Grow and Thrive: Essential Resources for Women-Owned Businesses

Women’s History Month may have passed, but as with any month celebrating a minority group, I want to keep shining the spotlight on and supporting them year-round. So let’s consider the impact of women small business owners in the United States.?

According to the 2022 Annual Report from the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) , women own 1.2 million employer businesses and 10.2 million non-employer businesses (these numbers are as of 2019, the latest year of available data). Those numbers mean that a staggering portion of the United States economy is fueled by women entrepreneurs.?

Despite their success, women business owners still face a variety of challenges: bias and discrimination, access to capital, and industry segregation among them. And so, it’s important for us to work together as a community and to pool resources and knowledge so we can continue to thrive. Fortunately, there are a number of organizations that connect and empower women business owners. Here are a few of my favorites.?

1.Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Women’s Business Centers (WBCs)

WBCs provide free and low-cost resources for women small business owners including business training, counseling, federal contracts, and access to credit and capital. There are currently more than 100 around the country, and President Biden recently committed to upping that number to 160. Find one near you.

2. SCORE?

SCORE connects small business owners with mentors who are experts in all things business and can answer questions and provide guidance on best practices and small business topics. This is a free service, and you can meet with your mentor as often as you want or need. SCORE also has robust business education resources that are free or low-cost, including workshops, webinars, online courses, and business plan templates.

3. The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) - Small Business Administration (SBA) Community Navigator Pilot Program?

The USHCC-SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program provides small and minority-owned businesses with free technical assistance to make their businesses thrive in the post-pandemic economy. Women entrepreneurs and small business owners can find self-paced training and grant info from Hello Alice ; scaling and supply chain/procurement education through the Latino Business Action Network ; regional support through the Illinois, Colorado, and El Paso Hispanic Chambers of Commerce; and nationwide support from bilingual business advisors.

4. Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)?

WBENC is dedicated to helping women-owned businesses thrive. The organization has accelerator and incubator programs, grants, scholarships, events, and networking opportunities for women business owners. It can also provide a women-owned business certification.?

5. Ladies Who Launch?

Ladies Who Launch provides women business owners with free educational resources, access to capital, mentoring, and networking opportunities.?

Women-owned businesses are a vital part of our economy, and they will only continue to become more critical. Fortunately, there are a number of organizations dedicated to ensuring our businesses continue to grow and thrive, so make sure you take advantage of all they have to offer.?

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Conchie Fernández is Founding Partner at CF Creative (www.cf-creative.com ), an agency that provides business growth, strategic content, and technical assistance consulting for small and minority-owned businesses, as well as the public and private sector organizations and companies that support them.