Rethinking Entrepreneurship: The Role of the Small Business Hub and How to Better Support Neurodiverse Founders

Starting a business takes vision, resilience, and risk tolerance. For many entrepreneurs with disabilities, especially those with ADHD or other neurodivergent traits, entrepreneurship is more than a career choice — it’s a pathway to independence and self-determination. These entrepreneurs are much more likely to start a business but also have higher failure rates. We believe that these traits are superpowers that can give these business owners an advantage when the right supports are available.

The Small Business Hub: Expanding Access for Disabled Entrepreneurs

The National Disability Institute (NDI) launched the Small Business Hub to make entrepreneurship more accessible for people with disabilities. The Hub offers a one-stop resource for business owners seeking guidance, training, and funding opportunities tailored to their needs.

Through partnerships with lenders, Small Business Development Centers, and community organizations, the Hub focuses on helping entrepreneurs overcome barriers such as inaccessible application processes, limited financial literacy training, and lack of disability-aware mentorship.

It’s a practical solution for a growing need: according to the NDI, there are more than 2 million small business owners with disabilities in the U.S. Yet they often face higher startup costs, fewer funding options, and a lack of representation in mainstream business-support networks.

Why Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs Thrive — and Struggle

Research shows that people with ADHD are more likely than average to start businesses. Their creativity, high energy, and ability to think outside the box can be major assets in innovation and problem-solving. But these same traits can become hurdles when systems and supports aren’t designed with neurodiversity in mind.

Here’s the challenge: while ADHD entrepreneurs may excel in vision and ideation, they often struggle with sustained attention, organization, and time management — skills that traditional business programs assume as a given. Without the right structure or flexibility, many promising businesses fail not because the ideas aren’t good, but because the systems around them aren’t supportive.

What Business Support Organizations (BSOs) Need to Know

BSOs, accelerators, and funders can play a vital role in changing that story. Here are a few practical ways they can better serve entrepreneurs with disabilities and ADHD:

1. Adopt a Universal Design Mindset

Make workshops, forms, and mentorship accessible by default — not as a special accommodation. Use multiple teaching formats (visual, auditory, written), simplify application steps, and allow flexibility in deadlines and communication styles.

2. Incorporate Executive Function Support

Many neurodivergent founders benefit from tools that help with planning, focus, and accountability. Offer templates for project management, check-in calls, or peer accountability groups. Build in reminders and progress tracking, not just milestone checklists.

3. Highlight Strengths, Not Deficits

ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence come with powerful strengths — creativity, risk-taking, intuitive thinking, and adaptability. Encourage founders to design businesses that align with those traits instead of trying to “fix” them.

4. Partner with Disability-Focused Networks

Collaborate with organizations like the National Disability Institute, Small Business Hub, and Vocational Rehabilitation Services to expand your referral network. This creates a smoother pathway from disability services to business ownership.

5. Train Staff and Mentors on Neuroinclusive Coaching

Mentors and advisors often mean well but may not understand how ADHD or other conditions affect learning, motivation, or follow-through. Simple adjustments — shorter meetings, written recaps, visual aids — can dramatically improve outcomes.

6. Encourage Sustainable Business Models

Neurodivergent entrepreneurs may need extra support in pacing their growth and managing burnout. Encourage them to build realistic workflows and healthy boundaries, not just hustle harder.

Why Inclusion Builds a Better Economy

Supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities and neurodivergent founders isn’t charity — it’s smart economics. Studies show that diverse teams and inclusive ecosystems drive innovation and outperform those that rely on narrow definitions of leadership.

When BSOs intentionally design their programs to include neurodiverse and disabled founders, they unlock a pipeline of credibility,  creativity and resilience that strengthens the entire entrepreneurial landscape.

Getting Started

If you’re a business support organization, consider starting with these steps:

• Audit your accessibility. Review your materials, spaces, and processes for inclusivity.

• Partner with the Small Business Hub. Their tools and referral network can help you reach and support entrepreneurs with disabilities more effectively.

• Create space for conversation. Ask your entrepreneurs what they need. You might be surprised how small adjustments can create a big impact.

The Bottom Line

Entrepreneurship should be open to everyone. The Small Business Hub is leading the way by providing resources and partnerships that make that vision real. For BSOs, it’s time to follow suit — to see neurodiversity as a strength, design programs that support it, and build ecosystems where every entrepreneur can thrive. 

Read about 6 Business Icons Who Credit their Success to Neurodivergence