We need to give a shout-out to women-owned businesses, who, according to a census report, employ 11.4 million people, generating more than $2.1 trillion in annual revenue.
Unfortunately, though, women still only own about 22% of businesses in the U.S., bringing less than 5% of total business revenue in the country.
To try and uplift women and their gains in the business world, online lender OnDeck has analyzed Yelp ratings for more than 12,000 women-owned small businesses in the U.S. to come up with a ranking of the top ones. Here's an interesting factoid: the top three businesses mentioned are all photography studios. What's more, six out of the 10 ranked ones are the same type of business. It seems like photography is a lucrative hustle to get into if you're a woman!
The top of the list is dominated by A Tale Ahead Photography in the San Francisco Bay Area. Annie Zou, photographer and co-owner with her husband, says being underestimated as a woman is one of the biggest challenges she faces.
“As a young woman, I had to learn to lead with clarity,” Zou told OnDeck. “I reminded myself to project an image of a confident, experienced photographer so that I could earn that level of trust in my clients. These days, I’m actually a lot more relaxed and casual – word-of-mouth and reviews do that part of the hard work for me now.”
She writes on her website that she got into wedding photography after taking pictures at a friend’s wedding.
“As I looked through the lens to capture the bride walking down the aisle with her dad, I became caught up in the emotion of the moment,” she said. “My heart started pounding and my eyes teared up. I realized this was something I could never get enough of—the love, the laughter, the happy tears and the happily ever after!”
Here are the highest rated women-owned small businesses in the U.S.:
1. A Tale Ahead Photography, California
2. Genevieve Elaine Photography, Virginia
3. Vitalia Kotik Photography, New Jersey
4. Blackbird Floral, Texas
5. Kassandra Langley Photography, California
6. Beth Healy Photography, Illinois
7. 101 Assembly (a furniture and gym equipment assembling service), California
8. Stamp of Approval (notary services), California
9. Tina Maciej Photography, California
10. The Sacred Adventure (wedding planning and officiating), Oregon