WELA announces 2021 as the year of the Female Rising. Over 40% of all U.S. businesses are women-owned, and by 2025 the Census Bureau projects it will rise to 55%. Did social media influence this market?

2020 created women to work from home, or many became unemployed with COVID at the helm of our lives. The time at home made a moment where no one was saying “No, don’t do it”. Social media, TikTok and Instagram being at the forefront of entertainment and communication, was leading the idea too. It led many to take the first step. Women were at home, envisioning being empowered with their launches, even if a side hustle. One shift creates waves of change, a change in women in business and how women view each other.

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You can see the change in the numbers from the census and as well in our members. Many new entrepreneurs are seeking advice on how to wade through these freshwaters.

“There always seemed to be two kinds of women, ones with their hands open in encouragement and the others closed and afraid of losing their jobs,” Abby Ahrens, the owner of Enchante Hotel, located in Los Altos, CA, and a longtime veteran of the entrepreneur world.

Abby Ahrens, a strong supporter of a California women’s group, WELA, is excited to offer virtual workshops. “The time is now to help each other, to offer to mentor to each other. All women at all stages in their business have something to offer, and beyond that, they have something that is in need by others,” Abby continued.

Although it may appear as a quick decision to step into entrepreneur life for some, it was years of an idea that sat in the back of their minds.

“It was over four years ago when the idea began in our heads,” said Shirley Momoki, who went into business with her sister Eva of the Momoki Twins culinary group. “It was 2016, and we were teachers at a school,” Eva explained. “Our schedules as teachers were hectic, and we needed healthy meals to maintain energy for our students. We brought meals for ourselves and then we’re getting asked to offer them to other teachers. Many told us at the time that we needed to start up with our Momoki Boxes for teachers. When COVID left Eva suddenly unemployed, she began to contemplate the entrepreneur life. “We met Upuia, the founder of WELA, and it just seemed right, and knowing you have a team of women willing to help just gives you the energy to achieve even the most mundane or scariest of items to accomplish,” said Shirley.

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