A businessman who survived polio after being given just a 10 per cent chance of survival is now helping other disabled entrepreneurs on their career paths.
Dr Mark Esho MBE contracted the life-threatening virus when he was five and was paralysed from the neck down. He spent three years receiving treatment in Leicester Royal Infirmary and was stuck in a wheelchair from the age of eight.
He went on to teach himself to walk again and despite suffering at the hands of school bullies, discrimination and banks who laughed him out of the door when he asked for a business loan, he went on to found several successful businesses. Since stepping down from their daily management he now champions disability rights and works to challenge general perceptions of disabled people.
Last year he founded The Circle Foundation, offering business support to aspiring disabled entrepreneurs. He has taken that in a different direction, forming a social enterprise called Ability Connect which is now collaborating with the University of Leicester Business School to launch a new online training programme.
He said the programme had been specifically designed with disabled people in mind and understands the unique challenges they face in business – as well as showing participants how their skills and perspective can be an asset to the business world.
Dr Esho will teach the “resilience” module of the programme, drawing upon his real-life experiences to help participants to learn “grit, perseverance and tenacity” in the business world.
He said: “I can’t wait to welcome our first intake of aspiring disabled entrepreneurs to this training programme in collaboration with the University of Leicester Business School.
“My motivation for creating the programme was to offer disabled entrepreneurs something that I wish I had when I started out in business.
“It’s no secret that the disabled community are constantly being overlooked for both career and business opportunities.
“I believe we are a huge, untapped resource of talent and with the right training and support, there’s no limit to what disabled entrepreneurs can do.
“This training programme is the first of its kind and I am delighted to have the University of Leicester Business School’s support.”
With a focus on practical knowledge and hands-on experience, the training programme is designed to equip participants with practical skills and the mind-set they need to succeed.
It covers topics including financial planning, business model creation, digital and social media marketing, and resilience.
Dr Ning Baines, lecturer in marketing at the University of Leicester, said “I’m very excited to be part of the launch of the training programme for aspiring disabled entrepreneurs.
“It is unique because the development and design of the programme is informed by the research that we have collaboratively done with Ability Connect.
“From the research findings, we have identified a number of difficulties and barriers faced by disabled entrepreneurs, such as generic entrepreneurial competencies, including lack of confidence.
“The programme focuses not only on enhancing entrepreneurial skills, but also building up confidence and resilience.”
The programme is open to aspiring disabled entrepreneurs and new disabled entrepreneurs who have been in business for two years or less.
A prolific disabled businessman, best-selling author and inspirational speaker, since stepping down from the daily management of his businesses, Mark has channelled his efforts into helping disabled entrepreneurs through Ability Connect.
