For Belinda and Stephan van der Lit, their disability and NDIS journey started with the diagnosis of their oldest child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The Wantirna couple decided to use their learnings and lived NDIS experience to help other families by starting a specialised NDIS plan management and bookkeeping service, hdL Group. The traditional mum and dad business has received a Council eCommerce grant to support its growth.
"We have two children on the NDIS, a boy and a girl," Belinda says. "I can remember one client rang me and she said, 'My son's just been diagnosed and I've got NDIS, what do I do?' As a plan manager, our role is to guide them, manage their budgets and documentation, assess compliance and pay their bills. But I said, 'Look, this is what I did,' and it's that personal experience that I have.
"To date, our business growth has been word-of-mouth and through school and other networks. Whilst we are keen to grow our business, we are steadfast in our commitment to 'stay-in-our-lane' and support other families on their NDIS journey and remain a boutique, family-owned, independent plan-management business."
Stephan, who completed a free 12-week eCommerce training course through Council, says their business aims to eliminate the confusion, stress and administrative burden for others.
"NDIS bookkeeping is complex - it's a bureaucratic juggernaut," he says. "One of the key differentiators of our business is being able to share that lived experience. That personal experience and the fact that we're independent and plan management is the only NDIS service that we provide is something that we guard quite jealously."
Find out about Council's free financial mentoring and commercial advice for businesses here.
