Three inspiring local women business owners are sharing their journeys to encourage the next generation of young women to dream big and reach for their goals.
Across the nation, the number of businesses owned by women has risen dramatically over the past two decades.
The most recent State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, commissioned by American Express OPEN, found that the number of businesses headed by women in the United States has increased 114 percent within the past 20 years.
Massachusetts ranks among the lowest in the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas in the growth of the number of women-owned business in the country, coming in at 46 with just a 50.4 percent increase, according to the report.
Although these findings show that the number of women-owned businesses hasn’t grown as much as the national average, three local women business owners are sharing their stories and encourage young women to dream big.
Their testimonies show that it’s possible to defy the odds and become successful entrepreneurs.
Making her dream come true
Jacqueline Gorman is proud to say she’s a woman who owns a business and would encourage more women in Massachusetts to follow in her footsteps.
“It’s a great opportunity to show the world what you can do and how successful you can be,” Gorman said.
Gorman, 49, is one of 13 siblings and the only girl in her family to have a job in the electrical industry.
She was inspired by her father who owned his own electrical business for many years.
“My father’s hard work, dedication to his family, customers and business made me want to do it myself.”
Gorman went on to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston and then transferred to Northeastern University’s electrical engineering night program while working full time for an electrical company.
In April 2010, Gorman opened Jacqueline Electric and Contracting Inc. in North Attleboro, providing electrical services to a variety of clients. And she hasn’t looked back since.
“The key to success is having the determination, perseverance, and dedication to be successful in anything you wish to accomplish,” she said.
Gorman is the mother of a 20-year old daughter and a 12-year-old son who hope to take over the business one day. Her daughter is currently attending Fisher College at night and hopes to get her construction license by March.
She encourages young women like her daughter to “work hard” and “don’t give up when you come across a challenge.”
Self-starter
Norton resident Stephanie Elia is a strong believer that if you do what you love and work hard, then you will be successful.
As the owner of Elia Business Services, she and her team specialize in online accounting services and help train clients on how to properly implement and use online accounting software.
Elia, 53, has been an entrepreneur for most of her life. At just 18, she started her own cleaning business called “We Sweep Cheap.” By the year 2000, she started a pest control company that grew over $1.5 million in revenue prior to selling it several years later.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” Elia said.
By 2014, Elia Business Services became her “one and only” and since then, Elia said she’s “never been happier.”
Shea enjoys everything about being a business owner and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
She received her bachelor’s in business administration with a major in marketing from the University of South Carolina and her master’s in business administration with a focus in finance at Babson University.
To get to the position she’s at today, she has spent her entire life learning and proving to herself that she is an asset to the field.
To any younger woman who dreams of owning a business, Elia says: “Never stop learning.”
A business built on passion
With a penchant for farming and love of cooking, Rehoboth resident Julia Sweet decided to go out on a limb and start her own farm-to-table, wood-fired artisan pizza business six years ago.
After taking an artisan cooking class at Johnson and Wales, Sweet decided she wanted to be a part of the food industry.
The Gilded Tomato is the name of Sweet’s catering business designed on wheels, with wood-fired mobile ovens.
The idea for the business became a reality with Sweet catering events like Newport Polo matches, serving well over 500 people.
Sweet said that the Gilded Tomato is entirely farm-to- table, and all the vegetables she grows on her farm in Rehoboth are incorporated into her recipes.
“As a business owner, you really get to do things your own way,” Sweet said. “You can think creatively and chase after your passions.”
Sweet has learned to seek advice from others while building her business.
“There’s nothing better than learning from those around you,” she said. “I’ve taken cooking classes, kept an open mind, learned from my customers and stayed humble throughout the entire process.”
Growing up, Sweet said she had a fearless mom that taught her to chase after what she loved.
Now, Sweet takes advice from her two daughters.
In a conversation with her younger daughter, she said, “Life is too short,” and her daughter responded: “No mom, life is long.”
“She’s right,” Sweet added. “You have your entire life for your dreams to come true, so chase after them.”