South Carolina 4th in nation for women-owned businesses, study says
State has more than 164,4000 businesses led by women, study says
State has more than 164,4000 businesses led by women, study says
State has more than 164,4000 businesses led by women, study says
Two Upstate women are making big strides in their industries by making business ownership a full-time commitment -- something that more South Carolina women are doing, according to a recent report.
Brandi Lindoe and Rebecca Feldman are succeeding in an often male-dominated business world.
The number of businesses owned by women in South Carolina has more than doubled in the past two decades, according to the annual State of Women-Owned Businesses report, commissioned by American Express Open.
The state's CPA website reported on the story back in December.
South Carolina ranked fourth in the growing number of women-owned firms, with employing more than 111,000 people and bringing in more than an estimated $1.6 million in sales last year, the study said.
The report's findings were based on data analyzed from the U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Business Owners, while factoring in relative changes in gross domestic product.
Georgia ranked first nationwide, while Florida came in second and Nevada ranked third. After South Carolina, Mississippi ranked fifth.
WYFF News 4 Investigates broke down Census Bureau data and found more than half of female business owners work 20 hours or fewer at their business.
The majority of female business owners have a different primary source of income, but not all of them.
Lindoe studied culinary arts in New York before returning home to study education at Clemson.
Her passion for baking allowed her to go from student to business owner at the young age of 23.
"I went from being this college-like naïve girl to this business woman," says Lindoe. "It almost was like an overnight success where I woke up and had messages on my phone, and there I was with an order for 500 cupcakes."
Lindoe has investors and plans to open a storefront this spring.
Feldman owns more than five franchise locations with the moving business Two Men and a Truck. The mother of two works with her husband.
"I'm very involved with overseeing the financial side of the business, marketing, some of the startup things for each franchise," says Feldman.
Both she and her husband are set to open a new Two Men and a Truck location in Beaufort later in March.
Their Greenville franchise is their biggest revenue stream to date.
WYFF News 4's investigative team also found that 53 percent of women who own businesses have a degree, compared to just 37 percent back in 1992.