Entrepreneurship

Women entrepreneurs contribute significantly to America’s economy and women are opening businesses at higher rates than their male counterparts. While women entrepreneurs face unique challenges around issues like accessing capital and finding mentors, they are increasingly optimistic.

Plenty of entrepreneurs like to think of their business as one of a kind, but for Dr. Heather Nelson it might actually be true. Heather owns Heather Nelson Studio in Springfield, Mo. Heather’s unique musical training certainly qualifies her as a piano and vocal teacher, but she primarily works with those suffering from vocal injuries. While her typical clients range from novices to professional vocalists, Heather also provides vocal regimens and techniques to those who have damaged their vocal cords or been diagnosed with nodes or polyps to help them sing again.

Spills are an inevitable part of life for a mom with two toddlers, but Cara Brzezicki of Littleton, Colorado, needed a way to minimize messes after her sixth-month-old son’s favorite game became throwing his sippy cup on the floor. 

After trying to no avail to find a product that would prevent her son’s cup from falling, Cara decided to take matters into her own hands. She bought a clamp from a hardware store, drilled a hole in it, attached a cord and hair tie, and the Sippie Clippie was born. 

Kateri Gutierrez co-founded Collective Avenue Coffee in Lynwood in 2016 with big dreams of what the business could do for her community. As her business has grown, this commitment to community has become the foundation of Collective Avenue Coffee, from it business structure to its mission and even how its funded its growth.

On July 24, Small Business Majority launched its new Women’s Entrepreneurship Program in Los Angeles, a special initiative offering tools and resources for female entrepreneurs to succeed. Women—especially women of color—are one of the fastest-growing segments of our economy, but they continue to be at a disadvantage in critical business indicators. The Women’s Entrepreneurship Program will help local women entrepreneurs gain the resources they need to start and grow their companies. Read on for a recap of our program kick off to learn more about the program.

Small Business Majority recently participated in the 2018 POSiBLE L.A. Entrepreneur Summit, a curated bilingual event dedicated to Angelino entrepreneurs and sponsored by Univision. California Deputy Director and National Hispanic Outreach Manager Xiomara Peña moderated a panel entitled, “La receta del éxito para restaurants” or “The recipe to success in the restaurants industry." This panel explored how business owners in the restaurant industry can secure financing and thrive. The interactive dialogue provided a wealth of knowledge about starting a business in the local restaurant industry. Read on for a recap of this event and to learn more about launching a successful restaurant business.

Armed with a cosmetology license, two bachelor’s degrees and a love for organic hair care, Mariatu “Tu” Browne is on a mission to unlock the natural beauty of every client she encounters. She discovered her passion for hair at the early age of nine while braiding hair for her friends and family in her native home in Sierra Leone.

A few years ago, Rachel Bernier-Green was looking for an outlet from the stress of her intense job at a multinational accounting firm and discovered a passion for baking. It didn’t take long before friends and family were encouraging her to sell her baked goods to the masses. Rachel founded ‘Laine’s Bake Shop, LLC in 2013 using a shared kitchen space, working on the side to get her business off the ground. After a few years of baking part-time, Rachel decided to finally quit her job and start a bake shop full-time with her husband Jaryd. 

April is often associated with spring cleaning and reorganizing, which means you finally made the time go through that overflowing junk drawer or to organize last year’s financial statements for the tax filing deadline. But when it comes to your finances, you can use this time to do more than just file your tax return documents thanks to the resources provided as part of National Financial Literacy Month.

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If not for his love of music, Lloyd Smith wouldn’t have a successful business selling neuroscience research equipment.

Lloyd, who originally had an interest in engineering, dropped out of his undergrad program after just one semester to pursue a career in music. Fortuitously, however, his then-bandmate worked in a neuroscience lab, sparking Lloyd’s interest in brain research, motivating him to return to school for neuroscience and eventually helping him find his new career path.