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Women start and grow businesses, create jobs, provide financially for families and contribute to the local and statewide economy. When we support women who run businesses, we encourage growth, seed communities with opportunity and expand the middle class.
Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find women-owned businesses to support. That's why the Women's Business Center of Utah (WBCUtah), housed within the Salt Lake Chamber, created the first-of-its-kind Utah Women-Owned Business Directory.
"When creating the directory, our intention was to showcase women-owned businesses in Utah and make it really easy for potential customers to find them," said Ann Marie Wallace, state director of WBCUtah. "We wanted to create an easy-to-use platform in order to bolster women leaders and their businesses."
The directory serves as a comprehensive list of for-profit Utah businesses that are women-owned and operated. In addition, the directory is searchable by both city and county throughout Utah, making it localized and simple to find women-owned businesses anywhere in the state.
"I love knowing that I'm a part of the directory," said Shari Johnson, owner of 7 Tree Farms, a doggie daycare and boarding business. "It feels empowering and creates a sense of belonging. It can feel like a lonely world when running a business, especially as a woman."
The directory already boasts over 1,300 women-owned businesses, stores and companies, and being a part of the directory isn't the only benefit for those listed. Each business also has the opportunity to receive free training, consultation and guidance from WBCUtah.
"The Women's Business Center helped me to understand there are so many options for my business out there," said Miray Diner, owner of Moab gift shop 4Moon. "Having a mentor helps me feel like I'm not alone, and that has helped me grow and focus on my business."
According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, the United States now has 12.3 million women-owned businesses. In Utah specifically, women own over 89,000 businesses and earn over $15.7 billion each year. Given those impressive numbers, supporting women-owned businesses in Utah is as essential today as it has ever been.
"It is more important than ever to help women-owned businesses, and the economy in general, by encouraging people and businesses to buy women-owned, promote women-owned, mentor them and invest in them," Wallace said.
Next time you need something, go to UtahWomenOwned.com. Find a local, woman-owned business when looking for a place to eat, visit or shop. Supporting our female entrepreneurs is a win-win for both our state and our economy.
