**This event will be online only**
This program is part of BIZABILITY: A series of online panels at The New York Public Library's Business Center in July 2022 to celebrate Disability Pride Month in NYC.
Four programs will examine –from a business angle– the contribution that entrepreneurs, creatives, and organizations are making to harness the power of disability. Gustavo Serafini, host of the Enabled Disabled Podcast will interview special guests to learn how to increase business success, tell better stories, and reshape our environments, making them more inclusive and adaptable for everyone.
Click here for information and registration on additional programs in the series.
We often read that people with a disability are especially good at solving problems, have a surplus of resilience, and utilize soft skills–like empathy–to better adapt to the world.
If solving problems, resilience, and soft skills–like empathy–are common and requisite traits for entrepreneurs, why are so few people with a disability entrepreneurs, or working with entrepreneurs? What biases and narratives still exist that continue leaving people with a disability out of these opportunities? And what can we do to shift these narratives so that more companies recognize the latent and untapped potential in the disability community to start businesses or help businesses thrive?
Join Gustavo Serafini, host of the Enabled Disabled Podcast and an entrepreneur himself (Co-Founder of Pure Audio Video), in conversation with Kathy McShane, entrepreneur, executive and author, and Hoby Wedler, scientist and entrepreneur, in a riveting conversation where they will take a deep dive into their own abilities and stories of entrepreneurship.
Gustavo, Kathy, and Hoby will show you how they solve problems, where they apply empathy, and why their resilience has helped them in their businesses.
The purpose of this program is for these stories to shed light on the millions of people who are facing unnecessary roadblocks that often prevent them from realizing their true entrepreneurial potential and contributing their genius to the world.
Gustavo Serafini is the host of Enabled Disabled, a podcast created for people with disabilities and their families, friends, clinicians, and therapists to shift the narrative around disability.
Gustavo speaks with his guests openly about what it means to have a disability, as well as what it doesn't mean. His platform helps dive into how the guests have experienced disability: what it has taught them about themselves, life, and others; the tools or experiences that have helped them better navigate and adapt to the world; what they wish other people knew about them; what they are working on now; and how they would like to improve the world.
By sharing their stories, Gustavo hopes to influence thought leaders and companies and empower people with a disability and the professionals who work with them.
When he’s not recording his podcast, Gustavo is an entrepreneur. In 2005 he co-founded Pure Audio Video along with his brother Marcelo. Pure Audio Video serves clients in South Florida, the Caribbean, and the U.S. looking for amazing home entertainment experiences in their luxury homes.
Gustavo was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), a disability that has allowed him to meet with incredible friends and mentors. And it has also taught him many life lessons. Perhaps the most important one, or at least the one he embodies every day, is the very last line of William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
Kathy McShane is a resourceful executive with expertise in devising and delivering strategic plans that empower individuals in underserved markets, including women, military and their spouses, and veterans. She enjoys securing and cultivating strategic alliances with like-minded organizations and finds that blending missions, values, and resources is not only effective but also completely rewarding. She attributes her successes to a strong work ethic and the simple fact that she finds meaningful value in her work. She has experience in government, small business, non-profit, entrepreneurial, and corporate segments.
In 2018, she joined the Small Business Administration (SBA) as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women's Business Ownership. Her role was to level the playing field for underserved women who wanted to start or expand a business. In addition, she managed a nationwide network of Women's Business Centers that provide training, counseling, and mentoring to hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs in every state and two U.S. territories.
In 2019, she worked as a Senior Advisor for the Administrator of SBA, working on confidential projects and reporting findings to Congress and the White House. She also developed communication strategies to reach international trade groups and veterans during this time. Additionally, she produced webinars to guide economic development organizations in Kenya in supporting female entrepreneurs in launching a business.
McShane, an experienced business owner, created Ladies Launch Club in 2006. The company was dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs launch or expand their businesses. Before that, she started a multimillion-dollar marketing firm, where her clients included HBO, MasterCard, Boehringer Ingelheim (Venastat), Bankwell, Citibank, and JP Morgan Chase.
McShane spent 17 years in the corporate sector, primarily working on credit card products for the small business segment. She was also an adjunct professor at New York University, a founding director of the Bank of New Canaan, and served on the Norwalk Hospital Foundation Board.
McShane holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Boston University and attended Columbia Business School's Executive Program in Management. In addition, she has a certification in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Certified Speaking Professional Designation (CPS) from the National Speakers Organization.
She has received awards from the National Business and Disability Council, Award of Honor, presented by Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, National Association of Women Business Owners Connecticut Chapter, Outstanding Woman of the Year Award, CBS News Radio, Small Business Award, El Paso Chamber of Commerce, Visionary Leadership Award, Association of Women's Business Centers, Leadership & Inspiration Award.
In addition, she wrote The Survivor's Guide for Female Entrepreneurs.
Dr. Hoby Wedler is an insightful, disarming, and passionate thinker who loves to bring people together to help them see new possibilities. With the heart of a teacher, Hoby helps turn your dreams into realities. Hoby has been completely blind since birth. He is a scientist, an entrepreneur, a sensory expert, and is driven by his passion for innovative, creative, and insightful thinking. Hoby is remarkably tuned into his surroundings and has frequently chosen to walk the unbeaten paths in life over known territories. In 2016, Hoby earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from UC Davis. His fearlessness is infectious, and he has actively paved the way for others to join him in his quest to follow passions regardless of the challenges that lie ahead.
In 2011, Hoby founded a non-profit organization to lead annual chemistry camps for blind and visually impaired students throughout North America. In the same year, he began opening doors to the world of wine aromas by developing Tasting in the Dark, a truly blindfolded wine experience, in collaboration with the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. He has since expanded the program to a global market in a variety of industries and special projects. Over the years, Hoby has become a motivational speaker, a mentor, and an educator. In 2017 he delivered his first TEDx talk all about Sensory Literacy. He is also committed to making the world an inclusive, equitable, and accessible place for everyone.
In his work, you will find a unique trilogy between sensory awareness, scientific knowledge, and a love for sharing his insights.
Numerous people and organizations have recognized Hoby’s work over the years. To name a few, President Barack Obama recognized Hoby by naming him a Champion of Change for enhancing employment and education opportunities for people with disabilities. Also, Forbes Media named Hoby as a leader in food and drink in their 30 under 30 annual publication. Hoby’s dedicated to impacting everyone he works with by unlocking doors, overcoming challenges, increasing awareness, and expanding their horizons.
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