Baltimore was just named the top city for women-owned businesses in the U.S., according to a recent report from Citrix ShareFile (NASDAQ: CTXS).
Top City for Women-Owned Businesses
The company’s Businesswomen Power City Index measured U.S. cities by a few different factors — percentage of women-owned businesses, executive jobs held by women, women’s wages compared to men’s wages and buying power for women.
Baltimore was awarded the top honor due to its high percentage of women owned businesses (23 percent) and women business executives (31 percent). It was also ranked number one in terms of buying power for women.
Citrix also spoke to actual women business owners about the intangible factors that make their cities special. In the case of Baltimore, the city’s active business community and central location that supports an easy commute to several nearby hubs were named as major selling points.
Heather Garner, owner of Garnering Change Psychotherapy in Baltimore shared with Citrix ShareFile, “We don’t call it ‘Smalltimore’ for nothing! The business communities here in Baltimore are very active and are often willing to help out newcomers. Also, because the people in this area are used to commuting, they are willing to travel for a great product or service.”
And Baltimore wasn’t the only city that could be a great home base for women owned businesses. The rest of the top 10 includes Tampa, Florida; Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Nevada; Orlando, Florida; Sacramento, California; Minneapolis, Minnasota; Hartford, Connecticut; Miami, Florida; and Providence, Rhode Island.
That doesn’t mean these are the only acceptable cities for women business owners. Of course, every city has its own strengths and weaknesses. But if you’re a woman business owner and considering a new venture or a change of location, looking at factors that could make certain cities more friendly for women business owners could definitely be a worthwhile exercise.
Baltimore Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “This Mid Atlantic City is Tops for Women-Owned Businesses in the US” was first published on Small Business Trends