Disabled w/ a small business, what are my options?
Hey all, looking for some advice if there is anyone who resonates with this, especially from other disabled small business owners.
There are three important things in what I’m dealing with:
- I (26F) am disabled, so I need solid health insurance at all times or I’m just as well dead, but I am capable of sustainably working 20-30 hrs a week so ssdi is off the table
- I run a small arts business that I get consistent clientele and interest but I don’t make enough to live off of it
- I have been stuck at a full-time job for two years unrelated to my interests to have decent health insurance, and my employer is p inflexible on my hours w/out taking it away, so I have been working 6-7 day weeks for the good part of three years now since I am not willing to compromise and give up my business. I need this to change because it is destroying my health more day by day, and I end up using all my sick and vacation time on just recovering - so I haven't been able to take a real vacation for years
I have been applying for different jobs that could possibly offer good enough health insurance and maybe more flexible hours but more and more this is feeling like a pipe dream, especially because most employers only want to give benefits if you’re full time, and I only have a bachelor’s. I didn’t get a lot of bites for work after I graduated college because I learned the hard way my field tends to require a master’s before anyone will hire you, which is why I went all in on my arts business to begin with.
Being disabled, however, I am being physically torn apart working this much, and my employer is fairly unsupportive of me and just advises me to quit my small business and go back to school for what they do (fat chance). I've also quit marking I'm disabled on job apps because I never hear back when I do.
Would it be a bad idea to go back for grad school part-time so I could have health insurance and still run my business on the side? I have a decent 529 that would cover the entire tuition for one, and I was considering a program in media/communications that I would be hoping I could apply to furthering my business or my original field of study in enviro science. I would probably be able to make enough on the side to support my basic living costs on top of support for room n board with my 529. I can’t imagine it being more work than what I’m already doing, but has anyone else tried to run a small business while doing part-time grad school? Was it even humanly possible or do you think it’s too risky for burning out even faster than I already am? wwyd?
Posted Apr 1, 2026, 8:21 PM UTC · edited