
LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs starting businesses in record numbers
In the face of the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion environment, LBGTQ+ small business owners have remained resilient — and are actually starting businesses in record numbers.
Some 10% of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses last year identified as LGBTQ — a "milestone" and a 50% increase from 2023, according to a recent survey from small business software company Gusto. That brings the LGBTQ entrepreneurship representation in line with the general population, the company said.
"For too long, LGBTQ entrepreneurs have faced barriers to capital, visibility, and opportunity," Nich Tremper, Gusto's senior economist, said in an email. "Reaching parity in business creation shows that more LGBTQ people are not only stepping into entrepreneurship, but doing so on their own terms — building companies rooted in care, autonomy, and community."
About a third of LGBTQ entrepreneurs said they started a business so they can be a positive influence on their community.
For 38-year-old Lissete Briggs, who goes by Liz Whalen, opening up her hair salon Rebel Rebel in Libertyville, Illinois, was a way to give a safe space to her clients. She started her business with former co-worker Ashley Levin in 2020 after working in the industry for several years. The salon they worked for at the time was very conservative, Whalen said.
"I have a lot of gender queer, non-binary and trans clients, and they definitely did not feel comfortable there, so it was not a good fit for me," she explained. "We wanted a more inclusive space."
Whalen isn't feeling any of the effects of the backlash against DEI and only feels support from her clients and her community, including a local LGBTQ+ center.
"They support us. We support them," Whalen said. "It's really a beautiful thing to see everybody kind of come together and support our little business."
Jonathan Lovitz, senior vice president of campaigns and communications at the Human Rights Campaign, said that is emblemantic of the community across the board in the face of any anti-DEI efforts or cuts to small business funding.
President Donald Trump has signed executive orders targeting DEI programs in both business and the public sector. The administration has also proposed cuts to the Small Business Administration.
"LGBT business owners are extraordinarily resilient," Lovitz said.
The average American small business goes under around the five-year mark, but those that are certified LBGTQ+ are, on average, 12 years or older, he noted.
"They're already good at sticking it out through the tough times," Lovitz added. "The pendulum swings back and forth on government and corporate support, but these companies are thriving because they're great companies."
In fact, LBGTQ-owned businesses contribute $1.7 trillion to the United States economy, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Danielle Stinger, who owns Dandi Cleaning & Organizing in Atlanta, is one of those businesses. Stinger, who is 37 years old and also considers herself pansexual, started her business in 2022, after doing it as a side hustle for years.
"In the political environment that we are in, especially with the last election, ... I have lost clients because of my choice in the LGBT community and good riddance," said Stringer, who is currently in a relationship with a man after an 8-year relationship with a woman.
However, she's also found a lot of support.
"The great thing about being your own business owner is that you're allowed to choose — you get to choose who you work with and who you don't work with," she said.
Gusto's Tremper said that is a benefit that many in the community likely crave.
"LGBTQ founders were 30% more likely than non-LGBTQ founders to say that they started their business in order to be their own boss," he said. "This could signal a desire for more autonomy, but for traditionally marginalized groups it's also possible that they're starting a business to avoid discrimination — either overt or more subtle — in the traditional workplace."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
The dangerous American fantasy of regime change in Iran
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Senior officials quickly tried to walk back Trump's threat. 'We don't want a regime change,' Vice President JD Vance said. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted that bombing Iran 'was not and has not been about regime change.' Advertisement The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, however, further muddied the waters by suggesting that Iranians might 'rise up against this brutal terrorist regime' if it doesn't compromise with its enemies. 'If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution — which the president is still interested and engaging in, by the way — why shouldn't the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime that has been suppressing them for years?' Advertisement It was an odd formulation, since history shows no example of a people who rebelled because their leaders refused to pursue diplomacy. In any case Leavitt's boss quickly contradicted her — and himself. When a reporter asked President Trump if he was truly seeking regime change in Iran, he replied 'No' and added: 'Regime change takes chaos, and ideally, we don't want to see so much chaos.' Mr. President: Congratulations on recognizing that essential truth. Please don't change your mind again. Iranians want a better government, but they want to shape it themselves. Regime change from within can bring new stability. Bombing cannot. Iranians have plenty of reasons to complain. Since 1979 they have been under the misrule of a repressive and corrupt clerical regime. It imposes a harsh code of conduct and dress on women and imprisons those who speak out for freedom. Great national challenges, from economic diversification to water supply, go unaddressed. Iranians, however, know perhaps better than any other people on earth that no matter how bad a regime is, the next one could be worse. The mullahs came to power in 1979 after Mohammad Reza Shah was overthrown. The coalition that swept the shah out was wildly diverse, from religious fanatics to Communists to liberal-minded democrats. No one knew what the post-shah regime would be, but all agreed that whatever emerged would be an improvement. They were wrong. Instead of going from bad to good, conditions went from bad to worse. If the mullahs are deposed, that could happen again. Many Iranians don't want to take that chance. Their own neighborhood provides sobering examples of the devastation that American-sponsored regime change can bring. Syria, Iraq, and Libya were all stable countries under dictatorship. People were able to live normal lives as long as they did not criticize the government. Anyone could walk the streets safely or sit in a cafe without worrying that a terror bomb might explode. Advertisement After American power led to the fall of the Syrian, Iraqi, and Libyan leaders, democracy did not emerge. Syria is ruled by a former terrorist for whose arrest the United States once offered a $1 million bounty. Iraq is factionalized and dysfunctional. Libya is a failed state and breeding ground for terror. Iranians have painful collective memories of foreign intervention. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Russia and Britain effectively controlled Iran. They seized Iran's territories in what are now Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. Britain imposed an accord that gave it ownership of Iran's vast oil reserves. When democracy finally emerged in the 1950s and Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh nationalized the oil industry, the United States and Britain organized a coup to depose him. That led to 25 years of royal dictatorship followed by more than 40 years under the mullahs. Many in Iran share two basic convictions: The regime is bad, but foreign powers should not try to overthrow it. That is not a contradiction. Political change that comes after bombing or invasion is usually for the worse. If it comes from within — if Iranians rather than outsiders shape Iran's fate — it will be more authentic, profound, and long-lasting. Stephen Kinzer is a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University.


The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Greenland has a message for the rest of the world: Come visit
NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Greenland has a message for the rest of the world: We're waiting for you. 'Come visit Greenland,' said Nukartaa Andreassen, who works for a water taxi company in the capital city, Nuuk. 'Learn about it, learn about us. We love to have you. We love to tell our stories and our culture.' The mineral-rich Arctic island is open for tourism. Whale-watching tours, excursions to the iconic puffin island and guided charters through remote settlements are just the beginning of what Greenland has to offer visitors. Locals want to show what makes the island unique beyond a recent diplomatic dustup with U.S. President Donald Trump. 'Our goal and mission is to present and be the ambassadors of Greenland,' said Casper Frank Møller, the chief executive of Nuuk-based tour guide company Raw Arctic, 'and to show what beauty you can experience while you're here.' The tourism industry is expected to see a boom this year following the launch of a new route between Nuuk and Newark, New Jersey. The inaugural flight June 14 was the first direct travel from the U.S. to Greenland by an American airline. Before the direct flight, air passengers departing from the U.S. needed a layover in Iceland or Denmark to reach Greenland. The change benefited travelers like Doug Jenzen, an American tourist who was on the United Airlines plane from New Jersey. 'I came with the purpose of exploring some of the natural sites around the world's largest island, hoping to support things like ecotourism and sustainable travel while supporting the local economy,' Jenzen said. Cruise ships can already dock on the island but they bring less money to businesses catering to tourists because passengers sleep and usually eat on board. Some 150,000 tourists visited Greenland in 2024, according to Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland's business minister. 'We really want to grow the tourism sector. It's a very good fit for many in Greenland,' Nathanielsen added. 'Tourism is about good vibes. It's about sharing culture, sharing history. It's about storytelling. And as Inuit, that's very much part of our heritage.' Greenland gained worldwide attention when Trump earlier this year announced he wanted to take control of the semiautonomous Danish territory, through a purchase or possibly by force. Denmark, a NATO ally, and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the U.S. gathering intelligence there. Despite the diplomatic tension, Frank Møller of Raw Arctic sees an upside. 'It has kind of put Greenland on the world map. And it's definitely a situation that Raw Arctic has used to our advantage,' he said. Still, beefing up the tourism industry should happen at a pace that prioritizes the voices and comfort levels of the roughly 56,000 people on the island, he added. Andreassen, of Nuuk Water Taxi, agreed. 'It's very important for me to tell my own story. Because I always feel like when I meet new people, I always introduce a whole Greenland,' she said. 'It's important for me to show our own culture, our own nature. Not by television, not by other people from other countries.' In June, Pinar Saatci, a 59-year-old Turkish tourist, saw several whales breach the ocean surface during a boat tour. 'It's very exciting to be here, at the other part of the world, so far away from home,' she said. 'It's a very exciting and unforgettable moment.' Risskov Rejser has visited Greenland several times through her travel company for Danish travelers. But she is worried about the impact of a tourist invasion. 'For me, the worst thing would be if mass tourism starts and people come here, and sort of look upon the Greenland people as if they were a living museum,' she said. 'It has to be done in a respectful way and you have to consider what the consequences are.' ___ Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report.

2 hours ago
China sanctions former Filipino lawmaker over South China Sea claims
BANGKOK -- China sanctioned a former Filipino lawmaker Tuesday over perceived 'anti-China' positions, including his authorship of bills that marked out the Philippines' territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea. Francis Tolentino, who has just finished serving his term as majority leader of the Philippine Senate, is prohibited from entering China as well as the territories of Hong Kong and Macao, according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "For some time, some anti-China politicians in the Philippines have adopted a series of malicious words and deeds on issues related to China for their own selfish interests, which have harmed China's interests and undermined China-Philippines relations," said the statement. "The Chinese government is determined to defend its national sovereignty, security and development interests." In a statement on X Tuesday, Tolentino said he will 'continue to fight — for what rightfully belongs to our nation," adding the sanction was a badge of honor and that no foreign power could silence him. Tolentino authored two bills which marked out the Philippines' claims in the South China Sea. The two laws, called the Philippine Maritime Zones act, and a second one called the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes act, were signed into law last November. The laws reaffirmed the extent of the country's maritime territories in the South China Sea and right to resources from these areas. The laws drew quick condemnation and dismissal of their legitimacy from China, which claims virtually all of the South China Sea. 'Any objections from China must be met with unwavering defense of our sovereign rights and adherence to lawful arbitration outcomes,' said Tolentino at the time. Tolentino also accused China of planning to interfere in the mid-term elections in May in the Philippines, and had launched an investigation into alleged Chinese espionage when he was still a senator. The Philippines and China have been engaged in verbal and physical clashes over their claims in the offshore region. firing water cannons.