Entrepreneurship Creates Opportunities for Individuals with Down Syndrome

For individuals with Down syndrome, owning a business can mean more than earning a paycheck. It can mean having the freedom to make decisions, build something around a personal passion, and share talents with the community.

According to a 2024 article from the US Department of Labor, individuals with disabilities are nearly three times more likely to engage in self-employment (9.9%) than in wage-and-salary roles (3.7%) as means of employment. While entrepreneurship offers exciting opportunities, starting and growing a business can come with challenges, including finding funding, accessing training, and connecting with the right support.

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A young man with Down syndrome and short brown and dark-rimmed glasses smiles at the camera, hands clasped in front of him. He wears a short-sleeved, button-up blue shirt with a pattern of yellow pineapples with light blue leaves and stands in front of a green evergreen hedge.

21 Pineapples

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Nate is 19, and is the CEO of his own Hawaiian shirt company. 21 Pineapples! Nate has been on the radio, tv and has over a hundred gold medals from the Special Olympics. After starting 21 pineapples, he hit one million in sales in merely 6 months. He is also known as the king of TikTok with over 600k followers. Nate was the lead model in this year‘s LA fashion week. He has modeled for companies such as Culver’s. Nate will be featured in a music video that will launch on October 1 for a very inspiring country artist. Nate's success is only beginning, but he loves to share his love throughout the world.
 

Collage of three images for A Little Something Extra Ice Cream. At top, a group of smiling men and women with Down syndrome, most in white or white-and-blue shirts, pose in front of an ice cream truck. At bottom left is the logo: “A Little Something Extra” in blue letters, with a yellow and blue awareness ribbon forming the “o” in “Something” and the “x” in “Extra,” above a boxed “Ice cream,” with a Facebook icon, the phone number (256) 601-7125, an Instagram icon, and the email extraicecream@yahoo.com.

A Little Something Extra

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A Little Something Extra was created in 2018, by Anthony and Michelle Norwood, so their son Hunter could have an employment opportunity. Today, there are more than 20 young adults who are trained ice cream experts and work alongside Hunter. A Little Something Extra Ice Cream is truly changing the world one ice cream at a time!

A young man with Down syndrome with short, curly auburn hair smiles at the camera against a light gray background. He wears a blue tie-dye T-shirt with a Mickey Mouse face and several layered necklaces of pink, blue, yellow, and orange beads, and holds up two beaded pens with orange beads.

A Little Xtra LLC

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Jeremiah has a contagious bubbly personality that stands out everywhere he goes. He greets everyone he meets with a smile and treats people with genuine kindness. Jeremiah loves beaded necklaces. It's more of an obsession! In 2024, we decided to launch a family business that allows him to spread his joy with the world through his beaded creations.

A man with Down syndrome and dark hair and a goatee smiles while holding up a tan fabric banner that reads “Able Artist Joshua Roy” and “www.joshuaroy.art” at an outdoor craft fair booth under a white canopy. He wears a gray long-sleeved sweater and dark jeans. Around him are framed artwork, greeting cards, and a wooden sign with sunflowers that reads “Welcome to our home.”

ABLE ARTIST

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Artist Joshua Roy has been developing his drawing and painting talent since he was a young child. His detailed artwork has become over 100 greeting cards as well as matted and framed prints. Joshua lives and works independently in Orange County, California.

A man with Down syndrome, wearing a white cap and white T-shirt stands with arms outstretched and a big smile behind a table with a red tablecloth. His red apron reads “Chef Aidan’s Salsa” with a crossed-utensils icon. The table holds containers of salsa, bowls of tortilla chips, flyers, and a small sign reading “Aidan’s Salsa.” A banner across the front shows “Salsa!” in black lettering with a green bell pepper and “est 2022.” A sign on the wall behind reads “Salon 2.”

Aidan's Salsa LLC

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At Aidan's Salsa, we envision a vibrant community where fresh, high-quality salsa brings people together.

Wooden plank hangs by twine from a nail on a light brick wall. Three cutout wooden sailboats are attached to it, each with rainbow-patterned sails and a solid hull in green, purple, or teal.

allie art

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allie art is the colorful creation of Allie Guard, a young woman with Down syndrome from Cincinnati who is drawn to the magic of color. She fills intricate patterns with bright hues to create graphic landscapes, each with unique qualities of movement and emotion. After completing a design, the artwork is either framed for display, turned into wearable art in jewelry and accessories, or added to usable items.

A man with Down syndrome with dark hair and dark-rimmed glasses tilts his head and holds up a drawing in a cluttered garage workspace. He wears a black T-shirt with an orange line drawing of a figure and light cream shorts. The drawing shows a yellow-green triangle with an orange eye inside, surrounded by yellow rays on an orange background, with the handwritten text “Am i here tomorrow” below. Behind him are a sketch of faces and creatures on white paper and a yellow canvas.

Am Here Tomorrow

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Experience the world through the eyes of Tomorrow God, a secret spirit agent here to make tomorrow better than today. Am Here Tomorrow is a lifestyle brand showcasing artist Dan Jarvis Holland's superhero and antihero-inspired illustrations on t-shirts, tote bags, stickers, greeting cards, and more. Based in Portland, Oregon, Dan's company fuses his love of and involvement in art, music, community, and disability rights into wearable designs that can start conversations, bring people together, and remind the world that people with disabilities aren't going anywhere.

A woman with Down syndrome with long light brown hair smiles as she sits on a porch beside a large abstract painting in teal, green, yellow, and purple vertical brushstrokes. She wears a sleeveless dress with a blue, orange, and teal geometric pattern. A white porch railing, a hanging basket of red, yellow, and white flowers, and trees are visible behind her.

Anna's Art

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Anna is a unique and gifted young lady pursuing her passion. Creating life expressions we can all relate to represented on canvas, paper and card stock. Check out the many different cards at Anna's Art including the Assortment of Animal Cards and the many different cards featuring flowers!

A smiling young man with Down syndrome and a light goatee looks straight at the camera. He wears a black felt fedora with a black band and a bright blue shirt with black hand-drawn line patterns. Behind him are a cream wall, a plant with long black feathers, and a painting in pink, red, and green with black line work.

Art By J Positive

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Joel is 'J Positive', a gifted artist, and a young man with Down syndrome. He launched his online business as a way to help overcome some of his mental health challenges resulting from Covid isolation. Joel has developed his unique artistic style over many years, and is now selling his joyous designs on clothing, art, and accessories. He says, "My nickname is 'J Positive' because I am a positive person. It makes me feel very good when people like my art."

 

10% of proceeds are donated to organizations supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.

A smiling young woman with Down syndrome and shoulder-length brown hair with magenta streaks stands in front of a lilac bush with purple blossoms. She wears a sleeveless magenta V-neck top with embroidered trim.

Ask Izze

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As a certified life coach, I help people make progress in their lives to attain greater well-being. Clarifying your goals, identifying the obstacles holding you back, and coming up with strategies are just a couple of ways I can help you. I primarily serve people with disabilities and their families, but love helping everyone achieve their goals. When you donate to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), you'll receive a complimentary 15-minute consultation as my way of giving back and supporting positive change in the Down syndrome community. Contact me today to get started!

A man with Down syndrome, wearing sunglasses, a white cap, and a black chef’s jacket stands with his arms crossed and smiles beside a food truck painted in orange, yellow, and purple. The cropped truck lettering reads “Underdawgs” and “www.austinsunderdawgs.com,” with the word “Dream!” in pink letters on a green starburst.

Austin's Underdawgs

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Austin is serving up custom Dawgs. These are not your everyday hot dogs, but an Austin's Underdawg! Your guests will experience love at first bite! Advocacy, awareness, inclusion, independence and a living wage is within reach in your community. Investing in an Underdawg's Franchise is the first step to meaningful self-employment for your family member.

A smiling woman with Down syndrome in a straw hat and wire-rimmed glasses sits cross-legged in a camp chair on a rocky shore, holding a spiral sketchbook on her lap. She wears a dark purple short-sleeved top, dark shorts, gray socks, and hiking shoes. A red water bottle sits beside her, and green shrubs fill the background.

Beth Ann Margolis

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Beth Anna Margolis (b.1971) is a painter and a poet and has been creating art for over 25 years. Her new book, Paintings of My Life, offers an incredible insight on Beth Anna's world view, nurtured by her personal experiences and gifts of creativity. Her colorful pastel and watercolor paintings, and her thoughtful prose, reflect Beth's bright personality, her sense of humor, and her love of nature.