7 Reasons to Support Woman Owned Businesses

Woman Owned Small Business

Welcome to Scented Designs, a woman owned business in California, proudly operating since 2016 and continuing to grow every year!

I'm Kate De Palma and I'm a former educator-turned-entrepreneur, the founder and owner of Scented Designs Candle Company, where we're all about inspiring candle lovers like you to shop with heart through our amazing soy candles handmade in the USA. I'm so excited you're here!

Support Women in Business

It's the end of February as I write this, which means International Women's Day and Women's Month are just around the corner! With that in mind, today's topic female owned businesses, specifically 7 Reasons Why You Should Support Women Owned Businesses every day (not just Women's Day!).

Female Owned Businesses

According to recent data, women-owned businesses are a rapidly growing sector of the economy in the United States. In fact, there are more than 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the U.S, accounting for 42% of all businesses. This represents a significant increase from just a few years ago, as the number of women-owned businesses grew by 21% between 2014 and 2019 (which includes Scented Designs!).

Supporting women-owned businesses is not only important for promoting gender equity and diversity, but it can also provide a range of benefits to consumers and the wider community. Here are 7 Reasons to Support Woman-Owned Businesses:

1. Support gender equity: By supporting women-owned businesses, you can help to promote gender equity and empower women entrepreneurs to succeed in their chosen field. Plus, 50% of women-owned businesses in the United States are owned by women of color. 

2. Promote diverse perspectives: Women-owned businesses bring a unique and diverse perspective to the market, which can lead to innovative products and services that meet the needs of a wider range of consumers.

3. Help job creation: Women-owned businesses are a significant source of job creation, employing 9.4 million people in the U.S. By supporting these businesses, you can help to create and sustain jobs in your local community.

4. Strengthen local economies: Women-owned businesses are often smaller and more locally-focused, which can help to strengthen local economies by keeping money circulating within the community. A study by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) found that 80% of women business owners are involved in in at least one community organization, compared to 67% of men. Women are also more likely to purchase goods and services from other local businesses than their male counterparts. 

5. Promote environmental sustainability: Women-owned businesses are often more likely to prioritize environmental sustainability and social responsibility in their operations, which can have a positive impact on the environment and local communities. Another study by NAWBO found that 61% of women business owners actively engage in social responsibility efforts, compared to 42% of men. 

6. Enjoy unique products and services: Women-owned businesses often bring unique and innovative products and services to the market, providing consumers with a wider range of options and helping to drive competition and innovation.

7. Support charitable giving: Women-owned businesses are more likely to have a positive impact on their communities, with 69% of women-owned businesses engaging in some form of community outreach or charitable giving. For example, not only is Scented Designs committed to sustainability through our partnership with 1% for the Planet, but we also give back to our local community by supporting various school fundraisers (hey, I was a teacher for 8 years, after all!).

Overall, supporting women-owned businesses can provide a range of benefits to consumers and the wider community. By making a conscious effort to seek out and support these businesses, you can help to promote gender equity, diversity, and innovation in the economy, while also contributing to the growth and success of your local community.

To learn more about Scented Designs, our proudly women-owned business, check out our blog post

My Woman-Owned Small Business: A Backstory

Are you a business owner?

If you're a business owner yourself and would like to partner with us in some way, please reach out via our contact form!

I'd love to hear more about your business + talk about ways we can collaborate, whether through our wholesale candles program for retailers or our custom branded candles for business owners.

Are you a shopper?

To simply shop candles and support our fabulous female-run business that way, head on over to our Candle Collections!

Thanks again for visiting Scented Designs! We hope to be able to share some light from our hand-poured soy candles with you.