Local Group Launches App for Finding Woman-Owned Businesses

Looking for a plumber, printer or other products or services? Why not use a WOWOB (woman-owned, woman-operated business)? They’re different. WOWOBs have a big social impact as well as an economic impact.

The local founders of the WOWOB movement recently launched a free app to make it easy for anyone to locate a WOWOB to meet his or her needs. “Go to the App store or Google Play, and search ‘WOWOB’ to download the app,” explains Mike Bull, one of the WOWOB founders. “The app continually updates as we add new business listings, and you don’t have to be a woman or a business owner to access the listings.”

Studies done by the Women’s Philanthropic Institute and others show that WOWOBs are more philanthropic at every income level, and give to charity more often and in larger amounts. These businesses also invest a higher percentage of their earnings in their families and communities, spreading wealth and creating a higher impact on future development, according to studies by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, published in the Harvard Business Review.

“Woman-owned businesses are rising in their numbers,” says Bull. “With rising success, they will increase social responsibility efforts, which may well change the way we all think about business responsibility.”

WOWOB launched its website (www.wowob.org) last spring. “We are based in Phoenix but companies anywhere can join,” Bull adds.

There is no cost to search the business directory to find a WOWOB in any of 30 categories. A low-cost yearly membership in WOWOB includes a listing in the online directory; a WOWOB decal to display in your office; a WOWOB logo to put on your website; and cards to give to friends, customers, clients, employees or anyone who can help spread the word that there is a difference using a WOWOB.

For more information about membership or sponsorship of WOWOB, visit wowob.org, email info@wowob.org or call 480-447-9218.

Jackie Wszalek is the owner of Splash Printing and Marketing, Scottsdale; Wendy McClellan is the owner of Structure for Success, Scottsdale; and Mike Bull is the owner of the Women’s Business Institute, Phoenix. The trio launched the WOWOB movement www.wowob.org earlier in 2017.