If you’re raising a child with a disability and thinking about starting an online business, you might be wondering how you’re supposed to find the time to grow an audience.
Between appointments, therapies, paperwork and the unpredictability of caring responsibilities, finding uninterrupted time can feel impossible.
And most social media advice seems designed for people who can dedicate hours to creating content.
But what if you could grow an audience without organising your entire life around social media?
I’m a former primary school teacher raising a son with complex medical needs. I left teaching because I couldn’t commit to conventional working hours while prioritising his care.
But I hadn’t lost my ambition or my desire to earn an income.
Before starting my current personal brand, I grew an education business from approximately 300 to more than 6,000 Instagram followers and built an email list of almost 4,000 people.
Here’s what that experience taught me about growing an audience when your time isn’t always your own.
1. Choose ONE person and ONE problem.
When you’re starting from zero, don’t try to speak to everyone.
Choose one specific person and one problem you understand exceptionally well.
For example, instead of:
Helping busy mums create a better life.
Try:
Helping mums raising children with disabilities explore ways to earn an income without committing to fixed working hours.
The second message speaks directly to a woman facing a specific challenge.
And here’s something important.
You don’t need to have a product, service or business offer figured out yet.
Start by understanding your audience’s problem. Create content around their questions, frustrations and desired outcomes.
Your offer can develop as you learn more about what they need.
Your action step: Write down who you want to help and the ONE problem you want to become known for.
2. Create content that works while you’re caring for your child.
If your schedule is unpredictable, you need a content strategy that doesn’t depend entirely on showing up every day.
This is why I recommend combining social media with Substack.
Instagram can help new people discover you through short-form content.
Substack allows you to publish helpful articles that can be indexed by Google and discovered through search long after you’ve published them.
Imagine writing an article answering a question your ideal audience is already searching for.
Someone could discover that article, read it and subscribe to your email list while you’re at a specialist appointment or spending time with your child.
That’s powerful.
It isn’t guaranteed traffic, but it gives your content another opportunity to be discovered without requiring your constant presence.
And you don’t need to double your workload.
One topic can become an Instagram Reel, a Substack Note and a longer article.
One message. Multiple opportunities to reach the right people.
Your action step: Identify one question your ideal follower is searching for and write a helpful Substack article answering it.
3. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Same problem, different angles.
This is particularly important when you’re growing your first 1,000 followers.
Stop trying to come up with a completely different message every time you post.
At the beginning, people don’t know who you are or what you stand for.
Repetition helps you become recognisable.
Choose the ONE problem you identified in Step 1 and create different hooks that approach it from different angles.
For example, let’s say you’re passionate about skincare and want to help women experiencing dry, dehydrated skin.
You could create content with hooks like these:
Hook 1: “If your skin still feels tight after applying moisturiser, here’s what you might be missing.”
Hook 2: “Three reasons your skin might feel dry even when you’re using expensive skincare.”
Hook 3: “POV: You’ve tried every moisturiser, but your skin still feels dehydrated by lunchtime.”
Hook 4: “Dry skin and dehydrated skin aren’t the same thing. Here’s why that matters.”
Different hooks. Different perspectives.
Same person. Same problem. Same core message.
You’re not repeating identical content. You’re reinforcing what you want to become known for.
And when you have just 15 minutes to create something, having a bank of prepared hooks makes content creation much easier.
Your action step: Write 10–15 different hooks addressing your audience’s ONE problem. Save them in your phone and rotate through them as you create content.
Your first 1k followers are just the beginning.
You don’t need thousands of followers or a perfectly developed business idea to start.
You need to understand who you’re speaking to, what problem they face and how to communicate a message that resonates.
Your first 1,000 followers aren’t necessarily your future customers. But growing an aligned, engaged audience creates opportunities to build relationships, understand what people need and eventually introduce an offer.
And if you’re raising a child with a disability, your strategy needs to accommodate the reality of your life.
You don’t need to organise your family around the demands of an online business. You can learn to build a business that accommodates your family’s needs.
Hi, I’m Trudy
I’m a former teacher raising my deaf, medically complex son.
Our lives look different from what I once imagined, but I haven’t lost my ambition or the desire to use my skills.
Now I’m sharing what I’m learning about building an online business around unpredictable caring responsibilities.
Come along for the journey
If you’re raising a child with a disability and exploring ways to earn an income around their needs, you’re in the right place.
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