Reach Success with Accessibrand: IWSCC’s 2026 Disabled-Owned Business of the Year!

Congratulations to Accessibrand, the 2026 Reach Forum Certified Disabled-Owned business of the year! This summer, IWSCC is celebrating Accessibrand and other Canadian Disabled-Owned businesses all summer long with the Reach Success Project: A series of articles exploring entrepreneurship and success.

Today, we’re sharing the story, experience, and perspective of Jolene MacDonald: Founder and Creative Director of Accessibrand.

My journey toward entrepreneurship started when I was a child. My father was self-employed my entire life, so I grew up seeing what it looked like to build something of your own. My parents always joked that I was “always selling something,” and I even had my first business card when I was 12 years old.

I officially became fully self-employed in 2003 through another creative business, long before founding Accessibrand

As I became more involved in advocating for my daughter and connecting with the disability community, my perspective on design and communication began to change. People started telling me they often could not access the kinds of materials I was designing — websites, graphics, documents, and online content.

Those conversations had a huge impact on me. I realized accessibility was about much more than compliance or coding. It affects whether people can access information, participate fully, and live more independently.

I saw a major gap in the industry and created Accessibrand to help organizations build accessibility and inclusion into their work from the beginning.

One of the biggest hurdles was that very few people understood accessibility beyond websites or technical compliance. When I started Accessibrand, many organizations did not yet see accessibility as part of branding, graphic design, communications, social media, or user experience. A large part of building the business involved educating people on why accessibility matters and why it should be included from the start.

Another challenge was finding other professionals with both accessibility knowledge and lived experience. I wanted to build a company that included disabled voices directly within the work, not just as feedback after the fact. Over time, I was able to connect with like-minded people who shared those values and helped shape the company into what it is today.

As a disabled entrepreneur, caregiver, and business owner, balancing health, family, advocacy, and business growth was also challenging. Traditional business spaces are not always built with accessibility or flexibility in mind.

Despite those barriers, I stayed focused on building a business rooted in lived experience, inclusion, and meaningful impact.

I have been self-employed since 2003, but Accessibrand officially started in 2017, initially as freelance accessibility and design work. Over time, the business grew into a larger disability-led company. At one point, we had six team members on payroll, but like many small businesses, we had to adapt during economic changes and shifts in client budgets.

Today, we operate primarily through a flexible network of freelancers and professionals with disabilities and lived experience. This model allows us to scale up or down depending on project needs while also supporting flexibility for both my family’s health needs and the realities many disabled professionals face in traditional work environments.

We are currently in a stage of growth, refinement, and innovation. One of my biggest goals is continuing to create meaningful employment, mentorship, and training opportunities for people with disabilities.

I am also working on an accessibility-focused app concept that I hope will help change how organizations approach design, marketing, and digital accessibility by integrating accessibility earlier and more naturally into the creative process.

One of the biggest barriers I still face today is creating consistent revenue and long-term client relationships. Accessibility is becoming more recognized, but many organizations still see it as optional or only focus on minimum compliance instead of building it into their work from the beginning.

Getting funding and growth opportunities can also be difficult as a small disability-led business. There are still not enough supports, funding programs, or procurement opportunities designed for disabled entrepreneurs.

Balancing business ownership while managing disability, health needs, caregiving, and client work is another ongoing challenge. As a small business owner, I often have to manage many roles at once while also making sure the business stays sustainable.

Another challenge is seeing accessibility taught incorrectly or oversimplified. This can create confusion and pushback when we try to explain the importance of usability, lived experience, and inclusive design.

I continue to overcome these barriers by staying flexible, building strong relationships, collaborating with others, and focusing on education and long-term impact.

Disability has shaped every part of my business and is the reason Accessibrand
exists today.

As both a disabled person and a parent of a child with disabilities, I saw firsthand how inaccessible communication, websites, documents, and digital spaces affect people’s everyday lives. Through advocacy work and involvement in the disability community, I heard directly from people who could not access the kinds of materials I was designing. That completely changed my perspective.

I realized accessibility is not just about compliance. It can truly be the difference between someone living independently or not being able to access important information, services, education, or employment. Accessibility also helps reduce poverty and exclusion by creating more equal access to opportunities.

That understanding became the foundation of my business. Disability and lived experience are part of every aspect of Accessibrand, from the services we provide to the people we hire and collaborate with.

Our goal is not just to make things technically accessible, but to help create a more inclusive world where more people can fully participate.

My biggest success has been building a business that creates real impact while also creating opportunities for people with disabilities.

What I am most proud of is seeing people grow, gain confidence, and succeed because they were given the space to be themselves. Whether someone stays with our team long term or moves on to other opportunities, it means a lot to see people thrive in environments where their lived experience is valued instead of seen as a barrier.

I am also proud that Accessibrand
has helped organizations across Canada better understand accessibility, inclusive communication, and lived experience. Our work helps make information, services, and digital spaces more accessible and usable for more people.

To me, success is not just revenue or growth. Success means creating meaningful change, helping people feel included and empowered, and building opportunities for others. Accessibility can directly affect independence, employment, education, and quality of life, and knowing our work contributes to that is what matters most to me.

I am excited to continue growing Accessibrand
through accessibility education, training, consulting, and new service packages that help organizations integrate accessibility earlier into their design, marketing, and communication processes.

One of my biggest goals is continuing to create flexible employment, freelance, and mentorship opportunities for people with disabilities and lived experience. I want to help build more inclusive pathways into creative, digital, and accessibility-focused careers.

I am also working on an accessibility-focused app concept that I hope will help change how organizations approach accessibility by making it easier to integrate into everyday design and marketing workflows from the beginning.

Long term, I hope to see more visibility, funding, and procurement opportunities for disabled-owned businesses across Canada, along with greater recognition of the value lived experience brings to innovation and leadership.

IWSCC is sharing more articles like this about real Canadian Disabled-Owned businesses all summer long. Check back for updates, or follow us on social media for the next great business. Let’s Reach Success together!