Women-Owned Businesses Change How Business Is Done

It’s not just a mans world anymore.   Women owned and operated businesses are growing and the most recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau proves that.

Between 1997 and 2006 businesses fully woman owned or majority owned by women, grew at nearly two times the rate of all U.S. firms.   During this same time period, employment among women-owned firms grew 0.4% and annual sales from those firms grew 4.4%.   In 2006, U.S. Census Bureau reported that women-owned ( or majority owned ) firms consisted an estimated 10.4 million privately held firms, which accounted for 40.2% of all businesses in the country.   These firms generated $1.9 trillion in annual sales and employed 12.8 million people nationwide.   Furthermore, industry growth for women-owned businesses between 1997 to 2006 in the retail sector was 130% ( 1.1 million firms ).

What those Census Bureau figures do not reflect are the many differences between women-owned businesses verse male dominated ones.   One major difference is that women-owned and operated businesses generally tend to embody the ideals of female empowerment..   These ideals tend to exist not only in the manufacturing of their products but in their corporate culture and philanthropic efforts as well.   A good example of this is an on-line clothing and accessories company whose main offices are based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The company is called Shabby Apple, LLC and they specialize in dresses designed to make
women look beautiful and still presentable in a work environment.   Every Shabby Apple
dress is designed to celebrate women and make the statement that woman can be successful
while still being feminine.   Gone are the boxy male inspired female business suits.   Every
dress in their much celebrated Manhattan Line is designed to make women look beautiful
and still presentable in a work environment.

Shabby Apple recognizes that every woman wants to feel beautiful but not every woman looks like a supermodel.   They teach women how to look their best with what they already have without exploiting the female form through excessively exposed skin.   Instead they teach women what type of body they have and then show them exactly what they should wear to accentuate their assets.

In addition to the Manhattan Line they have several other lines including a new one for
Tweens entitled Shabby Sister which will launch on August 1st, 2009.   Shabby Apple’s
Tween line is unlike that of their competitors in that they do not offer halter tops, mini-
skirts and padded bras.   Shabby Apple wants girls to feel pretty while still respecting
themselves.   The Shabby Sister Dresses are similar to Shabby Apple Dresses for women so
that girls can feel ‘adult’ without looking risqué.

In addition to their empowering clothing lines, Shabby Apple carries their concern for
women and children into their corporate culture.   75% of Shabby Apple employees are
mothers.  The company gives generous maternity leaves, flex schedules and allows mothers
to bring their children to work   This kind of family-first culture is hard to find in the more
male dominated companies.

Furthermore, they also empower women around the world by donating 5% of their net
proceeds to help other woman entrepreneurs’ grow their own businesses.    Shabby Apple is
committed to helping women live well.    As part of their philanthropic efforts they have
partnered with Unitus Inc..   

Unitus, Inc. is a worldwide leader at scaling innovative solutions to global poverty.    They accelerate access to life-changing financial services for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid.   Unitus, Inc. partners with the world's most promising micro-finance institutions and provides women with breakthrough business strategies, technology and access to capital that empower them to serve thousands more hardworking micro-entrepreneurs around the world.    

In today’s rough economic times where credit freezes are unfortunately the norm, it is important to note that Unitus, Inc. partners are adding new loan recipients eight times faster than the industry average.   Unitus Inc.’s goal is to reach more than 15 million of the world's working poor by 2015.

Shabby apple also has a philanthropic goal.   They want to give 500 micro-credit loans to
women-owned and operated businesses from now until Dec 31.  Every $100 donation from
Shabby Apple Dresses provides at least 20 women with access to financial services - and the
chance to live a life without poverty.   

Shabby Apple has several programs that they use in conjunction with their micro-financing
efforts.   Some of those programs are as follows;

A charity campaign-widget called “couture with a conscience” that is located on their web site.   The widget tracks how many micro-credit loans are given. 

A coupon code program wherein every time someone uses the code ‘couture’ they get $5 off of their order and shabby apple will then double its donation to Unitus, Inc. (10%).   

A unique hang tag with a micro-credit success story that appears on each dress as well as success stories that appear on their website.

In conclusion, as many more women owned and operated businesses flourish, the more they
tend to exceed their male counterparts in empowering women the world over through their
products, corporate culture and philanthropic efforts.   Company’s such as Shabby Apple,
LLC are just one prime example of the impact women-owned and operated businesses make
on the world.   Lilly Ledbetter should be proud.

For more information on Shabby Apple, LLC, their product lines and partnership with
Unitus Inc. log onto their website at http://www.shabbyapple.com