Lilac Review: Celebrating the Final Report and welcoming the new Lilac Centre for Disabled Entrepreneurship
Recently, I had the honour of attending the launch of the Lilac Review Final Report at the House of Lords. The event brought together the talented people working at the intersection of disability, business, and policy. A powerful speech about disabled entrepreneurs, by the wonderful Imali Chislett of Inkfire ended with what could only be described as the mic drop moment of the day:
“We are not your inspiration, we are your competition!”
Two key statistics from the report illustrate support this:
“25% of entrepreneurs have a disability or a long-term health condition to manage alongside their businesses”
We are not niche, we are a quarter!
“Collectively, disabled entrepreneurs are responsible for 8.9% of the UK’s GDP, the same contribution as the UK manufacturing industry”
We are an important contributor to the British economy!
The Lilac Report was a celebration of disabled talent and a much-needed data-driven acknowledgement of the additional challenges disabled entrepreneurs face to succeed and then scale. When I founded The Disability Force, it was with this exact insight in mind. Disability is not just a challenge, it’s a force that shapes perspective, fuels new ways of thinking and working, and makes us experts in adapting and evolving solutions.
That is why so many of us have chosen to be the “captains of our own ships,” designing innovative, impactful products and services not in spite of a disability, but shaped by them.
I wanted to share the three things the stood out for me in this report because they spoke to me personally as a disabled entrepreneur and to The Disability Force as well.
Michelle Scicluna is pictured in an on-brand giraffe-patterned blouse and orange belt, smiling and holding the Lilac Review Final Report. She stands outside the UK House of Lords on the terrace, celebrating the launch and proud to see disabled entrepreneurs recognised as leaders and drivers of economic change!
TAILORED SUPPORT:
“51.1% of respondents found tailored support specifically for Disabled entrepreneurs to be very important, reinforcing the need for specialised initiatives”
“35.2% of respondents reported a lack of accessibility accommodations in existing support programs”
That is why I retrained to become a professional, evidence-based and non-directive coach with the University of Cambridge in 2018. I could see a gap in the market for high quality support that helps disabled people synthesise their learning and filter it for what is useful based on their specific way of thinking and circumstances. Lived experience helps shortcut an understanding of the physical reality and challenges, and strategies developed from this space offer sustainable and long-term results.
SOCIAL CAPITAL:
The Lilac Report also highlighted the isolation felt by many disabled entrepreneurs, whom called for more networking opportunities that were accessible and inclusive. These opportunities provide something non-disabled people might take for granted, which is Social Capital.
“Building social capital is one of the hardest tasks for Disabled entrepreneurs - and simultaneously one of the most beneficial. Many entrepreneurs cites loneliness, a lack of peer community and exclusion from mainstream networking opportunities”.
Whilst Social Capital was a new term for me, it resonated deeply with my decision to also train as a Group Coach with expert Ana Paula Nacif. Being a disabled soloprenuer means you are captain of your own ship, but it can also feel lonely and isolating too.
Group coaching provides an active and participatory environment for shared learning and insight. It fuels confidence and camaraderie, offering a form of professional learning and development that is both individualised and offers up the collective creative magic of a group dynamic too.
PROCUREMENT:
As Access to Work and welfare reform remain in flux, disabled entrepreneurs, as both creators and job providers, deserve to be at the forefront of government support strategies. The Lilac Report acknowledges the opportunity that opening up procurement process to disabled founders could yield.
“Mandate accessibility in all Government-backed enterprise programmes, from procurement to delivery”
“Tie public procurement to accessibility outcomes, opening up Government procurement to Disabled founders by make the process more accessible”
Procurement contracts could offer an important lever for systemic change for disabled people and the British economy. I am eager to learn more about the Disability Trading Framework mentioned in the report and seeing how the new Business Growth Service includes disabled entrepreneurs in the design and delivery of this service, which was also recommended in the report.
OUR CONCLUSION:
The impact of an individuals disability is usually a blend of the positive, negative, and neutral, it’s not just about an individual’s circumstances, but the systems around them too. The Lilac Report puts data to this truth, alongside the solutions already developed and delivered with more in the pipeline too.
I travelled to this event with joy and a yearning for more, hoping this wasn’t the end of it. Thankfully it is not! The launch also announced the new Lilac Centre for Disabled Entrepreneurs too.
YOUR CALL TO ACTION:
If you work in enterprise support and want to partner with someone with lived experience, formal coaching qualifications, and a scalable model for inclusion, let’s talk.
Whether you're a government team looking at procurement reform, a funder exploring inclusive innovation, or a business committed to developing disabled talent, The Disability Force is ready to deliver!
We are actively seeking collaborations with organisations who want to pilot values-led, evidence-informed approaches to support disabled entrepreneurs and employees, in a 1:1 and/or Group Coaching format.
Procurement contracts relating to localised business support is another area we would love talk about. We see our service would make for a strong tender as a delivery partner or sub-contractor offering our expertise in working with disabled business owners, again 25% of small business owners are disabled or manage a long term health condition.
Read the full report and access all the events, intiatives and resources delivered over the past 18 months at this website: www.lilacreview.com
Thanks so much to the Lilac Review, led by the incredible Small Business Britain team and an amazing Steering Group of disabled entrepreneurs, in partnership with both government and corporations too.
GET IN TOUCH WITH US:
Let’s book you in for a call to discuss your coaching and/or consultancy needs.
Email us: info@thedisabilityforce.com
Phone or WhatsApp: 07990 323 565