ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- If you’re a woman thinking about starting your own business in the Tampa Bay area, you’re definitely in the right spot.
A new study from business.org says Tampa Bay is the best region in the nation for female business owners.
Those who know can tell you that not only do they agree, but that its taken years of hard work to get there.
When Maruchi Azorin opened her South Tampa Villa Rosa Distinctive Linen shop at Bay to Bay Boulevard and Macdill Avenue 34 years ago, it wasn’t easy being a female business owner.
“Back then, I would walk in the door and they would say well where is your male partner," she said. "I’d say well I don’t have a male partner."
In all, the business.org study looked at 107 Metropolitan areas. Orlando was the next closest in Florida, coming in at number four.
The distinction comes largely due to a network of resources and support groups that Azorin and her pioneering peers helped create over the past four decades.
“There are a lot of networking organization’s that women have started in Tampa," she said. "The South Tampa Chamber of Commerce is one of them. The Professional Women’s Association, and Hispanic Professional Women’s Association. They’ve been around for years and have been networking in doing this.”
The study looked at five key metrics, including what percentage of local businesses are owned by women, the female unemployment rate, gender pay gap, women-owned businesses per hundred thousand people and how many National Association of Women Business Owners chapters there are in each region.
Tampa Bay didn’t take the top honors in either category, but was highly-ranked in enough of them to take the top spot overall.
“You know, I am actually not surprised at all,” said Sara Stonecipher, who owns Misred Oufitters along Central Avenue in St. Petersburg.
Stonecipher was inspired by her mom, Patti, who was one of the original female business owners along Beach Drive. Women in the area stick together and help each other succeed, she said.
“The last thing you want to deal with is cattiness from other businesses and that is just not the case in St. Pete,” she said. “And so, I really think that that helps all of us to thrive.”
Inclusiveness and diversity were also cited as key factors.
The study is important, said Azorin, since female business owners looking for a location to set-up shop will often do their homework and figure out where they’re most likely to be welcomed and ultimately succeed.
“I do believe that that’s happening. I really do,” she said.
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