Dyslexia and Your Business

Do you think your dyslexia is holding you back in your business? How does it affect you?

This is a problem for many people, they prefer to communicate by 'phone. Writing lengthy correspondence is not one of their strong assets, but they know what to say

But is this enough? Sometimes you need to communicate by email, letter or provide a proposal. It's about keeping a written record of your agreement.

I was working with a customer recently who has Dyslexia. He is a property landlord, and he says, “I don’t have to communicate too much. My emails are short and to the point."

He is very talkative on the ‘phone, so this is his preferred communication.

If he was to do this task himself; it would be daunting. Too many words on a page.

My task was to retype a pdf document of about 20 pages into a Word document for him to manipulate.

I find it easier to re-type the document to get the formatting correct rather than converting pdf to Word. I can ensure the automatic numbering and bullet points work and create a Contents page.

I have worked with a client who had made a Contents page. He had typed the headings on the blank page and then created the hyperlinks. Although this worked, it looked unprofessional.

It is easy to automate a contents page when formatting the document.

Editing

I am working with another client with dyslexia, and he prepares his document in a draft format for editing.

When I get this, it gives me a basic outline of what he wants to put across. He does tend to divert his attention and include topics that are for future discussions.

He has listed all his thoughts in one document, and I have to decipher it to contain the right information.

This means I will have a Zoom call with him, so he can ‘brain dump’ on me what he is trying to converse to his client.

Well-known Entrepreneurs

A few faces we are familiar with have dyslexia, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Walt Disney, Jamie Oliver, Steve Job, and Anita Roddick.

They all have found a way to overcome their obstacles. People like accountants and admin are supporting them.

Dyslexia does not hold you back, so long as you have the assistance to alleviate your anxiety, it will encourage you to find a way to move forward.

What tools could you use?

A Diary Organiser – as you may have many ideas, using the organiser will help you to keep on track.
C-Pen Reader – this pen is a scanner. It shows the definition of words and reads the text aloud to you.
Grammarly App – this tool helps with your spelling, as does the spellchecker on your PC.
Asking for Help – outsource the tasks you are not good at. As you would trust your accounts with your accountant, there is another resource to tap into. A virtual assistant will edit your drafts and create your social media posts.
Audio Books and Podcasts – will help you if reading is not your strong point. Audiobooks and podcasts have many business-related subjects to listen to.
Text to Speech – on your PC there is a function to ‘read out’ your work and emails. I have used this recently when typing an 80-page pdf document. I listen to my typewritten work whilst I am checking the pdf document.
Voice Recording – you may be ‘thinking outside the box’ or have an influx of ideas and writing down is tedious. Consider using your phone as a dictating machine and use the voice recording app on there. You can store and listen back to it at a later date.
Mind Mapping – note taking isn’t going to work for you, so look at other methods that could be helpful, such as: