Liz Whalen co-owns Rebel, a hair salon in Libertyville, Illinois that supports LGTBQ+ clients.
Courtesy: Lissete Briggs
Faced with an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion environment, LBGTQ+ SME owners remain resilient and are actually starting their business in record numbers.
A study by small business software company Gusto found that around 10% of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses last year were LGBTQ. This will bring LGBTQ entrepreneurial representation along the general population, the company said.
“For a long time, LGBTQ entrepreneurs have faced barriers to capital, visibility and opportunity,” said Nich Tremper, senior economist at Gusto, in an email. “Achieving parity in business creation shows that more LGBTQ people are not only stepping into entrepreneurship, they are doing so on their own terms.
Approximately a third of LGBTQ entrepreneurs said they started their business so they could have a positive impact on their community.
It was a way for 38-year-old Lissete Briggs to pass through Liz Warren, who opens the Hair Salon Rebel Rebels in Libertyville, Illinois, to give clients a safe space. She started business in 2020 with her former colleague Ashley Levin after working in the industry for several years. The salon they worked at at the time was very conservative, Hollen said.
“I have a lot of genderqueer, non-binary, trans clients, but they definitely didn’t feel comfortable there, so that wasn’t suited to me,” she explained. “I wanted a more inclusive space.”
Whalen does not feel the impact of the backlash against DEI, only feeling support from clients and the community, including local LGBTQ+ centres.
“They support us, we support them,” Whalen said. “It’s really beautiful to see everyone come together and support our small business.”
The economic impact of $1.7 trillion
Jonathan Lovitz, senior vice president of campaigning and communications in the Human Rights Campaign, said it is iconic for a full community in the face of small business funding efforts or cuts.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order targeting the DEI program in both the business and public sectors. The administration has also proposed reducing small business management.
“LGBT business owners are extremely resilient,” Lovitz said.
The average American small business is behind and behind the five-year mark, but those certified by LBGTQ+ are average over 12 years old, he noted.
“They’re good at sticking it out during already difficult times,” added Rovitz. “The pendulums are moving back and forth between government and business support, but these companies are thriving because they are great companies.”
In fact, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, companies owned by LBGTQ donate $1.7 trillion to the US economy.
Being your own boss
Daniel Stinger is the owner of Dandy Cleaning & Organization in Atlanta.
Courtesy: Daniel Stinger
Daniel Stinger, who owns Dandy cleaning and organization in Atlanta, is one of those businesses. At 37, Stinger, who is also considering pansexual himself, started the business in 2022 after doing it as a side hustle for many years.
“In the political environment we are in, especially in the last election, I lost my clients because of my choices and good competition in the LGBT community,” said Stringer, who has been in relationship with men after an eight-year relationship with women.
But she also found a lot of support.
“The great thing about being your own business owner is that you are allowed to make choices. You can choose people you work with and you don’t work with,” she said.
Gusto’s Tremper said that is an advantage that many people in the community probably crave.
“LGBTQ founders were 30% more likely than non-LGBTQ founders to say they started a business to become their own boss,” he said. “This could indicate a desire for more autonomy, but for traditionally marginalized groups, it’s also possible to start a business to avoid discrimination in the traditional workplace.”
