Frequently Asked Questions

Membership & Joining

  • The Empower Collective is TEN's membership community for chronically ill, disabled, and neurodivergent entrepreneurs. It's the heart of what we do - a space to access disability-informed business education, connect with people who get it, and get your business in front of clients who want to support disabled-owned businesses. Membership is free, with a suggested donation to help sustain the community.

  • TEC is for entrepreneurs and self-employed people navigating chronic illness, disability, or neurodivergence. If you're building a business - or seriously thinking about it - while managing unpredictable health, this community was built for you. You don't need to be at a particular stage or generating a specific income. You just need to be working toward something flexible and sustainable.

  • No formal diagnosis is required. TEC is a self-identified community - if you're navigating chronic illness, disability, or neurodivergence and it affects how you work, you belong here. We don't gatekeep access based on paperwork.

    Our Inclusion Statement reads:

    We define the chronic illness and disability community as anyone who has been pushed out of, excluded from, or limited by traditional work structures due to health, energy, or accessibility barriers. This includes chronically sick, disabled, and neurodivergent entrepreneurs, as well as anyone navigating invisible conditions, fluctuating capacity, or health challenges – whether or not they identify with those labels.

  • Head over to our “Join” page and follow the instructions to apply. There is a one-time $10 application fee to cover administrative costs. Once approved, you'll receive access to our programming, community spaces, and business directory listing.

  • Membership is free, with a suggested monthly donation to help sustain the community. There is a one-time $10 application fee to cover administrative costs. Discounts are available if that's a barrier - just send us a message and we’ll get you set up.


  • Yes. TEC is based in Kansas City but all programming is virtual, and membership is open internationally. Wherever you are, if you have internet access and are building a business while navigating chronic illness or disability, you're welcome here.

  • TEC runs largely on volunteer support from people within the chronic illness and disability community. Donations go toward operational costs - staffing, platform tools, hosting, event and program infrastructure, and funding fellowship opportunities for members. Every dollar stays in the community.

Programs & Events

  • Outside of The Empower Collective, The Empower Network provides live events, including a virtual weekly Saturday Support Group, monthly virtual Art Therapy, occasional live virtual educational opportunities, education via our Substack, and coming soon is podcast-style educational series where will meet with expert guests, have topics related to our community, and extra associate perks that will be available in our member portal.

    The schedule and our content update regularly - follow our Public Events calendar to stay in the know!

  • For educational events, we do our best to make replays available when attending live isn't possible. Capacity and health are unpredictable - we design programming around that reality, not against it.

  • Yes. All events are virtual. We include captions for video content and work to keep cognitive load manageable in our programming and communications. If you have a specific accessibility need, reach out via our accessibility request form - we'll do our best to accommodate.

  • You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly - usually within one business day.

  • Yes to both. TEN is community-led - member input shapes what we build. If you have expertise relevant to disabled entrepreneurs and want to share it, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch through our membership request form or our community Facebook Group by tagging an admin.

Donating & Supporting

The Empower Network

  • TEN is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status. Donations are gratefully accepted and go directly to sustaining the community.

  • You can donate through our donate page or sponsorship page. There's no minimum - any amount helps cover operational costs and fund scholarships for members who need them.

  • Yes, and they make a significant difference. Larger gifts and corporate sponsorships go toward expanding programming, sustaining the business directory, and funding scholarships for members who need them. If your organization is aligned with disability inclusion or economic equity, we'd love to talk. Learn more on our donations page or reach out directly.

  • Absolutely. Some of the most meaningful support looks like:

    • Sharing TEN with someone who might benefit from the community

    • Hiring from our business directory

    • Following and sharing our social media content

    • Volunteering your skills if you have capacity

    • Referring potential webinar speakers or mentors

    TEN is built on community, not just funding.

  • Yes - TEN runs largely on volunteer support from people within the chronic illness and disability community. If you have skills to share and capacity to contribute (on your own terms and schedule), we'd love to hear from you. You can view active volunteer opportunities on our Volunteer Page.

Still have questions?

Reach out via the link below, and we will do our best to get back to your quickly.

Get in touch