On Centre-stage: Some enterprising women entrepreneurs from Louisiana
#WomenInBusiness #LouisianaEntrepreneurs #FemaleFounders #BayouStateSuccess #WomenEmpowerment #Entrepreneurship
Women entrepreneurship in Louisiana or the ‘Bayou State’, has been experiencing remarkable growth – basically fueled by a supportive ecosystem and a vibrant cultural backdrop. Louisiana’s unique blend of diverse industries, from energy and healthcare to tourism and the arts, offers fertile ground for women entrepreneurs to innovate and thrive. With more than 120,600 women-owned businesses in the state, which is a staggering 71% increase since 1997, female entrepreneurs are becoming a powerful force in Louisiana’s economy.
Women Entrepreneurs Drive Louisiana’s Economic Growth with Innovation
According to the Louisiana Economic Development (LED), women now own over 42% of all businesses in the state – contributing significantly to its overall economic development. These enterprising women are not just business owners but pioneers, using their creativity and resilience to drive change, create jobs, and uplift local communities. However, while sales among women-led businesses have grown by 144%, challenges remain – including a slight decrease in employment levels. Despite this, the rise in female entrepreneurship has been steady, reflecting the determination and resourcefulness of women entrepreneurs in Louisiana.
From bustling New Orleans to Baton Rouge and beyond – women entrepreneurs are making waves across a variety of sectors, strengthening both the local and national economy. As more women choose the entrepreneurial path, Louisiana’s business landscape continues to evolve, offering endless possibilities for future growth and innovation.
Now let us look at some enterprising women entrepreneurs from Louisiana.
> Arielle Brown, Founder of Bea’s Bayou Skincare
As the Founder and CEO of Bea’s Bayou Skincare, an eczema-focused probiotic haircare startup, Arielle Brown combines a strong passion to help people feel empowered and her desire to make positive global impact. Their mission is to move skin health forward – for the inclusive eczema community, while leveraging the power of probiotics and bayou botanicals, and at the same time – remaining rooted in heritage! Bea’s Bayou is named after her maternal grandmother, Beatrice, who made herbal aids and was known and respected for being a spiritual woman, tough-minded, and amazing baker and candy-maker!
With a background in social work and real estate, she has both the capability to help people think and feel differently, as well as the business-perspective to plan, advocate and execute the vision.
She admits she had more women support her in her ‘founder’ journey. She feels that without the women in this world who pave the way, are actually giving back in so many ways.
> Lo Williams-Thomas, CEO & Founder of Zenistry Labs / STEM
Lo Williams-Thomas is the owner and lead chemist of Zenistry Labs. Her decade-long career has allowed her to be very diverse as a chemist for multiple industries and companies.
As a woman entrepreneur, she had encountered both challenges and opportunities unique to her gender and race; but she managed to navigate male-dominated industries which required resilience and determination. This did not slow her down, but empowered her to break barriers and inspire other women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Black women in STEM have inspired her because they have overcome significant obstacles and barriers to achieve success in fields where they are ofteunderrepresented. Their resilience, determination, and ground-breaking contributions serve as powerful examples of what can be achieved through perseverance and excellence, she observes.
> Lauren Lewis, Founder of The Cosmetology Institute
Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Lauren Lewis opened up her salon and began teaching cosmetology refresher courses – through various programs. Although a small-scale operation, her experiences helped her discover her true calling – teaching to provide opportunity to those in her community.
As a licensed cosmetologist herself, she actually understood that limited access and program costs often keep budding professionals from achieving their dreams of taking their career to the next level. Seeing the need for affordable cosmetology education in her community, she opened The Cosmetology Institute in New Orleans in August of 2020. Opening at the height of
the COVID-19 pandemic, she knew that her programs must be priced affordably for those in the New Orleans area – to help her students avoid incurring high-dollar debt while learning new skills.
Since the launch, The Cosmetology Institute has taught certification classes in – hair, nails, skin & other beauty care services. The business has also employed a wide array of teachers who specialize in key areas, further enhancing students’ educational experiences.
She is grateful that entrepreneurship has given her the opportunity to literally fulfill her ultimate dream!
> Diana Davis, Founder, CEO at Brown Ribbon Exchange
It is interesting that Brown Ribbon Exchange is a thriving oasis where women unleash their business power through collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Together, they embrace a unique approach to amplifying their businesses – by bartering, they ignite growth and overcome capital constraints. Diana Davis reveals that her experience as a woman entrepreneur has been both adventurous and challenging; and it can be difficult to balance both her personal life and business. Both are very important and she has learnt to pace herself. She is most inspired by women who have found success in being themselves and have forged
ahead in paths that don’t necessarily fit the norm, yet work perfectly for who they are. These women have taught her that it is okay to pass on opportunities that don’t align with your mission.
> Teneha Brown, CEO at VagiPlug
Tehena Brown is a highly motivated team player – with a commitment to excellence, and ability to perform under pressure with dedication to delivering a premium work product. Launching this business has been a real experience – for she was faced with a whirlwind of emotions, challenges, wins, accolades, waves of fear and rejection. But she was resolute in her determination – to make a difference and to create legacy.
The women who inspire her are those that she aspires to duplicate their levels of tenacity, selflessness, integrity and relentlessness. And those two phenomenal women are – her mother and grandmother. She also feels consistency is key.
> Shanda Domango Brown, Founder of Domango Training
What is unique is that Shanda Domango Brown is trained in Dance, Fitness, and Nutrition and she is also known for her passion, motivation, and energy as a Dancer, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach. She currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana where she runs Domango Training, a company that provides Dance, Nutrition, and Fitness healthy active lifestyle services to corporate, community, and private groups and individuals.
She admits that being a female entrepreneur is and has been a constant journey of self discovery and evolution. She was always inspired by her mentor and teacher Dana “ESPRIT Boisseau.
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