October is National Women’s Small Business Month, where women are highlighted and celebrated for their entrepreneurship.

Four out of 10 businesses in the United States are owned by women compared to 1972 when only 4.6 percent were women-owned. 

Also, women of color constitute 50 percent of women-owned businesses with the number of black women entrepreneurs growing the fastest, according to business.com

From beauty and health to jewelry and apparel, women do it all. The number of women-owned

businesses have increased by 58 percent since 2007. That’s more than half. 

Forty-eight percent of women business owners are between 45 and 65 years old, with women between 25 to 44 years of age making up the second-largest group at 31 percent, according to smallbiztrends.com.

In January of 2018, there were approximately 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the United States. These businesses generated revenues totaling $1.9 trillion and employed 9.2 million people.

“I think more women of color should become entrepreneurs because what we don’t realize is, we

as black women are powerful,” said Destiny Thorton, senior physical therapy student. “If women

of color came together and celebrated success and ownership, who knows what we could amount

to.”

Thornton is an entrepreneur from New Jersey who owns a clothing line called “Brown Beauty

Empire.” Her line caters to all people of color, regardless of ethnicity. 

There are many ways to celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month.

One can spread the word, highlight and support women entrepreneurs and/or fundraise money to build these businesses by crowdfunding or raising small amounts from many different people.