Being a woman entrepreneur can have its own unique set of challenges. In the U.S., the number of women-owned businesses increased 21% to a total of nearly 13 million between 2014 and 2019, and in those five years, the annual growth rate in the number of women-owned firms was more than double that of all businesses. Despite this, many of them do not have equal access to funding capital as their male peers and
61% of women end up funding their businesses themselves.For one woman entrepreneur, her dream of owning her own lifestyle brand was achieved with the help of LegalZoom.
Kenyan-born, American-raised entrepreneur Yvonne Bulimo returned to her native country after graduating from Howard University with aspirations of running her own public health organization based in Sub Saharan Africa. As she started to embark on a new fitness journey of her own, she struggled to find brands that resonated with her in
Kenya. Bulimo launched Zoezi Sport to connect with her Kenyan roots and create a fashion-forward fitness brand honoring her heritage.“I didn’t see myself reflected in them. So, I started a new journey, to create what I wanted to see, it is my vision that ZOEZI inspires you to feel good, by looking good while working out, you’ll be more motivated to stay fit.”
Bulimo is one female entrepreneur that Legal Zoom, a global small business platform that helps aspiring business owners from around the world obtain necessary startup resources, has helped start new, thriving businesses. Her advice to up-and-coming entrepreneurs trying to fund their businesses is to be thorough and learn about the industry you are going into.
“Do your research,” says Bulimo in a press statement. “Know who your customers will be, how you plan on marketing your product and whether or not your business will make a profit in your area, then talk to people who have done your type of business and see what their biggest issues were and how they overcame them.”