On 1st February 2024, Joanna Baker-Rogers, a business owner and co-founder of Crip Life™, attended the launch of The Lilac Review, a government-backed independent review, aiming to tackle the inequality faced by disabled-led businesses and level-up entrepreneurial opportunity across the UK.
Here, she explains a bit more about The Lilac Review and how it will benefit businesses and disabled entrepreneurs.
Having been involved with the fabulous Small Business Britain for many years, I was delighted to be invited to the launch of the Lilac Review. The event was held at Lloyds Bank Offices in London; one of several organisations who are supporting this review.
Spearheaded by Small Business Britain, the Lilac Review launched in February 2024 and will seek to identify the barriers faced by disabled-led businesses in the UK and develop an action plan to remove them.
The benefits of improving opportunities for disabled-led businesses
Estimates suggest that improving opportunities for disabled founders could unlock an additional £230 billion for the UK economy. Disabled entrepreneurs currently account for approximately 25% of the nation’s 5.5 million small businesses, but only 8.6% of total small business turnover. Four-fifths feel they have unequal access to opportunities and resources.
Operating over two years, the Lilac Review will undertake extensive research and analysis to identify, and remove, challenges faced by disabled entrepreneurs.
Interim findings will be published in the Summer of 2024, with a final report shared at the end of 2025, which will include recommendations and a call to action for driving positive change across society.
Disabled entrepreneurs’ experiences of running a small business
The launch, on the 1st February 2024, featured a video where disabled entrepreneurs spoke about their experiences of running a small business.
I was very proud to be featured in the video and share my entrepreneurial journey. To have a small business owner with a speech impediment is very rare. I believe I am blazing a trail for my community.
I was also delighted to attend a reception at number 10 Downing Street the day before the launch. It was great to meet and reconnect with other disabled entrepreneurs. I am hoping to be back!
If you want to contribute to The Lilac Review, please, email: hello@lilacreview.com. All contributions are very much welcomed and valued.
You can also follow the progress of The Lilac Review on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Joanna will be posting updates on the Lilac Review on the Busy Life website and on Crip Life™ social media. Here’s to a more inclusive small business community for anyone with a disability who has a dream or the next big idea.
