In a recent panel conversation with four female entrepreneurs, Day One’s She1A unearthed hard-hitting truths about what it means to be a woman in business, how to best engage with women entrepreneurs and what’s next in a post-pandemic, sheconomic world. Here’s what we learned:
People are Everything
Community is the bedrock of any modern-day brand—exemplified no better than by Jazmin Griffith, the multi-faceted creative force behind @iamthesocialista. When asked about the importance of community, Griffith recounted how having raw conversations on her TikTok live grew into a close-knit group of followers—a safe-haven for her burgeoning online community.
“I started getting on TikTok live and I created a Facebook group for women called the ‘Healing Girl Club.’ … I was [on] there just having raw conversations…but ultimately, I noticed I started having some of the same people come on, and they started moderating my panels … It's a [community] that I was able to build, just off of me being super transparent [and] authentic.”
Griffith’s candid beginnings remind us that authenticity still reigns supreme on social media.
Turning Challenges into Content
Women disproportionately face challenges in business like lack of funding and wage disparity. Candace Molatore – creative director, photographer, model and branding consultant – shared how she turned a systemic challenge into an opportunity to create new spaces for women of color in her industry.
“I started in photography and I was shooting a lot of live events and concerts. It was a really great way to flex that creative muscle by documenting a lot of the bands that I loved. But as I looked around in the pit, I never saw anybody who looked like me. I questioned if I even belonged in the photography space as a whole. So instead of completely giving up, I took inspiration from a lot of the women who I was seeing, creating spaces through these other online platforms like YouTube and Instagram. And I got a lot of inspiration to pivot into a space that felt a little bit more female-dominated.”
Similarly, Giovanna "Gigi" Gonzalez – TikTok influencer, financial educator and author of the bestselling book Cultura and Cash – merged her mental healthy journey with her online presence. She recounted, “Women always message me and tell me that they're so inspired by what I'm accomplishing [and] what I've done.” But she reminds them that none of it would be possible if she hadn’t addressed her own mental wellbeing first and found the right care for her anxiety.
The Sheconomy is Here to Stay
Women entrepreneurship has surged since the pandemic. Women have not only helped power the economy last year with spending, but helped by forming new businesses that outpaced the market. According to a Wells Fargo Study from earlier this year, the number of women-owned businesses increased at nearly double the rate of their male counterparts from 2022-2023.
So how can brands best serve the women behind this new wave of burgeoning business? According to Gonzalez, grants are key. She said, “I would love to see brands create more grant opportunities for my community members. It would really make a difference for the community.”
For Zoya Biglary, founder of plant-based seafood brand Fysh Foods, brands can play a big role in fostering a culture of meaningful connections and networking among women business owners:
“Female business owners have been so great and transparent—that we all talk to each other a bit more [now]. Men have been doing that for so long. There's always been these boys clubs, where guys help each other and they talk to each other…. But now things are finally starting to change. So brands can help us do that and help [foster] this connection. I think we'll see a lot more female-led brands grow,” Biglary said.
Give Creators Creative Liberty
As women entrepreneurship continues to rise, how can agencies best support their needs? According to Griffith, the answer is simple: “Creative liberty—100%. Let us push the boundaries a little bit. Don't tie us to trends.”
Molatore adds, “I'm a big proponent for creating and developing long term relationships between the creators and the agencies specifically, which then in turn also creates a long term relationship with brands.”
The future of women entrepreneurship is bright, as long as brands and agencies let them do their much-needed thing.
