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.

A recent segment on The Today Show, "Shop These Businesses for Down Syndrome Awareness Month," featured The National Down Syndrome Society and many of the small businesses on this page. Thank you to Peloton instructor and TODAY contributor, Ally Love, for helping us highlight entrepreneurs with Down syndrome! Click the button below to watch the segment.

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A woman with Down syndrome, a maroon knit beanie, and round black glasses stands behind a vendor table in a green hoodie with glittery lettering that reads “Rosemerry Sparkle.” Beside her, a dress form wears a green sweatshirt with red star designs. The table holds red shirts in plastic bags printed with “Rosemerry Sparkle,” yellow and orange shirts with the word “Love,” jewelry displays, a hand-shaped bracelet stand, and a black bag with a gold glitter heart reading “Love joy and excitement.”

Rosemerry Sparkle

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At Rosemerry Sparkle, Britni Allen handcrafts each piece, thoughtfully selecting colors that bring her unique vision to life. The name Rosemerry Sparkle reflects Britni's character and embodies the love, joy, and excitement she pours into every creation.

A young woman with Down syndrome and a long ponytail leans against a painted mural of a lake and stone balustrade, holding the end of her ponytail with one hand. She wears a black sparkly baseball cap, a hot pink crop tank top that reads “Zumba,” matching hot pink leggings with black and gold side stripes, and black and gold sneakers.

Sandy Morten Zumba

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Sandy Morten is a passionate Zumba Instructor of 10 years, licensed in Zumba, Zumba Toning, Zumba Gold, and Zumba Kids. Sandy brings energy, joy, and inclusion to every class.

Through Zumba, Sandy has found confidence, leadership, and a sense of belonging—helping others stay active and healthy while having fun. She teaches at community centers, schools, gyms, libraries, and programs for adults with disabilities. Join Sandy's Zumba class!

In addition to teaching, Sandy proudly works at Marshalls, where she’s been a valued employee for eight years.

A young man with Down syndrome and short dark hair sits on a white chair in a sunlit white studio, looking off to the side with his hands clasped. He wears a white turtleneck sweater, white pants, and white sneakers. Large abstract paintings in black, navy, white, and red surround him, including one on an easel with thick black brushstrokes and a red stripe.

Santiago

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On December 9th, 2022, Santiago becomes the first artist with Down syndrome and autism to release an NFT collection of 1,000 unique artworks. Santiago paints in an abstract expressionist style, hence the collection name: ABSTRACTO. Santiago is 16 years old and non-verbal, but his art speaks loud and clear.

Over the course of 5 months, Santiago painted over 200 paintings. The artist used a diverse range of materials, including oil paint, acrylic paint, gesso, oil pastel, and charcoal. Santiago’s paintings were all scanned to digital format. Next, following an algorithmic editing technique, different elements of the paintings were combined to create brand new digital artworks. As such, Santiago’s 200 physical paintings yielded 1,000 unique digital artworks comprising the complete ABSTRACTO collection.

Santiago is the main beneficiary of the collection, and this will provide for access to specialized care for the rest of his life. Santiago's loved ones opted to give the artist a platform for him to shine on his own, and for him to create value in the world through his art. ABSTRACTO is meant for those who see the human sensibility of Santiago’s story, and for collectors of fine art by emerging artists from underrepresented minorities. Furthermore, ABSTRACTO champions the Down syndrome and autism communities. A portion of the proceeds is destined towards donations to the National Down Syndrome Society, and the National Autism Association. Santiago embraced what makes him different. Instead of looking at his disability as a weakness, he turned it into his greatest strength. That is because what makes Santiago unique is exactly what gives him a distinct artistic perspective, and what makes his art special.

Visit the website and the Twitter page @SantiagoMakesArt.
 

A man with Down syndrome and short, spiky brown hair smiles widely at the camera. He wears a gray T-shirt with the words “I speak” in white above red lettering that is cut off at the bottom of the frame. The background is softly blurred.

Seanese

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I want the world to know that having Down syndrome isn't that big of a deal. I design every shirt with a message, and It's my message. Nobody tells me what to say on my shirts. Let's all laugh, because that's my favorite thing, and I bet its your favorite thing too. Let your shirt speak for you. It's about the positive message and shouting your value because you belong. You rock!

A young woman with Down syndrome and dark hair pinned up with a small clip smiles slightly as she sits on stone steps. She wears a white fluffy coat, black pants, and cream boots. Colorful painted animals and flowers surround her, including a yellow cat, a red cat, a blue butterfly, a hummingbird, a red octopus, a panda, a rooster, a hen, and red flowers with green leaves.

sophiola

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Art truly captured Sophia's imagination and become her heart-felt and focused way to express herself. Through camps and classes, she has worked in painting, drawing and pottery. She especially loves Chinese watercolor painting. She brings an infectious sense of joy, humor and exuberance to life and to her art, which can be found through sophiola.

Close-up of beaded bracelets in pale blue stones, white pearls, and clear crystals with silver spacers and silver starfish charms, resting on green and gray-lavender succulent plants.

Special Sparkle

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Kelly is a young lady with Down syndrome and this company was created to assist Kelly in leading a fulfilled and productive life after school came to an end for her. She loves fashion, style and bling, so what better way to express that than to create fashionable jewelry! Special Sparkle is a mother/daughter team where we work together to design and Kelly makes all the jewelry!

A man with Down syndrome, short dark hair, and black-framed glasses is shown in profile as he looks down and steams milk in a metal pitcher at a stainless steel espresso machine. He wears a gray and black baseball-style shirt with black sleeves. Copper canisters sit on a shelf behind him.

Spencer's Place

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Spencer's Place is an Inclusive coffee shop designed to employ Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Spencer's Place creates jobs that align with each individual's ability. We provide opportunities to earn a paycheck, build relationships, gain a sense of purpose and show the community the beauty of diversity and inclusion.

Graphic on a yellow background of a smiling young man with Down syndrome and light brown hair, with his hands on his hips. He wears a red superhero cape and a blue T-shirt with a tan shield bearing a pink letter. A blue brushstroke banner across the image reads “Super Brady by Brady & Alexx” in yellow letters. Below it, the words “Inspir Art” appear in blue and pink, followed by “www.SuperBradyShop.com” in black.

SuperBrady Shop

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SuperBradyShop is an online store created by siblings, Brady & Alexx, to showcase their SuperBrady books and Brady's InspirART prints. This dynamic duo wrote and illustrated two SuperBrady children's books together. Now, they have created a line of themed art prints for kids' bedrooms that highlight Brady's hand-drawn artwork. They hope Brady's art will inspire children to see the abilities in others, as well as to believe in their own talents and in all that is possible.

A smiling man with Down syndrome, short dark hair, and a goatee holds out a red plate with a crumble dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a white spoon. He wears a gray T-shirt with a round logo that reads “Baked goodies & Sweet Jordan’s Ice cream,” with a whisk and a rolling pin. A white subway-tile wall is behind him.

Sweet Jordan's LLC

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Sweet Jordan's is a Bakery, Homemade Ice Cream and Coffee Shop that employs 28 other individuals like Jordan. We make homemade ice cream, and baked goodies from recipes passed down from many generations.

A man with Down syndrome wears a gray shirt with a logo with a red pepper, glasses, and black kitchen gloves. He stands in an industrial kitchen holding a large bowl of peaches

Texas Sweet Heat Jam Co.

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Nolan is the creator of Texas Sweet Heat Jam Co. a hot market innovation comprised of his own homegrown peppers and a twist of fine-tuned culinary expertise. His hot pepper jelly is a result of years of practice and parental attention paid to his talent and special interest in gardening and cooking. Our jams are made from natural, local ingredients. No preservatives, no added chemicals or colors – just pure real food.

Large group of smiling people, including individuals with Down syndrome, gather outside a café storefront for a ribbon-cutting. A pink ribbon stretches across the front, with a red carpet and gold stanchion on the sidewalk. Many wear light blue shirts and black aprons, and a young woman in a wheelchair sits at front left. The window reads “Specialty coffee by special people,” cropped at the edge, beside the number 110 and a round pink mermaid logo with the words “The Mermaid Café.”

The Mermaid Café

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The Mermaid Café in San Antonio, TX, is a 100% gluten-free, disability-first coffee shop dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. Founded by Leah Meyer and her family, the café offers more than just coffee; it provides meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities. From baristas to bakers, each team member brings unique talents and heart to their work. The menu is inspired by family tradition and filled with heartfelt favorites, lovingly passed down through generations. At The Mermaid Café, every sip and bite tells a story of empowerment, community, and love.

Three young women with Down syndrome pose outdoors in a sunlit field with their arms crossed together at the center. At left, a woman with dark curly hair wears a tan jacket, navy pants, and black sneakers. In the middle, a woman with long blond hair wears a white cardigan, a black top, black floral pants, and black sandals. At right, a woman with long auburn hair, a headband, and glasses wears a white cardigan, a black floral dress, black leggings, and black Mary Jane shoes with white socks.

The Spotlight Project

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The Spotlight Project is a bracelet company with the mission of raising employment for individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability. They aim to shine a light on their amazing talents and positive contributions to the workforce, with the goal of inspiring other companies to follow in our footsteps.