Business & Professional
Start-up Stars: Building a Business as a Disabled Entrepreneur
For many disabled people in the UK, certain workplaces can present barriers — from inaccessible environments to rigid structures that make it harder to thrive. But entrepreneurship offers another path: the freedom to create work that truly fits your life.
In this special hybrid-delivered Start-up Stars event, hosted by the British Library Business & IP Centre, we’ll shine a spotlight on disabled entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses on their own terms.
Join us to:
Whether you already have a business idea or are simply curious about entrepreneurship, this event will show you how starting your own business can be a powerful way to shape your future and find success.
Join us to find out more and connect with others in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Stay connected to the Business & IP Centre:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessandipcentre/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BIPCTV
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BIPC
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This event will be moderated by Jasmine Kershaw - Creative Engagement Librarian (LB Lewisham)
Jasmine Kershaw is a Creative Engagement Librarian for Lewisham Libraries, where she champions the role of public libraries as vital spaces for enterprise, community support and creativity. As part of her role she manages BIPC Lewisham, helping local entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, grow, and thrive. A London native with first-hand business experience, Jasmine ran a small chocolate company that benefited greatly from the support of BIPC at the British Library in its early years. After a career change, she completed an MSc in Library Science from City, University of London, combining her entrepreneurial insights with her passion for libraries as spaces for opportunity and inclusion.
Speaker Bios: We will have in attendance a panel of entrepreneurs who will share their insights on their journeys.
Jane Hatton of Evenbreak
Jane is a disabled social entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker and author. She is the founder and CEO of Evenbreak, a social enterprise aiming to close the disability employment gap, and which offers the only global disability job board run by and for disabled people.
Widely published in inclusive recruitment, including “A Dozen Brilliant Reasons to Employ Disabled People” (2017) and “A Dozen Great Ways to Recruit Disabled People” (2020), she is on the executive board of the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative. Winning a number of inclusion awards, she has appeared on the Shaw Trust Power 100 ‘Britain’s Most Influential Disabled People’ list three times, being placed 7th in 2019.
Laura James – Gifts & Thoughts
Laura is the founder of Gifts & Thoughts, a London-based handmade brand creating practical accessories and personalised gifts crafted from life's milestones. Each piece honours culture, identity and the people who matter most, transforming moments of brokenness into beauty.
As a person with disabilities, Laura's lived experience deeply informs her entrepreneurial journey and creative practice. An active member of the BIPC Lewisham community, Laura is a regular at markets, courses and forums in the borough, and generously shares her network of links and contacts to support fellow entrepreneurs. Her commitment to both her craft and her community makes her a valued voice on the realities and possibilities of disabled entrepreneurship. Laura can be found at @giftsandthoughtsuk on Instagram.
Neistlein Martinich Geerdts – CoCreativity
Neiltien is a storyteller at heart. With a background in TV news in Chile and a journey that took her through Spain and on to the UK, Neistlein has spent the last five years as an employment advisor, supporting individuals with neurodivergent conditions, mental health challenges, and various barriers to inclusion. In August 2024, Neistlein founded Cocreating Inclusivity CIC to address the lack of accessible support for neurodiverse individuals in Waltham Forest. More than just a resource provider, the organisation offers a compassionate space for shared learning, growth, and positive impact—creating the right support systems to help individuals find their path to self-empowerment. Neistlein's work is deeply informed by her own lived experience as a neurodivergent person who has navigated toxic environments, difficult relationships, and the struggle of surviving without fully thriving. This personal understanding drives her belief in the transformative power of supportive communities where people can be their authentic selves. Find out more at cocreatinginclusivity.org/
The panel of speakers will also be on hand for a Q&A after the panel discussion and you will have an opportunity to speak to them and other attendees during the networking session of the event.
