5 Tips to Uplift Female Entrepreneurs during National Women’s Small Business Month

October marks the celebration of National Women’s Small Business Month, which is dedicated to recognizing the accomplishments of women-owned businesses and the important role they play in the economy. Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) honors these trailblazing entrepreneurs and offers tips to support their successes.

According to the World Economic Forum, women started 49% of new businesses in the U.S. in 2021, up from 28% in 2019. This steady rise in female entrepreneurship across the country continues to provide reasons to encourage even more growth. Women-led businesses span a wide variety of industries from leaders in the trades, retail, restaurants, finance and innovative technology.

BBB offers the following tips to uplift women-owned businesses:

1. Buy from local, female entrepreneurs. Look on websites or business profiles for marketing that indicates a “Women-Led” attribute which can identify women-owned, led or founded.
2. Share resources. Associations like the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) help advance female entrepreneurship.
3. Be a cheerleader. Refer friends and share your positive experiences with reviews on BBB.org and social media.
4. Donate to a new venture. Support and invest an idea of a future female leader on Kiva’s crowding platform.
5. Make connections. Join networking groups and attend educational events designed for women in business.

“If you are feeling stuck while solving a problem, never hesitate to tap your network! One of the greatest qualities of women entrepreneurs is the innate ability to empathize, connect, and support one another. BBB can help women entrepreneurs make valuable connections as they offer events such as their annual Industrious Women’s Summit. It offers resources and education to help bring women business owners together. Happy connecting!” shares Abby Wilkymacky, Founder of Mindflower Studio.

BBB’s 6th annual Industrious Women’s Summit educates, connects and provides professional growth for women in the trades, is on August 18, 2023.

BBB encourages businesses to operate with integrity, and helps consumers make wise marketplace decisions. Our innovative approach to business growth provides the tools that companies and entrepreneurs need to build better businesses. By working side by side with industry experts, we unite with a common goal. Become BBB Accredited and join our mission to create a community of trust.

For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Incorporated locally in 1938, BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest serves Greater Arizona and Southern California, providing critical tools to ignite success including mentorship, online products and access to capital. Our objective expertise educates the community on ethical behavior in the marketplace and how businesses can build trust.