To kick off the holiday shopping season, The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC) is encouraging consumers to Buy Women Owned and help support women-owned businesses across the United States.
Beginning with National Women’s Small Business Month in October and building momentum into November for holiday shopping, GWBC is joining forces with WBENC – the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council to support the #BuyWomenOwned movement, aimed at fueling economic recovery and bringing about a diverse, balanced and sustainable economy.
“Women-owned businesses represent 42% of all businesses and yet only 4.3% of all total business revenue, according to an American Express women-owned business study. This means we have a huge opportunity to stimulate economic growth by opening our wallets and buying women owned in our own communities,” said Roz Lewis, president & CEO of GWBC.
To support women-owned businesses in its region of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, GWBC has developed a directory featuring a wide variety of products from GWBC-certified women-owned businesses. With items ranging from sugar scrubs to pimento cheese dips, consumers can find something to suit anything they may need or want. The directory can be accessed at gwbc.org/women-owned-business/.
From everyday items to unique food and gifts, these four businesses represent just a few of the listings in GWBC’s robust directory, created to help consumers buy women-owned.
Black Mermaid’s Bath & Body
Denise Zannu started as a “kitchen chemist,” making natural products for co-workers, friends and family. Using her knowledge of herbs and aromatherapy, she crafted creations that were healthier for their skin and elevated their emotional well-being. Years later, Zannu focused her passion and drive to launch Black Mermaid’s Bath & Body, based in Snellville, Georgia. The company’s purpose is help people have healthy, beautiful skin – naturally.
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit
Carrie Morey founded her handmade biscuit business in 2005 with the goal of making the tender, buttery, made-by-hand biscuits that her mother made accessible across the country. Over 15 years later, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, is widely recognized as an iconic Southern brand with national retail exposure and a cult-like following. Her grab-and-go eateries have four locations in Charleston, Atlanta, and Charlotte; as well as a food truck that travels across the lowcountry.
Green Sprouts
Becky Cannon’s curiosity about how children can reach their full potential inspired her to start Green Sprouts, Inc., in Asheville, North Carolina in 1982. Today, Becky’s daughters Emi and Mari join her as co-owners of Green Sprouts, and the company’s mission is the same today as it was over 35 years ago – to provide healthy and practical products for the well-being and whole development of babies and children, along with resources for parenting naturally
MyThreeSons Gourmet
Growing up in the South, Dr. Cheryl Mitchell Barnett, a retired orthodontist and founder of MyThreeSons Gourmet, learned about rich, homemade pimento cheese from her best friend’s mother, Emmy, whose “pinch of this, pinch of that” philosophy inspired Dr. Cheryl to craft her own special pimento cheese recipe – light on mayo and heavy on extra sharp cheddar cheese. When a serious back injury forced her into early retirement from orthodontics, Dr. Cheryl had to reinvent herself and MyThreeSons Gourmet was born. Since 2010, the Greensboro, North Carolina-based company has produced homemade-style pimento cheese, using only the best ingredients, with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
“Women-owned businesses continue to be a force across the U.S, with the annual growth rate of the number of women-owned firms more than double that of all businesses,” said Lewis. “Now, these women businesses need our support more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit women-owned businesses particularly hard, so we’re asking everyone to help revitalize these companies by using our Women Owned directory or shopping wherever they see the Women Owned logo on storefronts, websites and products.”