Resources for Female Small Business Owners

Historically, female-owned businesses have lagged far behind those of their male counterparts. In 2018, businesses owned by women made up almost 20 percent of businesses in the United States. That number is on the rise—and we’re thrilled about it. Today there are 12.3 million female-owned businesses, and almost 115 percent more women entrepreneurs than there were 2 decades ago in the United States. With all this great upward mobility for women in business ownership, we thought it would be a great time to cover off on some of the resources available to them.

Small Business Administration Office of Women’s Business Ownership 

Established in 1979, the Office of Women’s Business Ownership has a mission to “enable and empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education and support.” They offer training and counseling in a range of topics, helping females to grow their existing businesses or start new ones. In 1988, the Small Business Administration (SBA) created a Women’s Business Center Program focused on helping females overcome the barriers to success they may be facing in the world of business ownership.

Local Women’s Business Centers

Often called WBCs, Women’s Business Centers “seek to level the playing field” for females who still encounter challenges when starting or growing their own businesses. In essence, they want to make it as simple and streamlined as possible for more women entering into this line of work. To find a local Women’s Business Center, check out this page.

National Association of Women Business Owners   

In 1975, NAWBO was formed by just 12 businesswomen in Washington, D.C. with a desire to create a professional community of women who shared their interests in business ownership. It is a dues-based organization with offices across the country—and their mission statement is pretty awesome, too: “Get a seat at the table or build your own table, and make sure to include other women™.”

National Women’s Business Council

According to its website, the National Women’s Business Council “is a non-partisan federal advisory committee serving as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, the U.S. Congress (to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and House of Representatives), and to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership) on issues of importance to women business owners and entrepreneurs.” What’s really great about this organization is that it’s more of an advocacy group for female entrepreneurs, but it’s also got some amazing policy priorities—including encouraging women in STEM and rural women entrepreneurship. Visit their site to learn about webinars, public meetings, roundtables, and more.

Be sure to check back with ARF Financial’s blog, the Financial Pantry. It’s a great resource for news and trends on all things small business, including management, marketing, and the latest industry updates. Got questions on your finances or wondering which loan product might be best for you? We’ve got you covered on that front, too. Give us a shout—we’re always here to help fund your business’s success.