Approximately 20% of the population have dyslexia, but over 30% of entrepreneurs do (Logan 2009). Some successful entrepreneurs who have dyslexia are Richard Branson, Charles Schwab, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran and Ted Turner.

The higher incidence of dyslexia among entrepreneurs raises questions about their connection, if any. Generally, empirical research on dyslexic strengths still requires replication and validation. But as an entrepreneur and clinical linguist who has worked with individuals with dyslexia for three decades, I see one obvious commonality between the two groups: adversity.

For entrepreneurs, the failure rate for falling short of meeting business projections is 90% to 95%. The failure rate for losing all their money in the venture is 30% to 40% (Nobel 2011). Entrepreneurship is more than just a job. It is a way of life. And in their chosen way of life, entrepreneurs face constant stresses: subpar raw materials, missed shipments, cash-flow problems, or a mistake that morphed into a PR nightmare.

For children with dyslexia, school can feel no less threatening. My students with dyslexia had been poked at, pinched, and pummeled physically. Psychological assault can be just as painful. One student recalled how his fifth grade teacher would apologize to the whole class for having to wait for him, because he needed more time to complete the........

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