14 Small Businesses Every Entrepreneur Can Use as Inspiration
Allow me to introduce you to my friends. These entrepreneurial-minded powerhouses are changing the landscape of small business locally, nationally, and globally and you should definitely know about them.
This article highlights my 20 Favorite Businesses by briefly sharing what they excel at because they execute their own unique differentiation strategies insanely well. This is our chance to pinpoint what’s working for them, and if applicable, apply it to our own operations. After all, experience: You can earn it or you can learn it. Let's dive in!
*This blog post originally appeared on the marketing blog for Simply Integrated.
Thoughtful Human® | For communicating support in difficult circumstances
What they do: Help people find honest ways to communicate in dynamic relationships and challenging circumstances like dealing with addiction, cancer, depression, grief and other issues that completely suck, but suck a little less with the support of loved ones.
Business Strength: Clearly, Thoughtful Human® 's profound strength is meeting a crucial, yet - up until this point - unmet need. Can I get an “amen” for a small business that’s disrupting the norm and positively impacting people in such a necessary way? Wanna know something cool? Big box stores are taking note as Thoughtful Human® cards are beginning to roll out in the U.S. in retail locations like Target and Wholefoods.
Connect with Ali over at Thoughtful Human®
Website: https://thoughtfulhuman.co/
Instagram: @ThoughtfulHuman
Robert Redding | Upscale menswear retailer
You may be wondering why a menswear company is featured on a blog about empowering women. The big picture here is learning how to do entrepreneurship well, so when I see a company excelling in an industry above and beyond competitors, I want to study it - male or female-run!
What they do: Provide dependable, one-of-a-kind experience and 5-star service for customized men's fashion.
Business Strength: Attention to detail alongside a 5-star service experience. When you walk into Rob’s, he’ll greet you with his signature half smile. More than likely he’s already on point creating a custom look for a customer he knows like the back of his hand.
With a measuring tape draped around his neck, he might offer you a drink from his whiskey cabinet or a straight razor shave from his built-in barber shop. He’s not in a hurry because he knows that quality takes time. Who doesn't want to experience that level of service?
Connect with Rob over at Robert Redding Menswear Retailer
Website: https://www.robertreddingmenswear.com/
Instagram: @RobertReddingMenswear
Janet Gwen Designs | Chic accessories for every go-getter getting after her dreams
What they do: Janet Gwen Designs creates beautifully crafted, chic-to-the-core laptop, tablet, and cell phone cases, candles, and customized decals for millennial women out to conquer their dreams.
Business Strength: Copy that kills it. Janet Gwen Designs knows its target market like the back of their hand and their copy and content proves it. From their about page to their social media posts, blog content to email marketing, their marketing messages read like they’re sitting on a couch with their BFFs - a characteristic that resonates deeply with their target market.
Connect with Janet over at Janet Gwen Designs
Website: https://shop.janetgwendesigns.com/
Instagram: @JanetGwenDesigns
3030 Coffee Company | Serving up a coffee experience
What they do: Provide customers with perfectly roasted and brewed coffee with the absolute best customer service. In my experience and by the looks of their loyal customer base, they’re the best in town at what they do.
Business Strength: - Thirty-Thirty is in the coffee business, but the reason they’re successful is not just because they serve good coffee. They’re successful because they provide an excellent experience the moment you walk through the door. When you arrive, you feel like you belong. Their baristas look you in the eye. They smile and not because they’re supposed to but because they seem to love what they’re doing. Those are the kind of people I want to be around. Here, take my money! :)
Connect with Dan over at Thirty-Thirty Coffee Company
Website: https://www.thirty-thirtycoffee.com/
Instagram: @3030Coffee
A Perfect Promotion | Quality promotional products
What they do: Promotional marketing items
Business Strength: Understanding the value of relationships. They’re “people people” who happen to own a business. I’m really in love with APP’s bio. You can tell it was written by a human who has a passion for people.
“We value our relationships, and do not take anything for granted. We are here to work for your business and will outwork anyone in the industry. We have been in business for 26 years. Through the years we have obtained great relationships with our suppliers and manufacturers. These relationships are passed through to our customers to ensure they get the best price and service every time.”
Connect with Clayton and Trish over at A Perfect Promotion
Website: https://www.aperfectpromotion.com/
Instagram: @aperfectpromotion
Four30 Scones | Delicious scones for people who like things that taste good
What they do: Four30 Scones makes delicious scones for people who like things that taste good.
Business Strength: Doing ONE thing really well. Scones are their jam. You know they’re delicious because they consistently sell out at events and they even opened a brick and mortar because their pop up presence created such a great reputation in the community. Most people would assume you’d continue growing the product line, right? Nope. Know what you’re good at and deliver every time - that’s how Four30 kills it.
Connect with Renee over at Four30 Scones
Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Four30scones/
Instagram: @Four30Scones
Louisa Jane | Full-service interior design
What they do: From vintage to industrial, classic to natural, their jaw-dropping brand and style gives Joanna Gaines a run for her money. I know that’s saying a lot, but goodness.
Business Strength: And while their brand is on point and their collective design eye takes a close second, the strength that shines more brightly than any is how they showcase their team. See, they understand that while you’re technically buying “design,” it’s the people you hire to carry out the vision.
Louisa Jane does the people piece really well. Just jump on their website. It’s the team you’ll see first, not the design piece.
Connect with Janet and her team over at Louisa Jane
Website: https://louisajaneinc.com/
Instagram: @LouisaJaneInc
Lettering Works | Hand-lettered designs and branding
What they do: Help clients, campaigns, and causes build skillfully designed brands
Business Strength: Her ability to see opportunity around every corner has engraved Lettering Works as a trailblazer. Undoubtedly, Lettering Works’ owner, Chelsie, has taken the road less traveled often where there is no path and left a trail. Her reputation speaks for itself as people have started calling Lettering Works “the company that branded Peoria.”
PS Chelsie's project schedule fills up fast so if you're in need of logo / design work, reach out ASAP! Her work is amazing and she's one of the best designers I know.
Connect with Chelsie over at Lettering Works
Website: https://www.letteringworks.com/
Instagram: @LetteringWorks
Bailey’s Blossoms | “Affordable made beautiful” clothes and accessories for babes
What they do: Affordable made beautiful” clothes and accessories for little ones.
Business Strength: Owning their digital presence. This company knows where its target market hangs out online and they deliver consistent branding across all channels.
Connect with Erin over at Bailey’s Blossoms
Website: https://www.baileysblossoms.com/
Instagram: @baileysblossoms
Bump Boxes | Monthly subscription boxes for mamas
What they do: Find the safest, most effective pregnancy products to ensure healthy pregnancies around the world.
Business Strength: Investing in the employee. Bump Boxes is on track to hit $30M in their 4th year in business (WOWWWW!!!) and they’re rewarding employees for helping them get there. They recently announced the news of the issuance of stock options for their entire team. This announcement is significant for startups and entrepreneurs everywhere.
Connect with Christine and Leland over at Bump Boxes
Website: https://bumpboxes.com/
Instagram: @BumpBoxes
Liv Thai | Connecting cultures through beauty
What they do: Authentic, quality, handmade products from local Thai artisans
Business Strength: - Existing for a bigger purpose. She explains it better than I ever could:
“My heart grew big for the small business owners in these small markets of Thailand who work hard for their keep. I wanted to personally reward their praise worthy work.”
Connect with Liv over at Liv Thai
Website: https://livthai.com/
Instagram: @LivThai
Runaway Rack | Mobile fashion truck
What they do: Pop up all around town for locals to shop the chicest styles around.
Business Strength: Community over competition. Shay understands the power of rising together. Shay’s truck, Rosie, was around before mobile businesses became hugely popular. And even so, she’s a big supporter of others who have followed suit, even those who also sell women’s fashion.
Connect with Shay over at The Runaway Rack
Website: https://therunawayrack.com/
Instagram: @TheRunawayRack
The Cannery | Event venue
What they do: Unique event space full of history and character.
Business Strength: Operating from their core of good human-ness. Amy Knapp is the big-vision-thinker, good-to-her-core kind of person everyone wants to do business with. Her smile will make your heart melt. Not only that, but she and her husband are darn good business people. With multiple businesses under their belt, The Cannery booked out months in advance before they even opened their doors.
What’s really amazing? Since writing this article, we’re now planning our second Founding Females event to be hosted here!
Connect with Amy over at The Cannery
Website: https://www.thecanneryeureka.com/
Instagram: @TheCanneryEureka
Tick Tick Fizz | Mother-daughter bath bomb duo
What they do: 100% handmade bath and body products for fancy’ing up your bathroom.
Business Strength: Starting early. The daughter in this mother-daughter duo just graduated high school! She teaches us that there’s no time like the present to lean in and get things started.
Connect with Emily over at Tick Tick Fizz
Website: http://ticktickfizz.storenvy.com/
Instagram: @TickTickFizz
Connect with the community
There you have it - my faves. Each of these businesses started with a dream, a risk, a consideration that maybe, somehow, they could change the trajectory of their lives, community, and industry. And guess what, they are!
I encourage you to connect with the ones you find interesting. Send them a message and let them know you learned about them here. Use their products or services if they fit your needs. But most of all, feel welcomed to just be in community with this amazing group we have here.
P.S. Here are some of my top favorite female small business resources:
Dream, Build, Grow Free Resource Suite - free business templates for your business plan, marketing plan, ideal client persona, financial statements, and more!
Free PDF Download: 25 Ways to Market Your Business (Aside from Social Media)
Free PDF Download: 33 keys to Business Success
Free PDF Download: SEO Tips for Entrepreneurs
Founding Females Community - an online female mastermind space for entrepreneurs to connect, support, and get inspired
Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business - a guided handbook including everything you need to know from business idea to launch to profiting and scaling your business.
Blog Post: 3 Things every female entrepreneur wishes she knew
Blog Post: 4 Tips to survive burnout as an entrepreneur
Blog Post: 9 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and How to Avoid Them
Meet the Author, Francie Hinrichsen
Francie Hinrichsen the owner of Founding Females and a SEO and conversion rate optimization services business called Simply Integrated. She is a business sage empowering female entrepreneurs to breathe life into the business dreams God called them to.
After feeling like a misfit in the corporate world, Francie discovered a life she loved waking up to through business ownership.
Francie is the author of Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business, a guided journal helping hundreds of women start businesses.
She’s a passionate entrepreneurship hype girl, female leader, public speaker, and community enthusiast.
Her MBA and 10 years in a corporate career and in business ownership positioned her to teach women modern strategies for starting and growing successful businesses.
As a community leader, Francie realized other women could thrive with the right guidance and support. She created the Founding Females™ Community entrepreneurship communities that coach women through improving their business mindset and operations.
She believes that anyone with a dream on their heart can pull up a seat to change the world through entrepreneurship.
