WHY SHOP WOMAN OWNED?
When we shop at woman owned businesses, it’s an opportunity to vote with our dollars. It’s an opportunity to say:
- Yes, I want my money to stay in the community where I work, where I live, where I raise my family, visit my friends, and spend my time. Studies show that women reinvest more of their money in their communities than men do.
- Yes, I want to help create new jobs and economic prosperity in Maine. We know that the majority of new jobs are created by entrepreneurs and small business owners. We also know that the growth rates of women owned businesses (employment and revenue) are growing at a faster rate than all businesses. Shopping woman owned helps support this growth[1].
- Yes, I want to fight gender inequality. Female entrepreneurs are asked less growth-oriented questions by potential funders[2], offered smaller loans at higher interest rates[3], and access only 2.3% of venture capital despite owning 42% of all companies in the U.S.[4]
- Yes, I want to help woman owned businesses keep growing. While a majority (62%) of female entrepreneurs count on their business as their primary source of income, 88% never gross more than $100,000 in revenue per year[5]. There are a myriad of factors limiting this growth, but one simple way to be a part of the solution is to shop woman-owned.