PeopleFund Blog

International Women’s Day

By Sooyeon Lim

Today is International Women’s Day, a great day for celebrating and accelerating women’s achievement worldwide. We can reflect on the achievements and progress we have made as well as recognize the obstacles we have yet to overcome. At PeopleFund, we are passionate about supporting women entrepreneurs and woman-owned small business.

Entrepreneurship was once considered as men’s domain, but the trend has shifted. Today, more than 8.6 million U.S. businesses are owned by women. They generate more than $1.3 trillion in revenues and employ nearly 7.8 million people.

PeopleFund has empowered women entrepreneurs since the beginning, supporting them with women-focused programs such as PeopleSpring, Flourish, and EmpowHER. Our PeopleSpring program connects women entrepreneurs and provides a unique networking opportunity while Flourish is our pop-up marketplace with woman-owned small businesses. In Dallas, we have a strong cohort of aspiring entrepreneurs who participate in our year-long program offered in partnership with Opportunity Plus.

To honor and celebrate the inspirational women we have worked with at PeopleFund, we want to share some successful women entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Yolanda’s Specialty Cakes | Corpus Christi

In 1977, Yolanda Amaya started baking and cake decorating as a personal hobby sharing her creations with friends and family. As her talent for baking began to spread via word of mouth, Yolanda turned her passion into a business with her husband, Jose. After years of baking at home, Yolanda and Jose decided to open a brick and mortar bakery in Corpus Christi. Since 1995, Yolanda’s Specialty Cakes has been a staple in the baked good industry in South Texas and a local favorite.

Industrial Solutions Company | Arlington

Barbara and Leonard Oldums have both been pillars in their community and entrepreneurs seeking to inspire others. Barbara has always been an advocate and inspiration, co-authoring a book, The Power Within…Don’t Give Away Your Power. In 2011, she founded Industrial Solutions Company specializing in safety and janitorial supplies after realizing that customers could not find a certified, small minority owned business. Industrial Solutions Company is the only African American Woman-Owned Converter Manufacturer in the United States.

 

The Cattery Lounge | San Marcos

Dr. Heather Aidala has always been passionate about mental health and social justice. After becoming involved with PAWS Shelter of Central Texas by volunteering as a “foster home” for kittens rescued from overcrowded traditional (kill) animal shelters, she was inspired to combine her 15 years of experience working in mental health and improve animal welfare in central Texas. The Cattery Lounge and Snackery is a nonprofit community lounge that gives customers the opportunity to interact with adoptable cats and kittens. Based in San Marcos, The Cattery Lounge not only provides a temporary shelter with quality care for kittens but offers education to the public about adoption and rescue principles through community engagement.

We encourage you to learn more about these wonderful clients or support your locally women-owned businesses.

For more information about PeopleFund’s women-focused program, you can visit https://peoplefund.org/ or contact Tassjania Lozano at [email protected] or Meghan Rauker at [email protected].

 

 

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