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 dark hair, and a red zip-up jacket stands on grass with his arms stretched wide and a broad smile. Behind him is a pond with lily pads, trees in yellow and orange fall foliage, and colorful metal sculptures at the water’s edge.

Gunthercity

Website

Travis Gunther lives in Plymouth, WI. He has been creating works of art since he first held a pencil. Travis enjoys classic TV and movies because they give him lots of ideas. Most of all, he love my family and friends and wants his art to give you joy, and cheer up your day.

A young man with Down syndrome, shoulder-length brown hair, and dark-rimmed glasses smiles as he holds up two black bags of coffee in a grassy field at dusk. He wears a black T-shirt. Each bag has a round blue logo with a hand icon and the text “Hand in Hand Coffee Co.”

Hand in Hand Coffee Company

Website

We are a family run business wanting to grow and employ other adults with special needs. We offer ordering delicious, locally roasted coffee online and delivered to your doorstep every month. Inclusion Brew is a light and medium roast blend, we have medium and dark roast as well. Whole bean or ground. DRINK COFFEE. DO GOOD.

A smiling young woman with Down syndrome, straight brown hair with bangs, and pale-framed glasses sits on a dark couch holding a wooden birdhouse. The birdhouse has a purple flower on its roof and a small blue bird with a yellow heart near the base. She wears a gray T-shirt with orange-outlined lettering and a bracelet, and a blue blanket is beside her.

If You Had Wings

Website

Welcome to If You Had Wings, where we're building more than birdhouses. (Truth be told, though, we spend a good bit of time doing just that.) We're also building on the goal of the Todd Family of Virginia Beach to “Do Good Things.” Whether that means supporting non-profit organizations with donations we receive, celebrating the gifts of our loved ones with disabilities or encouraging collaboration, we're all in.

Smiling man with Down syndrome, short light brown hair, and glasses stands at a sample table in a grocery store, holding a cracker in a gloved hand. He wears a black polo shirt with a round white “Jared’s Jams” logo. Rows of jam jars with sample spoons sit in front of him, and a sign at left shows the Jared’s Jams logo and a Missouri logo.

Jared's Jams

Website

Founded by passionate self-advocate Jared, Jared’s Jams began as a heartfelt way to give back to Special Olympics after representing the organization at the United Nations in 2014. Using fresh fruit from his family farm, Jared started crafting homemade jams to support inclusion and acceptance for all. What began at a local farmers market soon grew into a thriving small business, later joined by his brother Joshua’s specialty coffee blends. Today, Jared’s Jams proudly offers jams, coffees, breakfast baskets, and gifts while continuing to support the mission of empowerment, leadership, and opportunity through Special Olympics.

A smiling man with Down syndrome and short dark hair holds up two blue superhero-print socks, one in each hand, against a solid blue background. He wears a navy polo shirt with a small colorful logo and khaki pants.

John's Crazy Socks

Website

John's Crazy Socks is a father-son social enterprise inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks, or what he calls his “crazy socks.” We're on a mission to spread happiness. We have socks you can love with the widest array of fun, unique and beautifully designed socks that let you express your passion and personality.

A smiling man with Down syndrome and short dark hair sits on a teal metal chair beside a large abstract painting in pale blue, white, and black. He wears a blue polo shirt, a black paint-splattered apron, black paint-splattered pants, and black shoes, and sits on a wood floor.

Just Charlie French

Website

Charlie is an intuitive abstract artist who embraces a blank canvas as an imaginative adventure. He has studied painting in London, Santa Fe and Dallas, and has sold art to private and corporate collectors around the world. Charlie finds great joy in painting, and hopes his art makes others happy too.

A smiling young woman with Down syndrome, long straight brown hair, and black-rimmed glasses holds up an embroidery hoop showing a heart stitched in patchwork squares of rainbow colors. She wears a denim jacket over a white patterned top.

Kayla Snover Studio

Website

Kayla Snover Studio is where color and shapes combine to create dynamic pieces. Founded in 2020, Kayla's passion for color is evident through her use of the complete spectrum of the rainbow in her pieces. From her popular recycled Tyvek art to her empowering merchandise line, “Different is Cool”, Kayla invites you to share her mission of making the world a more colorful and inclusive place for all."

Group of eight smiling people, including individuals with Down syndrome, stand close together on a sidewalk in front of a glass building. All wear gray polo shirts and black aprons with a logo of a coffee cup with a yellow heart above the word “Kindness.”

Kindness Cafe + Play

Website

Kindness Cafe + Play is a nonprofit coffee shop that employs adults with cognitive disabilities while creating a joyful, inclusive community space. We offer a wide variety of locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks and delicious baked goods. Located in the lobby of the YMCA in Charlottesville, VA, we're excited to be challenging perceptions while creating meaningful connections.

A woman with Down syndrome, dark wavy hair, and glasses stands at an outdoor coffee stand in front of a brick storefront, holding a paper coffee cup with a brown sleeve. She wears a white shirt and a black apron with a round pink logo of a coffee cup and muffin. A white sign in front of the stand shows the same logo with the script text “Kristina’s Grinds and Grace,” and snacks sit on shelves behind it.

Kristina's Grinds and Grace

Website

Kristina's Grind and Grace offers coffee, pastries, and a moment of respite from a hectic day. Serving coffee and confections, with a side of grace, by truly exceptional staff. The next time you need to add some caffeine and a heavy dose of sweetness to your afternoon, stop by and see Kristina in full bloom.

A young woman with Down syndrome and long, straight light brown hair with a blue flower clip stands in a garden in front of a deep purple Japanese maple. She wears a loose top with a bold orange, pink, and teal abstract pattern outlined in black.

Lemonade Stand Designs

Website

Marie Webb, a professional fashion and textile designer, founded Lemonade Stand Designs in 2016. Her one-of-a-kind creations have been showcased at New York Fashion Week, highlighting her vibrant style and love for creativity. Through her designs, she celebrates diversity and empowers others, demonstrating that fashion can be a powerful force for change. Discover unique wearable art pieces, including scarves, totes, headbands, and more, at Lemonade Stand Designs!

A father and his son, a man with Down syndrome, stand close together in front of a white paneled wall with a decorative animal skull above them. The man at left is bald with a gray beard and glasses, wears a navy quarter-zip sweater, and has an arm around the man at right, who has short dark hair and wears a beige quarter-zip sweater.

Let Me Do It

Website

Let Me Do It is an app that was founded by Angad in 2022. The Let Me Do It App gives people with disabilities the ability to manage and navigate their decision-making using a structured decision tree and task management framework that works in conjunction with caregivers and extended network to support their decision-making. 

A smiling young woman with Down syndrome, long strawberry-blond hair, and glasses stands behind a wooden crate stacked with kraft paper pouches of dog biscuits in flavors including blueberry, peanut butter, sweet potato, pumpkin and peanut butter, and organic apple, plus a tin of mints. She wears a tan jacket over a white shirt. Behind her hangs a round wooden sign with a silhouette of a large and a small dog above a bone shape with the text “littleBIG” and “Dog treats.”

Little BIG Dog Treats

Website

Little BIG Dog Treats is more than just a business; it is the realization of Cailyn's life-long dream to own a business and work alongside her mom. Established in January 2016, our handcrafted dog treats are made with only the freshest, most natural ingredients because we believe your pup deserves the best! Every step of making our dog treats is done by hand and is "Made with love for the dogs we love ~ little to BIG!" Grab some treats today from our online shop or find our treats at select stores across the country!