Welcome to the Women of Steele Empowerment Zone (WOSE-Zone.) Our goal is to offer valuable self-development and growth-mindset resources to women of color.
Welcome to WOSE-Zone blog post. Woman of color are Rising Up! We shall rise up financially, we shall rise up professionally, we shall rise up socially, we shall rise up in our families and communities. We are Rising Up (#risiningup.)
You ask why is it important for Women of Color? Let me share why. According to LYDIA DISHMAN,” Women of color (#womenofcolor) are starting new businesses faster than anyone else.” Fast Company(blog), September 23, 2019. She states that over the past year, women launched an average of 1,817 new businesses per day in the U.S. That now represents 42% of nearly 13 million businesses (#womenbusinessowners) overall, which employ 9.4 million workers and generate revenue of $1.9 trillion. And while these female (#empoweredfemales) founders come from diverse backgrounds, women of color make up the most significant portion of them, according to the annual State of Women-Owned Businesses Report.
Women of color account for 89% (1,625) of the new businesses opened every day over the past year. This number has grown faster than the overall rate of new women-owned businesses (#womenownedbusinesses) in the past five years, —21% versus 43%. The number of firms owned by African American women grew even faster, at 50%.
As a Woman of Color and an Entrepreneur (#womenentrepreneurs), I know all too well the ups and downs of starting, sustaining, and scaling a successful training and development business. I am steadfast, and I do not allow my challenges or my failures to discourage or stop me from fulfilling my vision! Many Women of Color (#blackwomen) are a strong pillar of strength within our families and community. Yet, we still linger behind financially. We struggle to work smarter and harder to strive for equality and to get the same financial gains as Caucasian women. It is time for a change! We must close the economic and value gap between our White sister and us.
Women of Color must accept the mindset of being “Good Enough.” We must Rise in ways like never before!
By: Joyce M. Steele