March is Women’s History Month, and we have some thoughts on supporting women entrepreneurs (and really any business owners that you know!)
Buy from them
This is probably the best way to help women entrepreneurs out, if you’re able to. Instead of buying soap at the big box store, get the handmade stuff. It’s probably made with better ingredients anyway.
Shop gifts – especially corporate ones – from women-owned businesses. That way you can spread the word farther since the gift recipient may not have been aware of her business. Shop at your local farmer’s market.
And don’t forget the women you know who are providing services instead of goods. There are great female personal trainers and gym owners, coaches of various kinds, and consultants too.
Share their social media
If you don’t have a need for your consultant’s services, share her posts on social media. It’s also great if you’re cash-strapped and can’t afford to lavishly gift the way you might want to. It’s important for women entrepreneurs to have visibility – as you may know, we ourselves post on LinkedIn, Facebook, and our own blog weekly.
Because we all have different feeds and contacts, someone who could use another business owner’s services might see the post on your feed because they’re not yet connected to hers. Help them celebrate their wins in addition to your own.
Mentor them
This applies not just to prospective entrepreneurs right out of college or high school, but women with more life experience too. (Did you notice how I avoided the word “older”?) If you’ve got knowledge others can use, put it to good use and get the satisfaction of helping someone out.
Being a mentor doesn’t mean you’re solving their problems. You can provide perspective, discuss similar events in your own past and how you handled them, and introduce them to people you think they should know.
Recommend them
Maybe you can’t use their services or buy their goods, but you know someone else who can. If you can introduce them yourself, that’s the best recommendation possible. Even if you haven’t used their service, you can attest to their character, and that’s important too.
Alert her to resources
If she’s not already familiar with some of the resources specifically designed for women entrepreneurs, send over the details!
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council certifies businesses as women-owned. This helps businesses get access to large corporations and government entities that are required to do a certain amount of business with women-owned companies. They also provide a lot of education.
These are funded partly by the Small Business Administration and help train and educate women-owned small businesses. Lift Your TableⓇ folding table risers are very thankful for going through programs at our local WBC, and we highly recommend. Especially when you’re just getting started!
- Local community networks
Most communities have networks for women. They might provide education, collaboration, mentoring, friendship, or some combination of all the above. Many chambers of commerce have women’s business programming as well.
- Independent women’s business owner groups
Being a business owner is hard sometimes, and being inside a community of like-minded people can really help when the going gets tough. If you look on your favorite social media channel (especially Facebook and LinkedIn) you’ll find a lot of women entrepreneurs who give back by connecting people together.
As we often say, a rising tide lifts all boats! When we lift each other up, so much more becomes possible for all of us.
Does the woman entrepreneur in your life work or craft at a folding table? Save her back by lifting up the table surface to a height that’s comfortable for her while she’s standing. Check out the full product line at our store.
Lift Your TableⓇ… SAVE YOUR BACK!
