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 man with Down syndrome, short brown hair, and wire-rimmed glasses smiles while holding two white foam cups of shaved ice, one red and one green. He wears a purple T-shirt with a yellow palm tree and the logo “Blake’s Snow Shack,” with “Blake’s” in red letters and “Snow Shack” in white letters on a blue banner. A blurred outdoor crowd is behind him.

Blake's Snow Shack

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It started with snow cones. Then it snowballed. Blake Pyron rolled up his sleeves, stocked up on syrup and opened Blake's Snow Shack for business in 2015. Blake's inspirational story has gone worldwide, with national and international press establishing the Snow Shack as a can't-miss stop on any Texas tour. After all, it serves up two amazing things: crazy delicious snow cones and Blake's million-dollar smile.

A man with Down syndrome sits on a white sofa in a white and airy studio room

BU Candles by Jacob

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BU Candles is a business committed to making high-quality soy wax candles and recognizing and celebrating the contributions of people with developmental disabilities. Our mission is to create a brand with a focus on embodying all elements of a healthy lifestyle. BU aims to promote self-care, wellness, and sustainability by creating eco-friendly products for you and your home. The inspiration behind the phrase of BU is simply the message to always be yourself and celebrate who you are.
 

Overhead view of a white tray lined with parchment paper, holding alternating rows of salted chocolate chip cookies and brownie squares. A small bundle of lavender tied with twine lies in the center.

Cameron's Coffee & Chocolates

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Guilt-free chocolate was once just a dream for lovers of sweetness everywhere, but with Cameron's Chocolates it is here! Our remarkable chocolates are made with love and devotion by a wonderful group of young adults and volunteers. Cameron's Coffee and Chocolates offers an early morning array of coffee drinks, tea and freshly baked pastries made and baked in our own kitchen.

A young woman with Down syndrome, who has light brown hair pulled back and red-framed glasses, smiles slightly as she paints a picture of bright yellow light bulbs with a thin brush at a table in a classroom. She wears a black-and-white striped top. On the white paper in front of her are three yellow lightbulbs with thick black outlines, and a person in a gray cardigan stands behind her.

Candidly Kind

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Grace Key is the creator of Candidly Kind. She's a 21 year old entrepreneur who has used writing, drawing and painting throughout her life to express herself. She began painting a few years ago and started pairing her “Grace phrases” with her original paintings and printing them on shirts. With that, “candidly kind” was formed.

A woman with Down syndrome and long dark brown hair looks down as she draws with a pencil at a wooden table. She wears a black jacket over a gray shirt. In front of her are handmade greeting cards, including one with a pink creature, one with a green pea pod, and one with a red square, along with a purple tape runner and a sheet of stickers.

Cheetah Greetings

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Katie Lowe created Cheetah Greetings because she enjoys making cards and making people happy. Katie likes to make personalized cards for family and wanted todo it for her business. Her cards are made by using patterned card stock, stamping, and specialized crafting machines-like the Cricut Joy™️. Katie welcomes special requests and personalized special orders.

A woman with Down syndrome, dark brown hair, and bangs laughs while working in a commercial kitchen with a white stand mixer behind her. She wears a white T-shirt with an oval “Collettey’s” logo with a small red heart, a royal blue apron, and clear food-service gloves, and holds a clear container.

Collettey's Cookies

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With every cookie sale Collettey's has, Collette is one step closer to offering yet another employment opportunity in her company. The famous Amazing Cookie has been called the best cookie of all time by many. Flavored with chocolate and cinnamon, this soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside cookie will have you wanting more. You will surely become a regular customer, and perhaps join the cookie club.

A young man with Down syndrome and short dark hair stands against a black background holding a white pouch of dog treats. He wears a bright yellow chef’s coat with black buttons and black trim. The pouch shows a yellow paw print, a small illustration of a chef, and the text “Mini Bites,” “Connor’s Canine Cookies,” and “Peanut butter, pumpkin, & bacon.”

Connor's Canine Cookies

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Connor's Canine Cookies is a heartwarming venture founded by 13-year-old Connor Rodriguez, a spirited young boy with Down Syndrome, along with the unwavering support of his dedicated parents, Marian and Fred. Connor's Canine Cookies isn't just about creating delicious and healthy treats for our furry canine friends; it's a testament to the boundless possibilities that come with passion, determination, and the love for our four-legged companions.

A woman with Down syndrome and long light brown hair stands smiling with one hand on her hip in a vendor booth with a black curtain backdrop. She wears a purple tie-dye T-shirt with a leopard-print graphic and black leggings. Behind her, a pink banner reads “Da Bombs by Morgan Tibbens, LLC, 3590 Windermere Rd N, Nesbit, MS 38651, 901-337-2955, Bath Bombs, Shower Steamers, Soap, Goat’s Milk Soap, Goat’s milk Soap w/Loofa, Bath Salts, Sugar Scrub, Laundry Detergent, Room Spray, Shower Spray.”

Da Bombs by Morgan Tibbens LLC

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Founded in 2016, Da Bombs by Morgan Tibbens offers an array bath and home products, including soaps, bath bombs, bath salts, sugar scrubs, lotions, candles, car diffusers, and laundry detergent. Our products are thoughtfully crafted to enhance your daily rituals and add a touch of joy to your life.

A man with Down syndrome, short dark hair, a goatee, and tinted glasses grins and raises a microphone in one hand. He wears a red zip-up jacket with a “DJ Joe” logo on the chest and red-and-white braided cords around his neck. A brick wall and white column are behind him.

DJ Joe LLC

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Are you looking for a DJ? I'm DJ Joe and I'm your guy – Let me bring my love of music, dancing but most of all fun, to your next event. Corporate Events, Birthday Party, Dances, any Celebration – I'll get the party started and keep it going. I provide everything you need for a memorable event; Professional Lighting, Sound System, Personalized Playlists, but most of FUN. So… Hit Me Up and Let's Party!!

A woman with Down syndrome, long strawberry-blonde hair, and dark-rimmed glasses stands in a kitchen with brown cabinets and a granite countertop, holding a clear container of golden-brown dog treats. She wears a lime green chef’s coat with black trim and embroidered text that reads “Chef Allison, Doggy Delights by Allison.”

Doggy Delights by Allison

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Doggy Delights is a perfect business for Allison because she can spend time in the kitchen producing the treats. She uses her organizational skills in preparing the packaging for the treats and doing the business end of things. Promoting her business and selling the treats gets her out into the community meeting people and their dogs

Three smiling people in black baseball caps stand behind a glass bakery display case: a young woman in a coral pink shirt, a young woman in a dark top and white apron, and a young man with Down syndrome in glasses and a white shirt. The case holds trays of glazed doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and muffins in red, blue, and yellow liners, with bags of coffee on top and a blue wall behind.

Down for Doughnuts

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One night at dinner we were talking about what kind of business we should have and out of the blue Zach said “I want a doughnut shop.” From that night on, we knew that one day we were going to have a doughnut shop. Down for Doughnuts offers doughnuts, muffins, coffee and other assorted foods and drinks. We have a relationship with a world class coffee company that sets us apart from all others.

A young woman with Down syndrome, long blond hair, and dark-rimmed glasses smiles at the camera while standing at a kitchen counter with cookies on it. She wears a pink and black athletic shirt under a light blue apron decorated with cupcakes and whisks and printed with the words “Bakers gonna bake.” A stainless steel stove, white cabinets, and a gray tile backsplash are behind her.

Down Right Delicious Dog Treats

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Down Right Delicious Dog Treats was founded by Calli Jo and her mother, Nicki, in 2022. At our core, we are passionate about crafting healthy homemade dog treats that both your beloved pets and ours can enjoy! Our delicious treat selection includes peanut butter honey biscuits, wholesome beet treats, and irresistible peanut butter and pumpkin biscuits. Every batch is made with love and features only the finest ingredients, including whole wheat flour, premium peanut butter, pure honey, and nourishing flaxseed.