Today is International Women’s Day, an annual event that “provides an important opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements while calling for greater equality.”
On this day, I thought it would be a good time to share some tips for supporting women-owned businesses – not just today, but throughout the year.
According to the National Association of Women Business owners, there are more than 11.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., employing nearly 9 million people and generating $1.7 trillion in sales.
So how can you show these businesses that you support their efforts?
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If you have a favorite woman-owned business, show your support by spending your money there or make an effort to find female-owned businesses in your community.
“Explore local, women-owned business and make them your go-to,” says Alyssa Rosenheck, interiors and architectural photographer, stylist, author, speaker, cancer survivor, and lifestyle expert.
And don’t keep your favorites to yourself.
“Word of mouth is powerful,” Rosenheck says. “When you find something good–let people know. Use your own platform to shed light on women who are inspiring you. This can take so many forms: from something simple like a #FollowFriday on social media, to hosting pop-ups and artist residencies, to large-scale campaign collaborations.”