Access for All, Everyone Wins

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Leah Riddell, owner of SignAble Vi5ion Inc., located in Kingston, ON, Canada.

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

SignAble Vi5ion Inc equips business owners to better serve clients facing basic communication challenges and helping to create more inclusive community spaces in the process. Offering online tools to thrive. I am a consultant, inclusive communication trainer, sign language instructor, artist, and advocate for inclusion.

Tell us about yourself

I am a Deaf entrepreneur. I am bilingual; I speak and write my parents' language in English and use my natural language, American Sign Language (ASL), on a daily basis. I was a freelance photographer and graphic designer for more than ten years. I decided to take training to become an ASL instructor to support families of Deaf children.

I evolved into this field when I saw a need for businesses that serve or work with the Deaf, hard of hearing, Deafened, DeafBlind and non-speaking community to understand that communication is not one way. It is not always listening and speaking. Communication barriers occur daily for many, especially during the pandemic with masks. My business was formed in 2019 and incorporated in August 2021. My mission was to squash the myth that medical, education and law perceive us. I used this opportunity to educate and reframe society's view of us in the workplace or as customers. It has been a humbling and fun experience.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am proud of the level of customer service I was able to provide. I always strive to provide better service than competitors (well-intentioned institutions that do not have lived experiences) and better service year after year. I have responded to a record amount of queries in a timely fashion and incorporated their feedback into better customer feedback protocols. I was able to do this because of my commitment to my customers, and I believe I'll have the means to double my efforts in the near future to hire a team and put customer service at the forefront.

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

My situation is unique; my customers are all signing impaired. They need an interpreter to effectively facilitate communication between myself and the auditory learners (hearing/non-deaf). I invest a great deal in providing full communication access providing voiceover, closed captions, and transcripts for all my media and English/ASL interpreters during presentations and training. Those come with a cost to which I am able to include some into my revenue, but that is not always the case. I have encountered an objection to what they consider over price doesn't have to be a deal-breaker when they understand why.

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

Own your story, and be honest with yourself about the reality of your business and life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Don't play the victim or hero role; allow ourselves to be human, accept our imperfections, learn from failure and continue becoming more and more of who we were created to be, and our business will thrive. I know I have.

It's time society accepted people as they are instead of cherry-picking us into something we are not, speaking and listening robots, to avoid doing the work with us.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://signablevi5ion.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SignAbleVi5ion
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signablevi5ion/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-riddell-👋🏼-2a699955/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.