Executive Functioning Accommodations in Self-Employment Kim Cordingly, Ph.D., and

1. Executive Functioning Accommodations in Self-Employment • Kim Cordingly, Ph.D., and • Melanie Whetzel, M.A., CBIS

2. Overview — Entrepreneurship Team • Accessible by toll-free phone/TTY, chat, email, JAN on Demand • Detailed intake process • Individualized consulting and resource materials • Provide local, state and national resources • Ongoing electronic and telephone access and support • JAN entrepreneurship website access • For-profit, non-profit, customized self-employment, home-based business, independent contracting

3. Benefits of Self-Employment • Customized approach • Accommodation opportunities • Social Security advantages and • accumulation of assets • Integration in community • Employment creation • Resolve transportation issues • Autonomy and ownership • Increased flexibility • Economic development (e.g. hiring others with disabilities, job creation) • Fulfills a dream and lifelong interests

4. Potential Challenges • General risks of starting a business • Inadequate or inaccurate information • Financial concerns related to interaction with benefits • Funding and credit challenges • Health insurance and coverage issues • Proper supports and agency cooperation • Health challenges • Lack of appropriate supports

5. Many challenges • can be overcome • with proper planning • and supports!

6. Entrepreneurial Strategies • Self-employment • Small business • Microenterprise • Customized self-employment • Home-based business • Independent contractor • Business within a business • Family business • Non-profit organizations& social enterprise

7. Keys to Success • A really good business idea • Individualized — no one is the same • Building on abilities and interests • Identifying a need or niche • Appropriate support system throughout the process • Family support • Mentorship in one’s field or coaching • A business/self-employment plan • Financing — blended or braided funding • Assistance with benefits planning • Accommodations built into the design of business

8. Type of Business • Financial planner/accountant • Computer programming and repair • Pet business (e.g., dog walker, grooming, sitter) • Food business (e.g., bakery, restaurant, food cart) • Agriculture (e.g., herb farm, community agriculture) • Artist (e.g., quilter, fine art, music) • Photographer, graphic design • Automobile repair or detailing • Custom furniture • Home inspection • Freelance writer or editor

9. JAN Team Collaboration!

10. Executive Functions • High-level abilities that influence and direct more basic abilities like attention and memory • Includes: • Thinking • Paying attention • Remembering • Planning and organizing

11. Executive functions are important for successful adaptation and performance in the daily situations in our lives. • begin and complete tasks • persist when we are faced with challenges. • recognize unexpected situations • adjust our plans quickly • Executive functions are also what keep us from behaving in inappropriate ways.

12. Example: • At work with your supervisor…

13. All day, every day, executive function allows us to: • Make plans • Initiate activities or tasks • Generate ideas independently • Keep track of time • Meet deadlines • Keep track of more than one thing at a time • Retain information while doing something with it (remembering the number while dialing a phone)

14. All day, every day, executive function allows us to: • Memorize and retrieve the information from memory • Include past knowledge in current situations • Evaluate ideas and reflect on work • Change our minds and make mid-course corrections while thinking, reading, and writing • Ask for help, and know where and when to get more information • Engage effectively in groups • Use self-control

15. “Angela”Wellness Coaching Business

16. “Angela” ~ Accommodation Needs • Wellness coaching business • Mental health impairment, a trauma history, and severe anxiety • When preparing training curriculum or business plan drafts — edits excessively, anxious about sharing her work with others, hinders productivity • Procrastinates about making phone calls and social contact on “bad” days • Perfect it and pass it on • Prioritize and organize phone list

17. “Angela” ~ Accommodation Needs • Difficulty in stressful situations (like meetings) articulating ideas • Challenges with organization and completing tasks • Keep a notebook with notes/questions for meetings • Record meetings • Color-coded checklists, highlighters, sticky-notes, paperclips

18. “Edith”Home-Based AccountingPractice

19. “Edith” ~ Accommodation Needs • Home-based accounting practice • Diagnosed later in life with Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) • Past difficulties in work situations with social situations in office (“office politics”), noise and visual distractions, task completion when anxiety was high • In home office, ways to manage noise and other distractions • Environmental sounds, music, and noise abatement products

20. “Edith” ~ Accommodation Needs • Separation of home/work life in this space • Set up the office for the work YOU do • Office = office, home = home • Creating positive work routine • Make a schedule and stick to a routine • What’s In a Routine article

21. “Jeff and Claire” Photographer

22. “Jeff” & “Claire” ~ Accommodation Needs • Customized self-employment • Young adult transitioning from school to work • Strong interest in photography • Structuring participation in desirable and less interesting activities • Flow chart of required steps

23. “Jeff” & “Claire” ~ Accommodation Needs • Fostering greater responsibility, autonomy, and involvement in the business • Mentor/Job Coach • Assistance with system to track financial and other aspects of the business — to build on these skills in self-employment • Apps for small businesses

24. “Eric” Recycling Business

25. “Eric” ~ Accommodation Needs • Recycling business • Had a stroke and now has cognitive difficulties, fatigue, and headaches • Needs flexible schedule to manage good days and bad days, so self-employment makes sense • Struggles with memory issues, task sequencing, staying on task, and organization • Set up a “stamina” schedule • Posted and laminated key-ring checklists

26. “Eric” ~ Accommodation Needs • Needs system for managing the recycled materials and categories • Keep a notebook with various colored tabs • Prefers mobile and paper-based system • Timers, watches, and reminder apps • Color-code by priority

27. “Alexis” Grant Writer

28. “Alexis” ~ Accommodation Needs • Grant writer — independent contractor • Worked in nonprofit sector for many years • Mild head injury and severe anxiety • Difficulty interacting with co-workers when not meeting her expectations • Communicate in writing • Standard operating procedures • Stress deadlines/timeframes

29. “Alexis” ~ Accommodation Needs • Managing social anxiety and frustration • Coach • Stress management techniques • Developing better “customer service” skills • Coach • Managing anxiety when having to collaborate with others • Repeat clients • Stress management techniques

30. “Leonard” Self-Employed Musician

31. “Leonard” ~ Accommodation Needs • Self-employed musician • Bipolar disorder, drug and alcohol history • Side effects of current medication • Severe cognitive and memory issues • Playing music seems to bypass these problems

32. “Leonard” ~ Accommodation Needs • Business requires arranging performance dates, tracking phone calls and emails, reminders of calls backs, keeping track of conversations • Running record of contacts • Use one location: organization & focus • Color-coded large calendar • Calendar system to sync across devices • Choose what works and stick with it • Managing “big ideas” while staying grounded in daily business activities • Prioritize the mundane

33. Questions?

34. Contact • (800)526-7234 (V) & (877)781-9403 (TTY) • AskJAN.org & jan@askjan.org • (304)216-8189 via Text • janconsultants via Skype