Starting as just a day in 1909, then expanding to a full week in 1980, then to a full month by 1987, Women’s History Month – an annual celebration of women’s accomplishments and contributions to society – has existed for over a century. Why is it then that the commemoration still seems long overdue? From Sojourner Truth to Amelia Earhart to Billie Jean King to Kamala Harris, women have been stitching their threads into the very fabric of our country throughout every conceivable industry.
In the world of business, their mark is no less enduring. According to the 2019 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, there are more than 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. These companies employ almost 9.4 million people and generate more than $1.9 trillion in sales. How’s that for being worthy of recognition?
So here’s to the women entrepreneurs who are making a resounding impact throughout Henrico and the Greater Richmond communities. We celebrate them this Women’s History Month, and every month.
Born for Business
As a child, Shirley Crawford would often give adults advice on how to run their businesses. So it’s no wonder that she offered small business consultation for more than 20 years. Today, with Crawford serving as the executive director of Women’s Business Center RVA (WBCRVA), they’re still listening.
In founding the incubator and coworking space, she realized a few things. First, more and more people didn’t know how to create a side hustle.
“Everyone should have a string of income reliant on only yourself,” she said. “There are no more pensions. If the economy falls through, you should have a year’s income as backup.”
Second, women are resilient.
“If women disappeared, the world would crumble,” she continued. “Whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or the leader of your household, whatever your role as a woman, you are a massive contributor. But what I found was that we as women knew how to be an employee … a caregiver … but don’t have the tools to know how to take care of our business.”
So in 2018, when a former client and local realtor, Tywan Lee, echoed her desire to fuel female entrepreneurship, the women found a space directly across from Willow Lawn in Henrico, and WBCRVA was born. What’s unique to the center is its rate below market value (the most expensive office space is $640 per month), for which members also get a consultant, roundtables, seminars, how-to videos, and much more – essentially everything required to run a business, along with the connections needed to get ahead.
Crawford loves her location, where she says she’s literally at the nexus of the community. Willow Lawn is a hub for bus lines. It also features a Staples, a grocery store, shopping, and restaurants all within walking distance – destinations to satisfy day-to-day office needs and even entertain clients. And as a member of our small business community, she praises the attention she’s received. When she first opened, she had the opportunity to present to the Board of Supervisors and had a productive discussion with Jeff Conley, Henrico’s Supplier Diversity Manager.
From that day forward, she has been tirelessly developing WBCRVA for the good of our community, because, in her view, “no woman should ever have to feel like she doesn’t have the resources to start, sustain, and succeed in business.”
Turning a Setback into a Sweet Opportunity
Sweet potato pie maven and Joyebells Founder and CEO Joye B. Moore was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina. She found her way to Henrico in the 1980s when her husband was pursuing a position as a postal worker. A resident for more than 20 years, she fell in love with our community for its quality of life, noting that it was a great place to raise her children. For several years, she worked in the nonprofit world. Then one day in 2019, she was called into the office. And everything changed.
“I was informed about my position being eliminated,” Moore said. “I was devastated … for a hot second. I shed a piece of a tear and then I was like … I’m going to start my own business.”
Using a recipe passed down to her from six generations, Moore took the leap to launch her own sweet potato pie business in Henrico. But as she found out, thinking and doing are two totally different ballgames. Though she always dreamed of having her own business, there’s a steep learning curve to running one. Luckily, Moore was invited to the Grace Over Grind conference by Charis Jones, founder and owner of Sassy Jones jewelry and the highest ranking Virginia entrepreneur on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list. While sitting alongside women who were making millions a month, Moore felt out of place and in over her head.
“I whipped out a picture of my logo when they asked me who was your brand avatar,” Moore chuckled. “That’s when the mothers in all of them kicked in.”
A Sisterhood of Entrepreneurs
Thanks to the tightknit group of female entrepreneurs that exists in Greater Richmond, they helped Moore identify her target audience and the problem she solved, and even helped her come up with her first tagline, “We’ll do the work. You take the credit.”
The accolades soon followed. Moore was featured on the TODAY show. Her pie was named a Top Food to Taste by Retail Merchants Association. She earned 2020 Made in Virginia recognition from Virginia Living Magazine. And she was nominated for Best New Food Product at the Virginia 2020 Expo.
When asked what makes her pies so special, Moore immediately answered with a question: “Why is it so smooth and creamy with that backwoods Southern deliciousness? Love! I love making sweet potato pies. I love being in the kitchen space. I love that it’s my business. I love looking over and seeing my husband and my sister and my kid … and I feel like the love just comes through.”
The Path Ahead
Local businesswomen Crawford and Moore are not alone in their success. Catina Jones, founder of the real estate brokerage firm ICON Realty, we see you. Courtney White, co-founder of Intermission Beer Company, we see you. Ashley Reynolds, founder of the online stationery retailer Cloth & Paper, we see you. Erin Powell, founder of Ginger Juice Company, we see you. Ariane McKeller, founder of houseplant business GreenVibesRVA, we see you. And the list goes on and on …
But there’s a lot of work left to be done. Both Crawford and Moore were challenged when COVID-19 hit. For many of WBCRVA’s clients, their industries became non-existent just as the company was entering into the black. For Moore, her restaurant contacts were all but erased. But, as Crawford likes to say, their pain point became their opportunity point. She helped many WBCRVA members pivot their business to digital, which had the unexpected benefit of allowing them to expand their customer base. Moore discovered that her niche was grocery stores and specialty markets.
Henrico is lending a hand in expanding opportunities for our small, women-owned, and minority-owned companies. In January, we announced an enhanced strategy to create a more inclusive business community.
Crawford is also lending her voice. She joined a task force spearheaded by JPMorgan Chase, Common Future, and Next Street. Its mission is to identify areas of concern and offer potential solutions to counter sexism and discrimination. And both Moore and Crawford have a vision of taking their business worldwide. We have no doubt they will succeed in their efforts, like the women before them. By leaning on each other, women throughout our region now have a path forward. And the determination to persevere.