Brandon's Journey: From Job Rejection to Blind Entrepreneurship with The King's Trust

Overcoming Job Rejection

• 😔 Brandon faced significant challenges in his job search, applying for over a thousand roles and being rejected every time, often due to a lack of experience or his visual impairment.
• 💡 A particularly frustrating interview highlighted a common misconception: despite demonstrating capability with software and data, he was denied a role due to assumptions about his visual impairment.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Fortunately, Brandon had a supportive family who helped him through this difficult period.

The King's Trust and Business Launch

• 🚀 A chance conversation with his work coach led to a call from The King's Trust (formerly The Prince's Trust), initiating his journey into entrepreneurship.
• 💡 The Enterprise Program provided crucial support, including modified course materials, enabling Brandon to participate fully and learn business planning and financial management.
• 🤝 Brandon was paired with a mentor, Mike, who became a close friend and instrumental in helping him find premises and develop his business.

All Things Dotty: Mission and Products

• 🎯 The business, "All Things Dotty," was born from Brandon's personal need for accessible products, starting with Braille menus and greetings cards.
• 🍽️ The desire for Braille menus stemmed from the frustration of not being able to independently choose food at restaurants, a common issue for visually impaired individuals.
• 💌 Similarly, the idea for Braille greetings cards arose from the inability to read personal messages from loved ones.
• 🛠️ Initially, Brandon experimented with creating products by hand, but with the King's Trust support and Mike's expertise, he developed a more professional process, including tactile versions of front covers and compact designs.

Growth, Ambitions, and Advocacy

• 🏢 Brandon now runs "All Things Dotty" full-time from his own premises, a significant achievement after balancing it with a job at the Job Centre.
• 📈 Future plans include expanding the business, employing more visually impaired individuals, and increasing awareness of their services, which include Braille, large print, and audio transcriptions.
• 📢 A key ambition is to partner with restaurant chains to provide Braille menus, advocating for accessibility as a human right and even starting a petition to make Braille menus a legal requirement.
• 🗣️ Brandon also advocates for broader accessibility in public spaces, including signage, hotel welcome packs, and road signs, citing a personal incident where a lack of accessible signage led to a hotel fire alarm.

Recognition and Personal Milestones

• 🏆 Brandon is a winner of the King's Trust National Enterprise Award, a moment of immense pride and validation for his hard work and impact.
• 👑 He has corresponded with King Charles III, sending tactile portraits and receiving a letter back acknowledging his thoughtful gift and the positive impact of The King's Trust.
• 🌊 Brandon's personal happy place is by the sea in Plymouth, enjoying walks and time with family and friends, reflecting his journey of finding joy and independence.