The challenges of being a deaf entrepreneur
Your name: Shezad Nawab
Your company: Deaf Business Services Ltd
Company profile: I am director / CEO & co-founder at Deaf
Business Services Ltd. I am director at Business International
Connect. I am chairman at Princess Beauty, Morocco. I buy and sell
on eBay. I was general assistant at Alpha Flight Services,
Birmingham International Airport. I also support my father's
businesses: Post Office Ltd, MACE supermarket and Business Property
Owners; Commercials & Residential.
Your position in the company: Director / CEO & co-founder
Founded: Deaf Business Services Ltd: May 2010; Business
International Connect: 2009; Princess Beauty: 2008; eBay 2007;
Alpha Flight Services 1999 - 2003.
The business challenge case study - body text
Case study title: The challenges of being a deaf entrepreneur
Overview: I remember when I was around 10 years old; I asked my
father how I could become a multimillionaire? He told me that I
needed a business idea and a business development plan. I use
British Sign Language and also know four other languages including
American, Pakistan, South African and Moroccan Sign Languages to
facilitate communication between these companies.
The challenge: Being deaf can present many challenges. For example,
trying to open a business bank account was more difficult than most
people would find it. I arrived at the bank to open the account but
because of communication problems between the staff and myself it
was a very complicated process.
Another example, I attended a meeting where I was the only deaf
person in a room full of hearing people whose knowledge of deafness
was somewhat lacking. The interpreter that was with me needed to
sit opposite so I could see them properly but they were made to sit
very close to me which was not ideal.
The solution:
I have always been determined to be equal to hearing people.
Throughout my life I have made sure that I have persevered with my
studies and worked hard to achieve my qualifications. I have
continued my studies to learn more about entrepreneurship and
business services so that I can offer a wide variety of services
rather than focussing on just one particular area.
Key lesson: How to set up my own business in ten achievable
steps;
1. Marketing
2. Sales
3. Customer Services
4. Team
5. Strategic Planning
6. Finance and Profitability
7. Leverage (Finance)
8. Leadership and direction
9. Balance
10. Entrepreneurship
Top tip: I will not ask you so what do you do at the moment? Give
me just 30 minutes of your time to present your pitch, then I will
be interested to listen to you and get more information about your
services, products, numbers, and people.
Overview
I remember when I was around 10 years old; I asked my father how
I could become a multimillionaire? He told me that I needed a
business idea and a business development plan. I use British Sign
Language and also know four other languages including American,
Pakistan, South African and Moroccan Sign Languages to facilitate
communication between these companies.
The challenge
Being deaf can present many challenges. For example, trying to
open a business bank account was more difficult than most people
would find it. I arrived at the bank to open the account but
because of communication problems between the staff and myself it
was a very complicated process.
Another example, I attended a meeting where I was the only deaf
person in a room full of hearing people whose knowledge of deafness
was somewhat lacking. The interpreter that was with me needed to
sit opposite so I could see them properly but they were made to sit
very close to me which was not ideal.
The solution
I have always been determined to be equal to hearing people.
Throughout my life I have made sure that I have persevered with my
studies and worked hard to achieve my qualifications. I have
continued my studies to learn more about entrepreneurship and
business services so that I can offer a wide variety of services
rather than focussing on just one particular area.
Key lesson
How to set up my own business in ten achievable steps;
1. Marketing
2. Sales
3. Customer services
4. Team
5. Strategic planning
6. Finance and profitability
7. Leverage (finance)
8. Leadership and direction
9. Balance
10. Entrepreneurship
Top tip
I will not ask you: so what do you do at the moment? Give me
just 30 minutes of your time to present your pitch, then I will be
interested to listen to you and get more information about your
services, products, numbers, and people.
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