Today marks the start of Dyslexia Awareness Week which is an annual event that has been designed to highlight the positive characteristics associated with dyslexia.

According to research carried out by YouGov, only 3% of respondents viewed dyslexia as a favourable trait to have. Many people still believe that those with dyslexia struggle with reading and writing – however this is not always the case. In fact, the power of dyslexic individuals should never be underestimated.

The beauty of dyslexic individuals is that:

• their brains are wired differently, meaning that they are more likely to spot weaknesses in plans that their non-dyslexic counterparts may not see
• they are highly creative and can completely create original work from their imagination
• their story-telling is second to none as they can clearly convey clear and engaging messages
• they are great visual artists in terms of easily being able to interact with space, sense, physical ideas and new concepts
• they have an ability to connect, emphasise and influence others positively in a work-based environment
• they are great explorers and love unravelling mysteries to enhance their knowledge and understanding of a topic plus more

Perhaps it is no surprise then that the number of successful dyslexic entrepreneurs in the UK is continuing to soar, in fact, it is believed that 20% of entrepreneurs in the UK are indeed dyslexic.

One of these dyslexic entrepreneurs is our director, Ellen Cole who set up Little Seed Group as she no longer wanted to be a small cog in a big machine. Ellen says “Despite being a bright student with a positive attitude towards education (according to my old school reports), no one picked up on my dyslexia until I was studying for my Master’s Degree at the University of York. As I was coming to the end of my education, little could be offered in order help me to overcome my challenges which those who were younger than me had long-term support for and years to explore their strengths and weaknesses.”

Ellen’s business initially started small, however having secured a place on the Dyslexic Entrepreneur Scheme which was run by Good Story in association with the British Dyslexia Association, Ellen learned all the skills she required in order to build a successful business and received the support she required in order to draw out her dyslexic strengths which have secured many successes for her clients.

The Dyslexic Entrepreneur Scheme really helped Ellen set up the foundations of her business, however, the scheme is no longer around due to a cut in funding.

Ellen continues “Being part of the dyslexic entrepreneur scheme ignited my passion to help other dyslexics who like myself needed some guidance to set up their business. I am currently mentoring two dyslexic professionals who are looking to launch their businesses in 2020 and I could not be any prouder of what they have achieved. Dyslexia is perceived to be a negative trait, however, I have found dyslexia to be a gift. It has helped me to think outside of the box as well as given my clients a new perspective on their businesses in order to thrive in a competitive market. Dyslexic individuals are an asset to businesses and should be valued for their differences which give them a competitive edge.”

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