Did you know that the current unemployment rates of women have not been seen since the 80s?
COVID has wreaked havoc on the economic wellbeing of American women and women-owned business owners, and Utah is far from an exception. Women’s everyday challenges have intensified during the pandemic, especially within business.
Thanks to Utah’s women’s small business directory, supporting women’s economic autonomy is easier than ever.
If you are interested in supporting women’s businesses or adding yourself to the directory, keep reading!
What is The Women-Owned Small Business Directory?
The women-owned business directory is a resource where you, as a consumer, can get access to products provided exclusively by women-owned businesses. It is an initiative by the US government to support the economy after COVID.
As women have been more affected by the economic collapse post corona, these measures have been put in place to stimulate the economy for the most at-risk business owners.
The directory is federally funded and sponsored by the CARES ACT. It works as a free resource to support women during and post COVID. The directory consists of for-profit, women-owned, and operated enterprises, including,
- Home-based companies
- Solo entrepreneurs
- Side businesses
- Online business
- E-commerce
- Service and product-based
- Franchise businesses
- Brick and mortar
The purpose of the Utah directory is to stimulate and support the economy where it needs it most. Therefore, businesses owned but not operated by women, and companies, where women are not the decision-makers, do not make the directory cut.
Products and services can be searched for by city, county, or state-wide to promote and support local businesses and act as a resource across industries. The addition of anyone to the Utah women-owned business directory also qualifies them to receive business training, coaching, and support from the Women’s Business Center of Utah.
The directory makes it easy for you to access and connect with small business owners both locally and state-wide.
Why Have Women Been More Affected by Covid?
Women-owned businesses experience more challenges than their male counterparts, and COVID has only exacerbated this.
The type of businesses typically women-owned, how much investment these companies usually receive, and the gender-specific domestic responsibilities female business owners bear, are only a few of the many ways women experience economic oppression in the business world.
Due to COVID, the availability of childcare has drastically decreased. The assumption that women are the primary caregivers and that men make more money makes the more financially responsible decision for men to work while women stay home with the kids.
Women that find themselves back in the business world are all too often encumbered with domestic responsibilities. Therefore, to support the economic empowerment of individuals facing gender-specific limitations, the US government has chosen to support women-owned businesses. And we encourage you to do the same.
The Importance of Supporting Women in Business
Utah is home to one of the most significant gender wage gaps in the nation. In addition, while Utah has one of the largest middle-class populations, it still ranks as one of the states with the least equal economic opportunity.
Women on average make 30% less than their male counterparts, and this number is higher for marginalized ethnic groups. Therefore, the support of women in male-dominated businesses is an important step in fighting wage discrimination based on gender.
Promoting women in male-dominated fields helps fight the sexist treatment of women in these workplaces. Giving women better access to these fields also offers women a wider selection of opportunities for economic independence.
The economic empowerment of women is the economic empowerment of America. Women make up 42% of the business in the nation. They employ 9.4 million people and account for 1.9 trillion in national revenue. So when you support women-owned businesses, you empower more than just the woman.
Statistically, women invest 90% of their income in their families, whereas men invest 40%. Therefore, every dollar spent in a woman-owned business is a dollar given to a thriving American family.
How to Get Listed
Are you a woman looking to be empowered? Do you have a legally registered business? Approval for the Utah women-owned business directory would mean that you also get access to business training made especially for the women and the challenges they face in business.
So how do you do it? You literally just sign up.
Your business will need to qualify to be listed. Businesses that qualify are businesses where a woman owns a registered business that is for-profit. You qualify if you fully or partly own the business.
In addition to being the legal owner of a registered business, the owner (or part-owner) needs to be in control of the following aspects of the business:
- Vision, mission, and business strategy
- Business objectives and decisions (both short and long term)
- Products and services, and product/service development
- Finances and pricing
- Payroll
- Operations and technology
- Company assets and liabilities
Each listing is personally reviewed and assessed before being added.
Making It Easy to Support Women
As one of the states with the highest wage gap, Utah’s women-owned small business directory makes it easy for anybody to support the local economic empowerment of women.
Living in a COVID world has been especially difficult for women. But, rather than letting outdated challenges limit the financial ability of women, the CARE ACT has made it easy to lend your support.
If you think you might qualify, don’t be afraid to add yourself to the directory today and start receiving the community support you deserve!