A Better Answer Blog

A Better Answer is a proud woman-owned business and has been since our inception over 40 years ago. Our owner and CEO, Dee Hawkins, has been honored as an entrepreneurial leader and top woman in business again and again. Dee encourages other women leaders and offers training to help small businesses get off the ground. Women-owned businesses are powerful pillars in the community. In this post, we'll explain why.

Opportunity

Now is the perfect opportunity for women to start their own businesses. In fact, today's business environment encourages small businesses and start ups of all kinds. In a recent study by NerdWallet, it was revealed that women-owned businesses in smaller geographic areas fared 3 - 4 times better than the national average for women-owned businesses. Still, women-owned businesses make up $1.4 trillion in revenues, according to the 2014 American Express Open State of Women-Owned Businesses Report.

Many local and federal government agencies, as well as public corporations, have programs for allotting business to women-owned companies. The opportunities are ripe with possibilities for your business.

Assistance

A woman-owned business is defined as a company with 51% ownership, management and control in the hands of a woman. Government assistance is available to women-owned businesses in the way of certification, grants and other financial benefits. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers loans, training and other educational assistance to help get your business off the ground and successful.

To take advantage of this assistance as well as the potential for business from the government and public entities, a woman-owned business must be nationally certified as a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE). The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) has information to help certify your women-owned business. The National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC) can also help with WBE certification, as well as WOSB Certification (Woman-Owned Small Business) or EDWOSB Certification (Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business).

Why Work with a Woman-Owned Business?

The saying goes, "Educate a girl and she will change the world."

Imagine what women-owned businesses can do to the world? Women are choosing to own their own businesses to find work-life balance. They are able to make an income and balance that with raising a family. Even beyond home-based businesses, the estimated 8.6 million women-owned companies employ 7.7 million Americans. Americans are choosing to do business with women-owned businesses in particular, to continue to encourage growth. Just last month, Walmart unveiled a new "woman-owned business" logo to highlight the products that come from these companies. More and more businesses want to empower women across the globe and encourage women-owned businesses to grow.

Women are responsible for more than 80% of global consumer purchasing decisions. By working together and supporting other women-owned businesses, we are empowering other women, whether they are home with family or in a corner office. Empowered women lead to a stronger economy and better community for us all.