Celebrating Local and Women-Owned Businesses

Now that spring has sprung, I have been thinking about all of the wonderful new businesses that have been blooming around our community. Starting a new business can be tough, but the best way to do this is with reliable people by your side. Luckily for us, the Omaha community is bursting with experts in every field that are ready to help you get your roots planted.

This month, take a look into our story on starting a business to see all of the resources our city has to offer. Your dreams are closer to becoming a reality with the help of these amazing professionals in every industry.

I want to welcome any new business owner to the area. Starting a business in Omaha is an amazing decision because of the richly connected community we have built. We have amazing Chambers of Commerce that provides resources, networking events and lifelong connections. Your colleagues are your customers, friends and family around you. In addition to the Chambers, there are a number of networking groups specific to every industry, and those like Center Sphere, who bring together a group of professionals that may not have much in common, but together they can help each other in ways they didn’t understand before.

The benefits of doing business locally transcend the convenience and ease of buying something online or from a big brand store. For 15 years, our magazine has been emphasizing the importance of buying local, so it makes me proud that that is the message we have been dedicated to getting across.

In addition to the importance of locally-owned business, this month we are highlighting the wonderful women-owned businesses in our area.

As a business owner myself, I applaud all women who take the risk and put themselves out there to achieve their dreams. Women-owned businesses are essential to economic stability and recovery. Empowering women and their business ventures can be the most powerful way to drive economic growth.

Nearly a third of working adults in the United States own their own businesses, a figure that amounts to 54.5 million people generating their own paychecks, according to Washington State University College of Business. While most entrepreneurs operate locally, women are less likely than men to be found running businesses at a national or international scale.

The Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs lists just three in ten entrepreneurs as women. On one hand, that’s good news: the gender gap between female and male entrepreneurs is at an all-time low of 1.7%, but there’s still plenty of room to grow.

I stand strongly as a woman and a business owner, and I am proud of the network of women that I have around me and in our community. Take time out of your day today to stop by a locally-owned/women-owned business and show your support for the wonderful work they do.

No matter what industry your business is in, it takes courage to start your own venture without knowing how successful it will be. Nothing makes me happier than seeing our local business owners and women-owned businesses in our community succeed, and I hope Strictly Business can be part of your clear pathway to success. When we lift each other up, we all rise. Here is to moving forward, together, and to welcoming even more local business owners and women-owned businesses in Omaha!

prODUCTiON TEAM:

Director of Operations Cemre Lively - Cemre@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Art Director Derek Nosbisch - Derek@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Writer Tessa Yeo - Tessa@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Creative Intern Abby Gonzales - Abby@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

SAlES TEAM:

President/Sales Paige Zutavern - Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Publisher/Founder/Accounting Shayne Zutavern - SZutavern@yahoo.com

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West Gate Bank relies on over 50 years of experience to provide the personal and commercial banking amenities of a large bank with the outstanding exclusive service of a small one. West Gate Bank is committed to building a strong foundation to serve its communities and empower customers and employees to achieve their dreams.

West Gate Bank is 100% invested in making your community better. Unlike many other banks, West Gate Bank reinvests your deposits back into the community which creates a ripple effect through the local economy.

West Gate Bank and its 220+ employees are proud to serve the Omaha and Lincoln communities in numerous ways that only a locally-owned bank can. West Gate Bank is represented on over 100 local nonprofit boards, charities and other philanthropic activities. Their commitment to leadership and giving back to the community has earned them a number of awards including the Federal Home Loan Bank Community Leader Award and the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award.