our support focuses on breaking down barriers to participation. We receive a mixture of government and private funding.
CCS Disability Action has a national network of access coordinators, who work with local government and transport operators to create a more inclusive society. We also run New Zealand’s Mobility Parking Permit scheme. This scheme currently supports more than 160,000 people to more easily access their communities and facilities. Our fully owned subsidiary, Lifetime Design Ltd, advocates for and provides universal design guidelines to improve the accessibility of New Zealand housing.