array(1) { [0]=> string(0) "" } Biz Idea #60 – Yelp for Disabled Folks

Biz Idea #60 – Yelp for Disabled Folks

by Byron on March 27, 2012

The Problem:

Many believe that the ADA has leveled the playing field for Americans with disabilities.  People close to someone with a disability know this isn’t true.  Not all handicapped access is created equal.  Moreover, generally, ADA gets significantly less upkeep than the rest of the facility.

The Business

The problem is the knowledge hasn’t yet been stockpiled in one place.  Yelp for Disabled folks would solve this problem.

Doableness

Scale is really part of the problem.  For example, disabled dining patrons as a percentage of overall dining patrons is a relatively small number.  However, I think this issue is corrected, to a large degree, by the deep need for the information.  It’s one thing to know that the calamari is pretty good, quite another to know that the ADA bathroom is in the basement because the regular bathroom’s doors are too narrow and the elevator to get down there is broken 25% of the time.

If you can get past the scale issue, product creation is pretty easy.  Just copy any other reviews site.  (Yes, Ms. Engineer at Yelp, I know I’m oversimplifying.  Greatly.)

My Thoughts

The answer is probably a subscription service and “professional” or “semi-professional” reviewers.

Small groups of people (as a % of population) are a tough niche to serve by a business that needs scale.  But the importance of the information is vital.

In case you were unaware: 1 million Americans are in a wheelchair.  307,000 of those folks are under the age of 44.  Source: http://codi.buffalo.edu/graph_based/.demographics/.statistics.htm.

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