Delilah Snell, a Latina entrepreneur, attributes the success of her neighborhood shop to its values: Its commitment to celebrating, recognizing, and supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, and women producers and makers from above and below the U.S.-Mexico border.
“It’s difficult to be a small business owner and even more difficult to be a female business owner,” said Snell, who owns a curated market that sells an assortment of products and prepared foods called Alta Baja Market in Santa Ana, California. “That’s why I’m a really big supporter and it’s the ethos of the store to represent businesses that don’t have the exposure that I think they deserve, and a lot of those are minority groups.”
Consumers increasingly share the same sentiment by being more intentional about where their money goes. The past couple of years have introduced a new emphasis on shopping small during the holidays and supporting businesses owned by women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ community members. A 2022 McKinsey survey found that 2 in 3 Americans report shopping based on their values, and nearly half believe retailers should actively support Black-owned businesses and brands.
Despite the shift, there remains a serious gap between Black business ownership in comparison to white business ownership: In 2020, only 3% of all U.S. businesses were Black-owned, while 86% were white-owned. LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs also continue to strive for equity in their companies. LGBTQ+-owned businesses had smaller annual revenues than non-LGBTQ+ businesses, making them more likely to face obstacles to accessing financing, according to an analysis of the Federal Reserve Banks’ 2021 Small Business Credit Survey.
While there is still much progress to be made in expanding inclusion at all levels of business ownership, shopping with and sourcing services from these diverse businesses is one way for consumers to support women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs directly.
Flowcode compiled a list of five resources to help shoppers discover small, minority-owned businesses, find heartfelt and one-of-a-kind gifts, and connect with others this holiday season.
