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Eddie Hennessy

Opinion Entrepreneurs with a disability need support to compete - and it's just not there

Award-winning photographer, Eddie Hennessy, says his business gave him self worth but lack of support will shutter it.

LACK OF SUPPORT is forcing me to wind down my business as a self-employed photographer.

After a stroke caused by an undiagnosed heart condition when I was 33 left me unable to read or write, affected my speech and weakened the right side of my body, I set up a rehabilitative photography business with help from Headway Ireland. 

I got back my self worth. It wasn’t about the money at all as I didn’t make any money at the start.  

My disability allowance was changed to partial capacity benefit which reduced it by €50 a week. I decided to take the hit in order to improve my health, thinking maybe when my business develops, I can make money.

It took a lot of hard work but I built up my brand and in 2018 I was voted ‘Wedding Photographer of the Year’ by a national wedding magazine. 

Eddie Hennessy Eddie Hennessy

As a disabled entrepreneur, I am expected to compete with non-disabled competitors but it is not a level playing field.

If the paralympians competed with non-disabled people, they wouldn’t have a chance. But in the business world, we are supposed to compete with non-disabled people.

After a year of working, I realised my company would not be viable without support. This was not down to lack of demand for my work. It was because my costs were 30% higher than other photographers as I had to hire someone to help me with things that my disability wouldn’t let me do.  

  • (Read more here on how you can support a major Noteworthy project into the impact that the pandemic will have on jobs for people with disabilities.)

I never looked for support before my stroke but in order to keep my business, I need a personal assistant to help me with admin, drive me to weddings and carry my gear.  

Over the past few years, I had numerous meetings with social welfare as well as the Local Enterprise Office, and contact with departments and Ministers. All with little success.

I feel ignored. I want to work and contribute to society but lack of support rather than my disability is preventing me from doing that.

It’s different for self-employed disabled business owners. If I was working for another photographer, the Government would help to pay my wages and training.

Over 52,000 people with disabilities were self-employed in Ireland, according to the 2016 census. This is just over 8% of people in Ireland who stated they had a disability.

I contributed to a report on entrepreneurship for people with disabilities by TU Dublin which was published earlier this year. In this report it found that there was a misalignment in current policy using the example that the National Disability Inclusion Strategy mentions employment 34 times but does not mention self-employment. 

It also notes that people with disabilities face additional and distinctive challenges when becoming self-employed compared to non-disabled people.  

Eddie Hennessy Eddie Hennessy

Last month, in response to a Sinn Féin parliamentary question where my lack of support was highlighted, Employment Affairs and Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said “there does not seem to be a proper number of supports for people who have a disability and are entrepreneurs”. 

In a follow-up written response, Doherty’s department said “the provision of personal assistant services for persons with disabilities is a matter which comes under the Health Service Executive (HSE)”.

Before the pandemic, the Government made a €20 million cut to disability services in the 2020 HSE Service Plan. With the pressure of Covid-19, I am not hopeful that my situation will improve any time soon. 

I do not want my disability to hold me back but current strategy is preventing me from reaching my full potential. 

I have weddings booked for the next two years and will slowly wind down at that stage. If the Government doesn’t provide me with relevant support, I can’t see a future for my business.

Eddie Hennessy is an award-winning wedding photographer based in County Cork.

SHUTTING THE DOOR Investigation  

With the lowest rate of employment for people with disabilities in the EU, Ireland does not have a good track record in this area. Now with the added economic stresses of Covid-19, many campaigners are worried that the situation will only get worse.

The Noteworthy team want to do an in-depth investigation into whether the pandemic will make it even harder for people with disabilities to get jobs in Ireland and find out more about barriers encountered in terms of employment and entrepreneurship.

Here’s how to help support this proposal>

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    Mute Brian Waldron
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    Jun 7th 2020, 10:44 AM

    Tracy I also do career coaching and I think you have offered some very useful tips for people in your article. I wish you well in your new venture which I’m sure will be a great success.

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    Mute Shazam37
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:50 AM

    @Brian Waldron: i admire the energy and self belief to start a new venture and believe many can benefit from career coaching. Kids should taught a lot of this in school.

    But the advice in this article is facile and uninteresting. Dress for an interview? Take three deep breaths?

    At the end of it all there are a handful of pretty self evident interview tips (which I wouldn’t consider strictly speaking to be career advice) and three dull unhelpful tips on starting your own business.

    This was a huge opportunity to get her brand and business in front of a readership. Opportunity wasted.

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    Mute Brian Waldron
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:02 PM

    @Shazam37: unfortunately the school system in general is bereft of many key life skills, such as preparing for the work environment, communication skills, handling adversity, developing resilience and generally building character and confidence. Whilst parents can only do so much, there is a gap.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:02 PM

    @Shazam37: How can people get paid for offering such bland and uninspiring advice?
    Why would anyone pay for “career coaching” when one can read good interview tips straight off HR based websites for FREE?

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:03 PM

    @Brian Waldron: Those gaps are filled in with a thing called “experience” Brian.

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    Mute Shazam37
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:00 PM

    @David Corrigan: well I’m assuming the advice is better when she’s doing a session.

    Lazy effort here Though

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    Mute Joe
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:22 PM

    @David Corrigan: she’s hardly going to destroy her business by giving all of her best tips out here for free.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:57 PM

    @Joe: I didn’t ask the lady to do that. I am just surprised that people pay for something that one can get for free. You always seem to get bogged down in little irrelevant things Joe.

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    Mute Shimo Tbay
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:02 AM

    If you have a complete “C U next tuesday” for a boss there is no coaching that can fix that. People don’t leave bad jobs they leave bad bosses. Do yourself a favour don’t be miserable, move on.

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    Mute Fr Romeo sensini.
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:35 AM

    @Shimo Tbay: Well they do leave bad jobs but I totally get what your saying.

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    Mute Mark Johnson
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:06 PM

    @Shimo Tbay: Female bosses (usually single and childless) in their 40s, 50s, are the worst in my experience of bully bosses.

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    Mute Paul Quirke
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    Jun 7th 2020, 6:24 PM

    @Shimo Tbay: I have a really sound boss in my job which I started 7 months ago. It’s the first time after 20 odd years working that I find myself in this case where I really respect the person that Is my manager. It’s life changing.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 7th 2020, 10:43 AM

    Career coach?

    Really?

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    Mute Joe
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:26 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: yeah it’s for people who want to push on to the next level and increase their worth!

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    Mute JimmyMc
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:38 AM

    @Joe: if you need a career coach to get to the next level then maybe you’re already at the level you should be at

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    Mute Shazam37
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:44 AM

    @JimmyMc: or perhaps something less idiotic Jimmy?

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    Mute Joe
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:28 PM

    @JimmyMc: “we hope to give them options they didn’t realise they have”.
    It’s about opening your mind and not getting stuck in a rut. Sometimes to move on and progress you need an independent voice to help you take that leap. If you can’t see that I would suggest it’s you who has reached their level.
    The ones with the open minds and flexibility will move onwards and upwards leaving you in their dust trail.

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    Mute Greg Dalton
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:19 PM

    Tracy,
    I too have been a career coach for some 15 years. You offer some good tips. People often ask me why we need a ‘career coach’? If you liken it to a sports coach; a career coach looks at the years ahead and develops a strategy with their clients where they achieve their career targets and goals using a challenging and rewarding approach, similar to those of an athletic or team focusing on seasons or competitions ahead.
    Best wishes for your career.
    Greg Dalton

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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:20 PM

    Does Tracey have any advice on how to deal with the discriminatory recruitment practices that are used by employers?

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    Mute levente
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:12 PM

    Great Article !I would love to add you on LinkedIn. Do not listen to the these professional moaners , they are kind of bubble wrapped snobs . Good luck with your business ,we need more coaches like yourself, and a psychologist for the non believers !

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    Mute lisa duignan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:18 PM

    I think good career counselling is badly needed in secondary schools. Consider getting qualified for this. The pay is good and these jobs are very often filled by unsuitable people.

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