Women's History Month is About Strong Leaders Like Michelle Quiroz
Every day, and especially on Women's History Month, we lift up the voices of women in business like Michelle Quiroz, owner of Reserva Coffee Roasters. Michelle is a mom of two, an engineer, a wife, and now a successful entrepreneur. Michelle approached starting her coffee business just like she approached her previous career as an aircraft engineer: with tenacity, determination, and a commitment to quality. She spent time learning the science of coffee and experimented with a production roaster to build her confidence before she took a leap of faith to start her business. As the costs of opening her business kept growing, Michelle turned to LiftFund to fund the rest of the equipment she needed. Thanks to a partnership between LiftFund and the City of McAllen, she was able to receive a loan at 0% interest to open her dream cafe.
Leaving her job to pursue her passion wasn't an easy decision for Michelle and her family, but she is happy to lead the way and set an example for other women. She especially wants to show her daughters Evelyn and Carolina, ages 6 and 8 respectively, that they can follow their dreams and be successful. "I recognize women in STEM careers as well as business entrepreneurs are needed to be an example, to mentor, and to lead the next generation," she said. Check out Reserva Coffee Roasters' online store and Facebook page!
Women-Owned Businesses are Thriving Nationwide
Women entrepreneurs are leading the way for economic growth. According to the 2017 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report by American Express, the number of women-owned businesses has grown 114% over the past 20 years, compared to 44% for all businesses. For women of color, the number is even more staggering - their numbers have grown by 467%, with no signs of slowing down.
However, these numbers can tell a different story.
Despite their growth in numbers, women-owned businesses do not show a proportionate growth in terms of revenue or employment. Entrepreneur Magazine suggests that despite fundraising the same way, women are less likely than men to raise a $100,000 or more in funding capital - making it more difficult to hire employees, rent office space, or expand their products and services.
LiftFund strives to close the opportunity gap for disadvantaged small businesses through our innovative loan programs, such as LiftUP, which reduces our application processing time to 4 days for women- and minority-owned businesses. We hope to continue lifting up women and celebrating the success of women entrepreneurs in our communities.
Support Women Chefs with RestaurantHER
Grubhub, an online food-ordering platform, is bringing attention to the inequalities women face in the reataurant industry with a new campaign: RestaurantHER.
RestaurantHER's website features an interactive map to help customers dine at women-owned restaurants. You can participate in this movement by visiting RestaurantHER.com or joining the #restaurantHER conversarsation on Twitter.
#ReferAFriend to LiftFund!
Do you know someone in need of business support or capital to start their business? We'd love to help and have them become part of the LiftFund family.
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LiftFund is a non-profit financial and business consultation organization that helps diverse entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, stabilize and increase their incomes and assets, create employment and contribute to the economic revitalization of their communities.