{"id":2631,"date":"2017-05-23T07:59:19","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T12:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2631"},"modified":"2023-05-12T20:08:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-13T01:08:04","slug":"the-business-enterprise-program-business-ownership-opportunities-and-a-promising-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2631","title":{"rendered":"The Business Enterprise program: Business Ownership Opportunities and a Promising Career"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_3764\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2631-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) was established for Blind\/Visually Impaired individuals to create opportunities and careers through food vending services and food and merchandise sales on Federal and state properties. The BEP program is nationwide and if you or anybody you know is interested in owning their own business, wants to work and begin a promising career, share this podcast and let them know about the Business Enterprise program.<br \/>\nJeff Thompson talks with John hulet, the Director of the BEP in Minnesota, Scott Eggen, a 30 plus year veteran in the BEP and Michael Colbrunn <!--more--><br \/>\na new comer to the program. Michael is enjoying the choices and challenges that he has accepted by owning his own business.<br \/>\nIf you are interested in knowing more about the BEP, <a href=\"mailto:john.hulet@state.mn.us\">email John Hulet<\/a><br \/>\nContact your State Services if outside of Minnesota and ask about the Business Enterprise Program and how you can learn more.<br \/>\nThank you for listening!<br \/>\nYou can follow us on Twitter <a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/blindabilities\">@BlindAbilities<\/a><br \/>\nOn the web at <a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\">www.BlindAbilities.com<\/a><br \/>\nSend us an <a href=\"mailto:info@blindabilities.com\">email<\/a><br \/>\nGet the <a href=\"https:\/\/appsto.re\/us\/demUab.i\">Free Blind Abilities App<\/a> on the App Store.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_3766\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2631-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/BEP.mp3The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) was established for Blind\/Visually Impaired individuals to create opportunities and careers through food vending services and food and merchandise sales on Federal and state properties. The BEP program is nationwide and if you or anybody you know is interested in owning their own business, wants to work and begin a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[534,17,373],"tags":[477],"class_list":["post-2631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bep","category-bapresents","category-career","tag-bep"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-Gr","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3627,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=3627","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":0},"title":"Job Insights Extra #5: Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and the Randolph-Sheppard Venders of America President Dan Sippl","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to Job Insights Extra, part of the Job Insights Podcast with Serina Gilbert and Jeff Thompson, a podcast focused on the world of employment, career pathways and gainful and meaningful employment. The Job Insights Extra podcasts are success stories, interviews and demos that enhance the experience of reaching that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9258,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9258","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":1},"title":"Owning Your Future with State Services for the Blind: Inside the Business Enterprise Program","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this Blind Abilities conversation, Michael Colbrunn shares a compelling, firsthand look at the Business Enterprise Program through State Services for the Blind and how it created a pathway to self-employment, confidence, and long-term growth. Michael never imagined himself as a business owner, but with training, guidance, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4043,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=4043","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":2},"title":"Meet Michael Colbrunn: Business Enterprise Program Owner\/Operator and Advocate for the Blind (transcript provided)","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Show Summary: (Full Transcript Below) The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) is a great way for interested Blind\/Visually Impaired clients of their State Agency\/Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to own their own business and be their own boss. Michael Colbrunn is a business owner in the BEP and joined Jeff Thompson of Blind\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7828,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7828","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":3},"title":"The Business Enterprise program (BEP): A Day in the Life of a BEP Owner\/Operator\/Vendor","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 16, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison come together once again in the Blind Abilities Studio and this time talking about a day in the life of an owner\/operator\/vendor in the Business Enterprise Program. What is a typical day like for Scott as he operates his businesses in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7806,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7806","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":4},"title":"The Business Enterprise program: Business Ownership Opportunities: Meet Owner\/Operators\u00a0Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"January 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Full Transcript Below Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio. They are owner\/operators in the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and are here to talk about their experiences and successful careers. The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) was established for Blind\/Visually Impaired\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7895,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7895","url_meta":{"origin":2631,"position":5},"title":"Three Fairly New Operator Perspectives of the Business enterprise Program with Scott Eggen, President of Randolph Sheppard Venders of America","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 26, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Gloria Blanco, Steve Alfred, and\u00a0\u00a0Kyle Tyson join Scott Eggen in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about their perspective of the Business Enterprise Program. Being fairly new owner-operators, we thought it would be interesting to hear their perspectives compared to those perspectives from our past guest on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BEP&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BEP","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=534"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2631"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2634,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631\/revisions\/2634"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}