Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katherine Rybak, Founder of Hearing Out Loud, located in Madison, WI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Hearing Out Loud is a business centered around the mission to move people with hearing loss forward in their lives as strong self-advocates who celebrate their identity, embrace technology, and confidently implement strategies to make meaningful connections within their communities. Negative stigma has a stronghold on those of us living with hearing loss. There is an element of shame associated with admitting to having a hearing loss, and this prevents many people from getting treatment and advocating for crucial accommodations.

I have written and created an online course to help people with hearing loss become strong self-advocates. I also have an Etsy shop where I sell handmade fabric skins for hearing aids and cochlear implant processors. These skins allow the wearer to change the color and look of their devices to express their individuality. They also provide some protection for the expensive devices by shielding them from moisture, dirt, and sticky hair products. The skins improve the sound quality of the devices by reducing wind and hair noise.

The Hearing Out Loud Etsy shop also sells decals and other supplies to decorate hearing aids and cochlear implant processors. In our society, there is an assumption that hearing aids are to be small, discreet, and hidden. They are available in meant-to-blend-in beiges and grays. Compare this to eyewear, where individuality, fashion, and the desire to "make a statement" create demand for every size, shape, color, and style imaginable. Why not for hearing devices?

My Etsy shop empowers people with hearing loss to express themselves through print and color and to spark conversations about their hearing loss when their devices are noticed. Hearing loss creates difficulty communicating. Keeping my hearing loss a secret from the person I'm talking to doesn't improve my ability to understand them.

Tell us about yourself

I have been a hard of hearing person since birth and am also a teacher of the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing in a Wisconsin school district. I've earned a master's degree in education and am a National Board Certified Teacher. My lived experience with hearing loss presented challenges while in K-12 school, college, and both my personal and professional life. This experience informs my work today as a teacher, author, designer, and advocate, empowering children and adults with hearing loss to develop the confidence and strong skill set necessary to become their own best advocates.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

To date, my biggest accomplishments have been writing and producing an interactive, 8-module online course for people with hearing loss, reaching over 4,000 sales in my Etsy shop, and connecting with people around the world who also have hearing loss.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

My biggest struggle as a business owner is wearing so many hats while juggling the responsibilities of being a CEO, customer service rep, product development specialist, author, content creator, marketer, designer, lawyer, and the list goes on. I do enjoy most aspects of running my own business, and I've learned so much in the past three years.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Take it step by step. You will gain knowledge with every task you complete. Be patient with yourself as you learn the basics first and then begin to expand.
  2. Obtain legal and professional advice for the start-up of your business. Trademarks, copyrights, taxes, registration, licenses—it all can be overwhelming. Consulting with a few professionals at the start can really set your business up the right way from the very beginning.
  3. Make sure your business continues to bring you joy. There will be ups and downs, but overall, you should love what you're doing. If you don't, you have the power to change things up until you do—it's YOUR business!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.hearingoutloud.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HearingOutLoud/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearingoutloud/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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