Supporting women of color entrepreneurs is one impactful way we can foster more diverse and inclusive economies while helping amazing businesses thrive. Despite facing disproportionate barriers to starting and growing businesses, women of color are starting businesses at incredibly high rates in the United States. Yet many continue to struggle to access the financial and community backing their ventures need.
Here are some tips on how you as a consumer can support women of color-owned businesses:
Seek Out and Prioritize WOC-Owned Businesses
It starts with intentionally seeking out and visiting women of color-owned brick-and-mortars and e-commerce shops when you’re looking to make purchases. Search online directories like Official Black Wall Street, WeBuyBlack, and Buy from a Black Woman that specifically list women of color-owned businesses so you can find options and make sure your dollars go to uplift these entrepreneurs.
Promote On Social Media
Once you’ve identified some favorite women of color entrepreneurs, give their business some love on social media. Share their business’ Instagram handle or products to raise awareness about their brand. Smaller businesses rely heavily on word-of-mouth so this type of organic promotion goes a long way.
Provide Positive Reviews
Leave thoughtful positive reviews of your experience purchasing from women of color-owned businesses on platforms like Yelp and Google. Reviews are invaluable for helping new businesses establish credibility and get discovered by new customers.
Pay Full Price
When possible, pay full price for items rather than asking for discounts or exclusively shopping sales. As small business owners, women of color often operate on tighter margins and have less of a cushion to offer deals. Paying full price makes a meaningful difference.
Encourage Multiples
If there’s a woman of color-owned business you love, encourage your network to also purchase from them. Recommend them to friends and family. Small businesses depend greatly on returning, referral customers so your personal endorsement matters more than you may realize.
Supporting women of color-owned businesses takes awareness but ultimately only requires deliberately factoring conscientiousness into everyday buying decisions. It’s one of the most tangible ways to make an impact with your dollars.
We want to help amplify some of the phenomenal women of color-owned businesses out there. Please share in the comments some of your favorite women of color entrepreneurs who you think more people should know about! List the name of their business, their products/services offered, location, and why you want to recommend them. Let’s use the power of our community to further promote women of color business owners who other consumers may not be aware of yet. Our dollars can go incredibly far in encouraging the success of diverse businesses when we collectively commit to supporting them. Tag any friends as well who you think would also be interested in patronizing the incredible women of color-owned businesses in our communities!
Thanks for the suggestions!