JAK Designs is a woman-owned business. If you’ve followed us for more than a minute, you probably already knew that. This was not something we contemplated or worked at, we just are: Two women who started a business.
It’s actually not as rare as disparity and discrimination would have you believe. In other words, women overcome.
Here are some cool facts from 2020. (I bet you never thought you’d hear a sentence start like that!)
*40% of US businesses are woman-owned
*Women started almost 2,000 new businesses every day last year
*Only 25% of woman-owned businesses seek financing
*Private tech companies run by women achieve 35% higher ROI
(ROI is return on investment, and, yes, can you tell I am a professional artist because I had to look that up.)
*The US has 12.3 million woman-owned businesses.
*Woman-owned businesses employ over 10 million people in the US.
And get this, women who support other women are more successful. Now, how you define success is up to you. If it was all about numbers, I’d have trouble getting up each day. Jen’s idea of success is a sweet combination of supporting our family, being creative every day, elevating the work of people in our community, and preserving our planet. Yes, her plate is full. Often with scrumptious vegetarian meals that I prepare – one of my favorite successes.
Jen and I have worked to support other women in the arts and business (and life) ever since we had a few pennies to rub together. And in case you’re wondering, rubbing pennies does not grant wishes or start a fire. But supporting women does sometimes light a fire under great ideas, and encourage momentum. And it almost always pays itself forward.
Here is a dizzying list of some of the artisan women we have been able to support through the success of JAK Designs:
Karen Klinefelter ~ Meghan Riley ~ Emily Shaffer ~ Nicolette Absil ~ Anita Roelz ~ Lisa Gent ~ Maggie Moore ~ Trecy Bleich ~ Suzanne Evon ~ Ginger Allen ~ Heather Guidero ~ Julia Britell ~ Wendy Stevens ~ Jennifer Bauser ~ Amy Vander Els ~ Carolyn Hanisch ~ Karla Gudeon ~ Jennifer Cherpock ~ Julie Tomlinson ~ Cullen Goodyear ~ Lori Davenport ~ Glynis Dixon ~ Mary Kesler ~ Sharon Diebolt ~ Dayan Moore ~ Joan Edelstein ~ Arin Arthur ~ Jennifer Nunnelee ~ Christine Peters ~ Lara Van Slyke ~ Cara Desjardins ~ Ella Calas ~ Judith Haas ~ Jennifer Walker ~ Annie Ciszak Pazar ~ Francesca Vitali ~ Laurette O’Neil ~ Nikki Nation ~ Laura Michaud ~ Natalie Therese ~ Larisa Flynt Snydal ~ Donna Veverka ~ Karin Jacobson ~ And I am positive I’ve left a few off this list!!!!
Lest you read this to mean we don’t like guys (not in THAT way), take two steps back. Supporting one group of people should not imply that another is diminished. In our next blog post, I’ll introduce you to the great guys we carry at JAK Designs.