Black women are taking the business world by storm. They represent 42% of all women who started a business between 2014 and 2019, and 17% of Black women in the U.S. are actively working to start a new company. Despite these successes, barriers such as funding inequity make it challenging for many new businesses to survive. Women entrepreneurs need to support each other to keep growing their organizations and breaking down walls of inequity.
Instead of hitting up the big box stores and adding to their millions of dollars in revenue, you can use your dollars to keep women entrepreneurs in business. Each time you choose to purchase goods or services from a Black woman-owned organization, you’re investing in a diverse market and supporting local economies.
The next time you need to shop, consider supporting organizations like these five businesses owned by Black women:
1) For Bath & Body: LillyPearlBeauty Co.
Founded by licensed skincare specialist Sabrenna Anderson-Smith and named for her great-grandmother, LillyPearlBeauty Co. specializes in all-natural, non-GMO, and organic skincare products. Based in New Jersey, its flagship product is the Infused Body Mousse, which softens and soothes problem skin while also providing muscle and joint pain relief. Each product is handcrafted in small batches to preserve and protect the products’ quality, and the company does not test on animals. You can contact them here.
2) For Haircare: Up North Naturals
In 2015, Lisa Keizer founded Up North Naturals to create a haircare solution that would embrace her family’s natural curls. Today, the company creates hair and skin products that support healthy, natural curls and every skin type. The company believes that your natural hair is perfect and deserves to be loved. Its products are vegan and never tested on animals. You can order products from the company website or find them at retail locations in the U.S. and Canada.
3) For Makeup: Bossy Cosmetics
Bossy Cosmetics is a beauty and makeup company founded by former finance professional Aishetu Fatima Dozie. She considers Bossy Cosmetics a women’s empowerment and mission-driven company first and a beauty business second. The company focuses on empowering women and helping them see their inner worth. Bossy Cosmetics also partners with non-profit organizations working to advance the human rights of women and girls around the world. You can order directly from the company’s website or by visiting Thirteen Lune.
4) For Your Sweet Tooth: Maya’s Cookies
Maya’s Cookies was founded in 2015 by Maya Madsen when she couldn’t find the perfect soft-baked vegan cookie to satisfy her tastes. Since its founding, the company has become America’s top Black-owned, gourmet vegan cookie company. Maya’s Cookies is committed to superior service and outreach for youth and underserved communities. Maya’s Cookies has two locations in California and ships cookies nationwide. You can order here.
5) For Entrepreneurs: Firm for the Culture
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, Firm for the Culture specializes in trademark services that help social impact organizations and entrepreneurs protect their intellectual property. The law firm was founded by intellectual property attorney Rukayatu “Ruky” Tijani, esquire after she spent years working in trademark law for a top Silicon Valley litigation firm. Her organization believes that intellectual property is a civil right, and it provides a host of services to educate and protect new business owners. You can work with her firm here.
Want to make this the year you launch your business? If you’re a women entrepreneur or small business owner seeking immediate growth, discover game-changing tools and strategies to launch and scale a thriving business at our Girls L.E.A.P event on 20th May 2023.
