By: Emily Rumball
When Jessica Fabus Cheng speaks about accessibility, she isn’t just sharing theories. She has lived it. As a rare thyroid cancer survivor who now lives with only 80% of her vocal function, Mrs. DC International 2025, podcast host, and inclusion strategist, Cheng has built her platform on a simple but often overlooked truth: accessibility is not merely a moral obligation. It can also be one of the most strategic and forward-thinking business decisions a brand considers.
Yet many companies continue to underutilize this opportunity.
A $10+ Million Market Hiding in Plain Sight
In a rapid race for growth and scale, many brands easily fall into the trap of adopting the newest flashy trend, regardless of its long-term effectiveness. AI, influencer marketing, and viral campaigns all have their purpose, but many companies often overlook one of the most influential, brand-loyal, and significantly underserved markets across the globe: the disability community.
When combined with their families, this group holds over $13 trillion in global buying power. That figure alone makes a compelling case for closer attention.
However, in the face of this remarkable potential, accessibility is frequently dismissed with a sweeping generalization that it’s too costly, simply a compliance task, or, worse, a performative or charitable effort only when it serves to save face or cash in on a trend. That said, framing accessibility as a chance to create meaningful connections, expand communities, humanize through compassion and empathy, and, yes, drive measurable business value, dramatically changes the conversation.
From Compliance to Connection: The Triple A Approach
This is exactly the shift Cheng advocates for through her signature Triple A Framework: Awareness, Allyship, and Action. Her method helps companies move beyond surface-level initiatives and begin fostering lasting and genuine inclusion, especially in digital spaces.
“Brands think accessibility is complicated or niche,” Cheng often explains during workshops. “But the reality is, accessibility is a smart, inclusive approach to business that benefits everyone involved.”
The numbers strongly support her perspective.
The Business Case for Inclusion
A 2020 study by Accenture found that companies prioritizing disability inclusion tend to outperform their competitors, with data showing 28% higher revenue and nearly twice the net income (Accenture, 2018). Additionally, Nielsen research indicates that those with disabilities and their families display stronger brand loyalty, often choosing businesses that align with their values and needs (Nielsen, 2024).
Yet, countless organizations may still be overlooking this competitive advantage.
The Digital Data Points Brands Often Overlook
Typically dismissed under the misinterpretation that it requires a total branding overhaul or hiring costly external experts, Cheng often tells the businesses she works with that integrating accessibility practices into their frameworks isn’t as intimidating as it may seem.
In fact, one of the biggest barriers is also one of the most easily addressed: digital accessibility. Particularly on social media platforms—which serve as critical touchpoints for community building, sales, customer engagement, and brand identity—the majority of content remains inaccessible, lacking essential features such as captions, alt text, or screen reader-friendly formatting.
This creates immediate obstacles for millions of users worldwide, especially those who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, or are neurodivergent.
Cheng’s course, Turnkey Accessibility, addresses these issues by breaking accessibility down into manageable, actionable steps. Her techniques include image descriptions, video captioning, and accessible hashtag formatting; tools that any brand, regardless of its size or budget, can begin to incorporate effectively and affordably.
Accessibility Is for Everyone
What makes Cheng’s approach stand out is not just its practicality. It is how she shifts the perspective from obligation to opportunity.
A peek into Jessica’s opinion: “Think about it—adding captions isn’t just for those who are deaf or hearing impaired. It also benefits the mom scrolling Instagram while her baby naps, or the commuter catching up on content during a noisy ride. It’s about making experiences better for everyone.”
From Knowing to Doing
The biggest obstacle for many companies isn’t technology—it is mindset. Plenty understand that accessibility is important, but they struggle to move from awareness to meaningful action.
That is where Cheng’s concept of allyship comes in. It serves as the bridge between knowing and doing. By encouraging leaders to listen to lived experiences and build genuine connections with disability communities, she helps brands unlock the motivation to act.
“When companies hear the real stories, when they understand the true impact of accessibility, that is often when progress begins to take root,” she explains.
Why It’s Time to Reframe Accessibility
Many companies focus heavily on innovation and disruption, but accessibility is often left out of those conversations, despite being a space where immense innovation is already taking place. Inclusive design is not about compromising aesthetics or function. It’s about expanding usability in ways that benefit broader audiences.
Accessibility can function as both a moral compass and a business driver. And when brands embrace this dual purpose, they often find themselves building stronger customer loyalty, avoiding costly retrofits, and enhancing their reputation in meaningful ways.
Small Shifts, Big Impacts
Accessibility doesn’t have to start with a full audit or massive redesign. Cheng encourages organizations to focus on the small shifts that create immediate impact:
- Add alt text to images on websites and social media
- Use descriptive hashtags with camel case (#ThisIsCamelCase)
- Caption videos consistently
- Ensure font contrast meets minimum visibility standards
- Allow keyboard navigation on websites
- Write in plain language for easier comprehension
These small changes often yield large returns, from increased audience engagement to improved user satisfaction. And while not every change will result in a dramatic business transformation overnight, they build toward a more inclusive and resonant brand experience over time.
Accessibility and Innovation Go Hand-in-Hand
Forward-thinking companies are already recognizing that accessibility is intertwined with innovation. Consider voice technology, closed captioning, or text-to-speech features—once seen as accommodations, now embedded into mainstream use across devices and platforms.
By involving disabled voices in product development and marketing decisions, companies not only reduce unintentional exclusion but also tap into a well of insight that can drive design excellence and broader usability.
The Path Forward
Jessica Fabus Cheng’s message is clear but measured: accessibility is not an optional add-on. It is an essential component of a modern, inclusive, and sustainable business strategy.
Brands that move toward accessible practices aren’t just checking off boxes—they’re investing in a future where more people can engage, connect, and participate. And that future holds opportunity, not just ethically, but economically and socially.
Inclusion strategist, survivor, and advocate, Cheng’s life and work serve as a testament to what is possible when businesses choose to lead with empathy, listen to those with lived experience, and turn accessibility from an afterthought into a foundational practice.
And while there may never be a one-size-fits-all roadmap, companies willing to ask the right questions, involve the right voices, and take the first steps, position themselves to not just grow, but to grow meaningfully.
