Boston’s Women in Business

Written by Hollie Shuler | Designed by Emma Hill | Photographed by William Chapman and Courtesy of Tambo 22

It is definitely not a man’s world anymore. In Boston, women are taking over the restaurant and business scene, and they are excelling at it. For so long, these two spheres have been male dominated, but the women of Boston are changing that in extraordinary ways.

Being a woman in business is not easy, especially in Boston. According to the 2016 State of Women-Owned Business Report from American Express, Boston ranks in the bottom five cities for growth of women-owned businesses. With many factors against them simply because of their gender, the bravery that these women display when they venture out in this city with a dream of creating a place of their own is nothing short of inspiring.

We have spoken with two female business owners in the Boston area to hear their stories and their experiences and how they have both faced and overcome the challenges that come with being a woman in this industry.

Taylor Corcoran is a co-owner of Tambo 22, a Peruvian inspired restaurant in Chelsea, MA. She grew up baking, cooking, and working in the hospitality sector, so she always knew that owning her own restaurant was something that she wanted to do. When she was offered the opportunity to open a restaurant with her business partner, Jose Duarte, and her husband, Brian Corcoran, she was “more than thrilled to say yes.”

Many people are often shocked when they hear her say that she is one of the owners of her restaurant, and tend to approach her in a more questioning way rather than embracing her as a successful business owner. The process of co-owning a business has not been easy, and the Covid-19 pandemic did nothing to ease that. Corcoran has faced quite a few challenges in her business, relating both financially and to her gender. Corcoran has found this initial reaction from people to be tough, but she feels it is a commonality among female entrepreneurs and has powered her way through it.

When she first started working in the hospitality industry, Corcoran had a fear that people wouldn’t take her direction and accept her management style as a young woman. However, she learned to overcome this through practice and gaining the trust and respect of the people she worked with.

When asked about how being able to open her own restaurant has made her feel, Corcoran responds with a smile so contagious it’s almost impossible not to guess what she is going to say— “Amazing! It makes me super happy everyday just to know that I can wake up and [realize] I’m a woman business owner.” Her excitement is unreal, and she even describes it as feeling like a “dream.”

Despite the complexities that come with being a business owner, Corcoran stands firmly behind the mantra that “Nothing is out of reach.”

Corcoran’s advice for any young women, or people in general who are interested in pursuing entrepreneurship, is to “Go for it! Keep your head up because it does get tough…but other than that just go for your dreams!”

Alyssa Davis opened her shop Wyllo in Boston’s South End in September 2020 after years of making jewelry and selling it at various markets in Boston. When she found the space, she had a list of ten female-owned vendors that she was excited to feature in her shop. Their products meshed well with her jewelry and the idea that she had for Wyllo. Davis emphasized that it was central to her store concept that her shop was featuring businesses that she drew inspiration from and that had similar visions to hers.

She felt it was a big risk to be opening a shop in the SoWa art district in a time that people were not really being driven to the market area because of COVID, but Davis states that when she starts something and takes on a project, she “dives fully in”—meaning she was ready to fully commit herself to this store and its success, a venture that has certainly paid off. Davis’ store now features rows of stylish clothing, tote bags, candles, teas, and one of Alyssa’s favorite parts of the store: the cat toys.

Davis never felt too nervous about opening her own business because she had read so many stories, much like this one, about women who had done this same thing before. So many women in business inspire others simply forging their paths and doing what they feel passionate about. They create this beautiful network of women constantly helping each other by example, support, and solidarity. As Davis puts it, “women have paved the way so that I am able to own my own business.”

Although women have come a long way in the business world, navigating the business sphere as a woman still comes with a unique set of challenges that men do not have to face. Even when the women are the ones in charge, the path is not easy. People often ask Davis if she will be quitting her job or if she will stop working at the store when she decides to have children—a question that is never asked of her husband. This is something that has become a norm in our society, one that many of today’s female business owners are actively looking to change.

When asked about how owning her own business makes her feel, Davis describes it as being “surreal.” When she locks up her shop at the end of the day and sees the dream she was able to make a reality, her joy is powerful. Davis’s happiness is apparent in her excitement to talk about the items she is selling and the vendors that they come from, and the care she takes to meticulously organize everything and painstakingly set up the shop.

Advice she would give to her younger self, or anyone interested in opening their own store, is to “work with where you are and be willing to build from there.” Davis also understands that sometimes being a woman in business can come with self-doubt and this often discourages people. The only way to make it easier for women in the future is to keep pushing forward and working toward the goal. Her advice for this can ring very true for anyone that has faced disappointment when trying to pursue their dreams. Davis advises to “[not] get distracted and discouraged because your vision is not where you are right now. Have a mission that you believe in and know that you will have to figure things out along the way.” Perseverance in pursuit of your dreams is something that she believes in and embodies.

These women are taking their dreams and making them a reality; each of them is able to recall a time when they were a child who had a dream of opening their own business, whether it be a restaurant or a place to sell her hand-crafted jewelry. Through their support systems, the inspirations that came before them, and their supportive customer base in Boston, they have been able to accomplish something that would impress their younger selves. Despite the harsh Boston environment, in terms of the weather deterrents and the fact that Boston is one of the lowest ranked cities for women in business, these women are dauntlessly living out the lives they dreamed of as kids. These powerful ladies are the embodiment of what so many young girls dream of growing up—being women who can proudly call something their own.

So, if you ever find yourself needing some good Peruvian food or wanting handmade, local jewelry, make sure you remember Tambo 22 and Wyllo, and support your brave local women in business.