NATIONAL WOMEN'S SMALL BUSINESS MONTH: #StPeteSupportsHer

OCTOBER

A month long celebration of female entrepreneurship in St. Petersburg

ABOUT

National Women’s Small Business Month takes place each year during the month of October. This is a time to recognize the myriad achievements of our local female entrepreneurs and the positive impact they are making on jobs and the economy. 

The Greenhouse will be recognizing National Women’s Small Business Month in St. Pete and recognizing the countless women small business owners who have pursued their passion and taken the leap into entrepreneurship.  An entire month of storytelling and events will be planned to gather information and further meet the needs, goals and dreams of our women business owners in St. Pete.

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE IN OCTOBER?

October 1988 marks the anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s signing of H.R. 5050, which is the Women’s Business Ownership Act. This legislation increased federal support of women-owned businesses and made it easier for female entrepreneurs to get working capital and business training and assistance. 

Prior to this bill being signed into law, some states required women to have a male family member co-sign on their business loan applications. 

In 1972, there were a little over 400,000 women-owned businesses in the United States. By 2019, women-owned businesses represented 42% of all U.S. businesses and generated $1.9 trillion worth of revenue. Today, there are over 13 million women-owned businesses and counting. This month, SBA honors the milestone achievements of today’s women-owned businesses.

GET INVOLVED

#StPeteSupportsHer

Now is an excellent opportunity to connect with local women-owned small businesses or support fellow female business owners. What can you do to support other small businesses? One way is to get social. Whether you are a fellow woman-owned small business owner, employee or a local customer, you can easily use social media to support small business! Read through our client spotlights and share your own story/experience/review online to help spread awareness!

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WORKSHOPS

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, women were majority owners of 9.9 million businesses in the U.S. with over $1.4 trillion in sales and 8.4 million employees. While this is a great number, 14.8 million of businesses are owned by men with sales of over $9.4 trillion and 41.1 million employees. To help women start their own small businesses, improve these statistics and add to the economy, it is important to offer accessible resources to help empower women entrepreneurs. The Greenhouse has dedicated resources in October to help your business grow and THRIVE. Register and join us FREE:

RESOURCES FOR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS

Close the Gap: Resources for Women Entrepreneurs
Women entrepreneurs are making waves in the small business economy. According data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of women-owned businesses increased by 58% between 2007 and 2018, at a rate nearly five times higher than the overall average.

Even with this proven growth and advancement, women business owners continue to face challenges when starting or growing a small business. One ongoing obstacle:  access to equal funding. 

 St. Pete Small Biz Map
The newest community-sourced tool makes it easier for anyone to support local from anywhere. The interactive map can be used from any device to find local restaurants and coffee shops offering take-out and delivery options, as well as other small businesses that offer services locally. Add your listing for community visibility and users can search for local women-owned businesses!

Leveraging the Benefits of the SBA Loan Program for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses
This presentation will cover the benefits of the SBA loan program, and how you can leverage the Small Business Administration Loan Programs to help your business grow.