Moving to Australia from New York in 1997, 46 year-old Lazarus lost his leg in a motorcycle accident in 2008. Although applying for many jobs since then, work has been scarce and he believes he is being discriminated against because of his disability and the fact that he is transgender.
“Before I lost my leg I got every job I ever applied for, I lose my leg — I can’t get a job,” he says. “I’m tired of collecting Centrelink benefits and I want to work and I’ve realised that the only way that’s really going to happen is if I create my own work.”
Spending half of his time in a wheelchair, Lazarus has come up with the idea of the One Shoe Shop, an online business offering accessory choices for the mobility impaired which he hopes will also be able to provide employment for others with a disability.
Where is he now?
Lazarus says his days have become very busy since appearing on The Employables.
After making it to the final six and achieving the end goal of taking his business idea for Street Mobility to pitch to investors on The Employables, Street Mobility along with The Wheely Good Bag are both up and rolling.
Currently, The Wheely Good Bag is in a couple of NSW hospitals and Lazarus has a goal to have it available in all NSW hospitals by the end of 2018 and in all Australian hospitals by the end of 2020. He has launched a crowdfunding campaign and is organising a 6-hour wheelchair challenge, Wheel a Mile, to try and raise both the money to get more bags out to hospitals and awareness around what life is like for people in wheelchairs.
On his experience of working with the mentors on The Employables Lazarus says, “All of the mentors offered something different so it wasn’t like it was constantly a repeat of the same thing over and over. They all have their areas of specialty so there is something different you get from each one of them. They have continued to support me even though the show is done and dusted. I get from them that they really want to see me succeed”.
Lazarus is also interested in doing some motivational speaking and is keen to host a television show or segment where he chats to people with a disability who are making a difference in the world.
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