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Shop Small, Support Women, Make an Impact: Your Guide to Small Business Saturday

Share the goods.

A woman holds shopping bags in her hand.

Let’s talk about putting your money where your values are. This Small Business Saturday, we’re hitting the streets of Grand Rapids with Congresswoman Hillary Scholten to shine a spotlight on some kickass women-owned businesses. And before you ask – yes, this is a big deal.

Despite making up half the population, women only own about 20% of all employer firms. Let that sink in for a minute. It’s 2024, and we’re still dealing with these kinds of numbers. But here’s the good news – women-owned businesses are growing twice as fast as those owned by men, and minority women business owners are leading that charge with a 14% growth rate.

This Saturday, we’re visiting some of Grand Rapids’ finest:

      • New Design Floral, where Geniene is redefining what a family-owned floral business can be

      • Dime & Regal, where Samantha McIntosh is creating more than just jewelry – she’s building a community of women artists

      • Sable Candle Co., where Courtney is lighting up our lives with conscious creation

    This isn’t just about shopping. These women are economic powerhouses. Women-owned businesses employ over 10.1 million people and generate $1.8 trillion in receipts. That’s not pocket change, folks.

    Yet…we’re still fighting for equal access to capital, resources, and opportunities. Sure, the SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership helped over 88,000 businesses last year and supported more than 86,000 jobs. But we need more. More support, more investment, more recognition.

    So here’s our challenge to you this Small Business Saturday:

        1. Find women-owned businesses in your community (trust me, they’re there)

        1. Spend your dollars with intention

        1. Share their stories on social media

        1. Come back after Saturday – these businesses need our support year-round

      And for all you female entrepreneurs out there grinding every day – we see you. We support you. And we’re not shutting up about the importance of shopping women-owned businesses until those statistics look a whole lot different.

      Remember: every dollar you spend is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. Make it count.

      Now if you’ll excuse me, we need to go make room on our credit cards for Saturday. These women entrepreneurs aren’t going to support themselves.

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      We’re officially two days out…

      Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause is happening this Thursday, Sept 24, and we’re getting real about perimenopause with a panel of industry experts who have the answers (see our speaker spotlights for more details).

      Come for the expert insight. Stay because you get to hang with us.

      Registration closes soon. Grab your spot at the link in bio.

      2 1
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18067707920767584
      We’re officially two days out… Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause is happening this Thursday, Sept 24, and we’re getting real about perimenopause with a panel of industry experts who have the answers (see our speaker spotlights for more details). Come for the expert insight. Stay because you get to hang with us. Registration closes soon. Grab your spot at the link in bio.

      Introducing our third speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday.

      Meet @bitnermd, co-founder of @true.womenshealth, a concierge practice in West Michigan, focused on helping women thrive through midlife while reducing chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes.

      Dr. Bitner is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in midlife, menopause, and sexual health. She’s the author of I Want to Age Like That! and has published peer-reviewed research on menopause care. She was named Menopause Practitioner of the Year by The Menopause Society in 2015. Dr. Bitner is committed to translating evidence into practical, scalable solutions that improve women’s health, confidence, and participation at work and in life. We’re beyond excited to have her join our panel discussion this Thursday.

      Register now to hear from Dr. Bitner and our industry experts at The Pause on September 24th.

      Secure your spot at the link in bio.

      2 0
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18013559684753405
      Introducing our third speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. Meet @bitnermd, co-founder of @true.womenshealth, a concierge practice in West Michigan, focused on helping women thrive through midlife while reducing chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes. Dr. Bitner is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in midlife, menopause, and sexual health. She’s the author of I Want to Age Like That! and has published peer-reviewed research on menopause care. She was named Menopause Practitioner of the Year by The Menopause Society in 2015. Dr. Bitner is committed to translating evidence into practical, scalable solutions that improve women’s health, confidence, and participation at work and in life. We’re beyond excited to have her join our panel discussion this Thursday. Register now to hear from Dr. Bitner and our industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. Secure your spot at the link in bio.

      Every WOSB deserves support, access, guidance, and a network, because when they have it, they’re unstoppable.

      Just because you be small, does not mean you are not mighty. The Women’s Owners Network will accept its first cohort this November. Applications are due October 1.

      Thank you to @lakemichigan_cu for partnering with us to provide this program. Their support means we can offer this at a significantly lower cost to business owners.

      Go apply at the link in bio.

      6 0
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18247359124310352
      Every WOSB deserves support, access, guidance, and a network, because when they have it, they’re unstoppable. Just because you be small, does not mean you are not mighty. The Women’s Owners Network will accept its first cohort this November. Applications are due October 1. Thank you to @lakemichigan_cu for partnering with us to provide this program. Their support means we can offer this at a significantly lower cost to business owners. Go apply at the link in bio.

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      Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

      Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women`s health.

      Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan`s first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer`s 2018 campaign.

      She`s exactly the voice this conversation needs.

      Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th.

      Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.

      4 0
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17876488173630026
      Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm. Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health. Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign. She's exactly the voice this conversation needs. Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.

      We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week.

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      46 4
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17917175178450239
      We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?

      We`ve received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

      It`s not who you know, it`s who knows you
      Use the playbook of people you admire
      Show up consistently and be seen
      A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

      See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.

      12 1
      Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18092872106558307
      We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up. It's not who you know, it's who knows you Use the playbook of people you admire Show up consistently and be seen A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always. See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
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