Every March 8, the world pauses to recognize women — their contributions, their resilience, and the ground they’ve broken for generations to come. But for the millions of women running businesses right now? There’s no pause button. There’s just the work.
This International Women’s Day, we’re not just celebrating women in business. We’re celebrating what happens when women are equipped to lead.
The Global Picture: Women Are Building Economies
Women-owned businesses are a force — and the numbers prove it.
Globally, women entrepreneurs represent one-third of all business owners and contribute trillions of dollars to the world economy. In the United States alone, women-owned businesses number over 13 million, employing nearly 9 million people and generating more than $1.9 trillion in revenue annually.
And yet, the gaps are real. Women still face steeper barriers to funding, less access to networks, and more hoops to jump through to be taken seriously. According to research from the International Finance Corporation, women-owned small businesses face a $1.7 trillion financing gap globally.
That’s not a stat to sit with — it’s a call to action.
Because when women get the resources they need to grow, entire communities benefit. Women entrepreneurs are more likely to hire other women, reinvest in their local economies, and build businesses with purpose baked in from day one.
Women Who Are Changing the Game
Jocelyn Ramirez | Todo Verde Products | Los Angeles, CA
Jocelyn Ramirez didn’t just want to sell food — she wanted to tell a story. Todo Verde Products was born from a mission to amplify the true-to-culture flavors of Latin America through chef-crafted, Non-GMO verified, gluten-free, vegan products. It’s culture in a bottle. Heritage on a shelf.
In 2025, Jocelyn was named a recipient of the H&R Block Fund Her Future Grant through Hello Alice — $10,000 to fuel the next wave of Todo Verde products and prepare her for her first fundraise.
“I’m incredibly honored to be a finalist in such a competitive process,” she said. “This funding will help grow the next wave of Todo Verde products, and the services will help prepare me for my first fundraise.”
That’s what access looks like in practice.
Sonia Smith-Kang | Mixed Up Clothing | Los Angeles, CA
Sonia Smith-Kang is an AfroLatina founder, mother of four multicultural children, and the woman behind Mixed Up Clothing — a children’s apparel brand built on a simple but powerful idea: every child deserves to see themselves in what they wear.
Born in Puerto Rico to an African American father and a Mexican mother, raised on military bases from Oʻahu to Los Angeles, and married to a first-generation Korean American, Sonia knows firsthand what it means to exist at the intersection of cultures. She also knows what it feels like when fashion doesn’t reflect that reality — so she built something that does.
Through Hello Alice, Sonia was connected to the FedEx Entrepreneur Fund and Boost Camp Program — a combination of funding and hands-on mentorship that she called “an incredible opportunity to gain the tools, resources, and mentorship needed to take Mixed Up Clothing to the next level.”
Two founders. Two missions. One through line: the right resources change everything.
Economic Equality Starts with Access
Here’s the truth: entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful pathways to economic equality for women. Owning a business means owning your income, your schedule, your future. It means building generational wealth instead of just a paycheck.
But access is everything.
Women entrepreneurs — especially those from underrepresented communities — are too often left out of the rooms where funding decisions get made. They’re less likely to have the networks that open doors. Less likely to know the grants exist. Less likely to be told they qualify.
That’s the gap Hello Alice was built to close.
How Hello Alice Supports Women Entrepreneurs
Hello Alice is a free platform designed to help small business owners start, grow, and fund their businesses — and women are at the heart of our community.
Here’s what you’ll find when you join:
- Grants and funding opportunities — Hello Alice surfaces grants specifically for women entrepreneurs, including our own Hello Alice grants, so you’re not sifting through noise to find what’s relevant.
- A community that gets it — Connect with other women business owners who are navigating the same challenges and celebrating the same wins.
- Resources built for real businesses — From business planning tools to financial health resources, everything on Hello Alice is designed to be practical, not theoretical.
- Expert guidance — Access webinars, guides, and insights from people who understand what it actually takes to run a small business.
Women business owners have always been changemakers. Hello Alice is here to make sure they have everything they need to keep changing things.
This Women’s Day, Invest in Yourself
You don’t need a perfect business plan to get started. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need a place that believes in what you’re building and gives you the tools to build it better.
That place exists.
Join hundreds of thousands of women entrepreneurs who are already growing their businesses with Hello Alice.