Social and economic justice are achievable only through solidarity. As a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Niki Jones Agency, Inc. is heavily invested in the success of other women. As one of only 0.1% of creative agencies that are women-led, every campaign, every strategy, and every design we create is our advertisement that we can stand out in our industry. The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) has released its 2022 Annual Report, which highlights the substantial contributions made by women-owned businesses to entrepreneurship in the United States. The latest figures, dating from 2019, show that women-owned businesses accounted for 20.9% of all businesses with employees, a growth rate of 16.7% between 2012 and 2019.
Similarly, according to Biz2Credit’s 2022 Women-Owned Businesses Study, released on International Women’s Day of this year, women-owned firms experienced earnings growth at a rate of 27%, last year, along with a 2% increase in overall annual revenue.
Data points not only to continued success of women-led businesses, but to benefits of working with them, as well. Research indicates that because of programs like federal and state government tax incentives, working with a women-owned business can result in an up to 130% return on investment on projects.
There is still vast room for improvement, however. The 2022 Women in Business Trends report by Guidant Financial suggests women of color still face many barriers to entrepreneurship and are underrepresented in leadership roles. To do our part to ensure strides for women in business include all women, our firm is committed to the philosophy, “We rise by lifting others.”
Niki Jones Agency is an active member of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), whose chapters on four continents seek to elevate women entrepreneurs from around the globe. OWIT provides networking opportunities and business development resources that empower women- owned businesses to reach their growth goals. Learn more about OWIT by clicking here.
Here at home, we are proud of the relationships we’ve built with other outstanding women entrepreneurs. Niki Jones Agency’s partnerships with Darcy Flanders, CEO of BaselineGroupNY, a branding company, and Margo K. Cargill, CEO of Titanium Linx, a global project impact management firm, have given all three organizations the resources needed to provide comprehensive services and reach broader audiences.
Our path has also intersected with that of Diana Benjamin of New Genesis Pathfinder, LLC, a consulting firm with an emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Trudy Frection, a respected global marketing consultant with more than 20 years’ experience providing strategy to financial institutions.
Our innovative approach to these partnerships earned us recognition as a Small Business Contractor of Excellence from the Small Business Alliance of Government Contractors in 2022. We were also named a Diversity Champion Finalist by Crain’s New York the same year.
There is still much work to be done, however, and Niki Jones Agency reaffirms its commitment to standing with our sister agencies and other women-owned businesses until equity is achieved. To learn more about how our agency leads by example in the creative industry, click here.