Do any aspies here own their own businesses?

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(First of all, I hope no one is offended by the term "aspie." I consider myself one )

I have had ideas for businesses since I was a kid. Most of them wouldn't work out for me (owning a restaurant, or anything big, or anything involving large groups of people coming in and out). Lately, though, I've had a few ideas for things that might work out for me. I've kind of figured out that no job that exists these days is the perfect-enough fit for me (of course there are no perfect jobs).

Does anyone here on this board with Asperger's/HFA own a small business? Has having a neurodiverse brain helped you in any way?

Yah I do. I'm Aspie enough to be fairly socially impaired, at least when it comes to working in large office/institution type environments. I'm blacklisted from every workplace I've been in
Do you know what type of Aspie you are? There's several types and it does help to pin down your forte area. Have a look at Temple Grandin's talk on TED if you're not sure what I'm referring to.
I did horticulture/botany/ecology and have a higheraccumulative botanical knowledge. I'm also a spatial aspie (like T. Grandin) so I do AutoCAD design of landscape design. Spatial also means I can design irrigation & other structural engineering things like roofgardens, treatment systems for waste water using AutoCAD MEP (sorry this sounding like a job application). I used to work as a lighting designer in the theatre so I can do lighting design for buildings, landscapes etc.
I work for Architects & Developers as a consultant horticulturist, they send me AutoCAD files and I send them designs as pdfs + invoice, they pay me via EFT or Cheque. They need my plant expertise & computer skills to get approval to do developments without the expense of Landscape Architects and using someone who can do science & design. I do my own books, tax is done electronically. Occasionally I'll conference remotely using Logmein, they can see design work I'm doing if it's too complicated or too time consuming to draw lots of detail drawings. Or else I convert it into a Sketchup 3D drawing and get them to view it on their own computer (this works a treat- I'm about to start making avi walk-throughs of my drawings)
I see noone in a work capacity- I live with my girlfriend but she respects my space thing. She can be a bit loud but there you go. She's a student and works as a cleaner so I have mostly the place to myself. I can start work at anytime (I prefer nights) and I do all my work from home. Generally I work in the quiet or break it up with some Soundtrack or Ambient music. I double screen so I'll watch a movie while I'm working if it's not too involved. I'll do a site visit if plant id is requires but I rarely see anyone (and I really should get out in the sun anyway).
I have a very high turnover so high volumes of work aren't an issue, I can quite happily survive on 3/4 hours sleep. This isn't really an issue (this is a fallback from working as a lighting designer) and the $ is good.
If I want to expand I'd collaborate with someone like myself and we'd do it all digitally. Just recently been doing Architectural drafting with a friend; he sends me roughs, I build the design in 3D CAD and send him pdfs for the client under his name. He's fun- we get along well and he's a reclusive designer type and a bit of a greeny like me so we have much to gain from collaborating. He's also a cranky Anarchist like me so we agree to disagree when necessary.
I can visualise in spatial 3D & colour, I can present it in a way that people can utilise using fairly comprehensive computer knowledge and I can focus on very mundane things for very long periods of time.
So YES! Neurodiversity absolutely!! How else would I do it?
Does that sort of answer your question?

I co-founded my company and I think that my mind and my partner's work differently enough that we compliment one another.

I started my own small online retail business for independently published zines (like magazines) when I was in high school. I designed a website and was actually featured and interviewed in a book that was about teenage girls and media. I stopped doing it when I went to college, but started again upon graduation in a much more professional way.

I do have desires to make this a serious business, but the multi-tasking is what makes things hard for me. I have been asked by a very well established business to start planning art and small press related events, and though I have done one successful event so far, it's been challenging for me. The social aspect is difficult and also asking for help. I honestly just have no clue how to delegate tasks and ask for help.

Owning my own business is a dream for me, but I'm not sure if I'd ever be able to make it a reality. As for now it is just another major fixation of mine.

I own a stock research company that does customized reporting for a few small investment firms. I'm creating a website for the company that should launch by January.

I would love to own my own business, one way or another. I'm graduating from college next year with a film degree. Kind of looking to start an online business related to film possibly. Not sure what though, but I'm currently taking a class that explores the business side of film. My professor's last lecture of the semester is going to be about opportunities for web sales and production. I really can't wait for it. I used to want to be a writer/director, but I now think I can take my interests somewhere more original.

if i had entreprenurial genes and the brains to go with 'em, then i would. but i don't, so i don't. wish i did. but i just don't have it.

I'd like to start a company that does ebook publishing and software developement. I'd also like to market other peoples products and companies.

I own a courier company that has been in business for 6 years now. I think my quirks make me better at my job. I love the fact that I can do things my way, rather than "the boss's" way.

I had a business for five years, doing everything from handyman type repairs to major renovations. People loved my work, the jobs got bigger and bigger and I had plenty of business. I was great at the work I did, I was just terrible at running a business. Eventually I got overwhelmed trying to juggle money around and run multiple jobs and manage several employees and sub contractors, and difficult clients. I went back to doing smaller jobs, but the money just wasn't there. So finally decided I needed more stability, and went back to my old field working for a company. I learned a lot, mostly that I worked about 16 hours a day, between doing paperwork, bidding jobs, picking up materials, and doing research. What I really needed was a partner or a manager, who could handle the parts of the job that was so hard for me.

I have a webdesign company. I think having Asperger's helps in regard to the quality of my work, but in terms of getting new customers (networking) it is definitely a disadvantage. No problem though. I just got another part-time job at a different company where someone else does all the networking. So now I basically have two jobs; my own company, and the other company I work for.

Well... I'm Asperger-autistic, and I do not have the sort of acumen needed to run a business; but my ex-wife (same diagnosis) has her own business, which I occasionally get to do some work with. Consultancy... guess what our specialty is!

i wish i had the right stuff to be an entrepreneur. but i don't.

i'll probably get a small computer game/web design/programming company started in the near future together with a friend, so far, we're in the planning stages for the company website and early PR stuff.

I set up mine late last year. But, at first, it was because I wanted to do grant writing. However, because grant writing will be in the back burner for a while, I now have gone into life coaching. It is tough, especially in not knowing the landscape before setting up the business. Had to ask a lot of people and made tons of mistakes. I am hoping those mistakes can turn into building blocks for successes soon!

I ran my own business in one of my special interests for several years. Here are some random bullet points of lessons learned about what works best for me:

- Do not underestimate the amount of general entrepreneurship that is involved. Marketing, sales, customer service, bookkeeping.

- It helps to either hire or pair-up with someone who can assume some of the sales, customer service, and admin stuff.

- Being able to work from home or some other emotionally safe place is important.