Are you interested in becoming your own boss by starting your own business? Self-employment support is available to individuals with disabilities in the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program.
Ask your VR counselor to explore self-employment career options. From there, your counselor can:
- explain the application and process for accessing self-employment services
- recommend small business and other resources to help you get started, and
- connect you with Certified Business Technical Assistance Consultants who will help you develop a business plan.
Once you have a business plan, your VR Counselor will work with you to determine what is needed for you to achieve successful self-employment. VR Services can help whether you are setting up a new business or if you are already a business owner and in need of VR Services.
Resources for Small Business
Below are resources to explore self-employment and to develop your business plan:
- Service Corps of Retired Executives(SCORE): is a nonprofit association dedicated to free small business advice, educating entrepreneurs, and helping small businesses start, grow, and maintain their businesses.
- Small Business Administration (SBA): is an independent agency of the federal government which assists small businesses in starting, building, and growing their businesses.
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs): advisors provide aspiring and current small business owners a variety of free business consulting and low-cost training services, including business plan development, manufacturing assistance, financial packaging and lending assistance, exporting and importing support, disaster recovery assistance, procurement and contracting aid, market research help, 8(a) program support, and healthcare guidance.
- Texas Workforce Commission: assists Texans to find information and assistance to start or expand your business in Texas.
The Texas Secretary of State has a list of guides and resources available for small businesses. Below you will find links on this website:
Texas Business Portal: Offered as part of Texas.gov, the award-winning official eGovernment web site for the State of Texas, providing citizens, local government, and state agencies with a single, secure structure to conduct business over the Internet.
Governor's Small Business Resource Portal: Information provided by the Texas Economic Development Division within the Governor’s Office, includes information on business structure, EINs, business taxes, and employer requirements.
Business.USA.gov: Managed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, this official site of the U.S. Government provides access to federal, state, and local information for small business owners.
Starting & Managing Your Business: Guides provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration for every stage of business.
- U.S. Small Business Administration: The SBA provides programs and services for small businesses and partners in a network of local small business development centers.
- Search for Your Local Small Business Development Center
- Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE): Mentoring and other assistance to small businesses through partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
- Other City and County Resources
- Corporate Filing Offices in other States
- Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas