Understanding the challenges of business marketing, The ENVOY Guide Publisher Yvette Freeman launched her publication to help people share information about their businesses to the community. While this can be a struggle for anyone in business, it can be particularly daunting for women and minorities.

Freeman speaks to many area entrepreneurs of color, and has heard from many minority women still facing the challenge of being considered as having the same level of skills or intelligence as their white male counterparts.

“Being taken seriously has always been an issue,” Freeman said. “Just being seen for their skills and being paid accordingly and comparably with everyone else is still an issue for many minority women.”

In order to get their voices heard, Freeman suggests standing out as much as possible, taking on more responsibilities at work if opportunities are presented, and earning more advanced degrees if that is financially feasible. Though extra effort may result in getting noticed, the compounding stressors of inequality have led to an increased rate of women and minorities starting their own businesses, a phenomenon Freeman said was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of it was these people trying to say, ‘I’m just going to do my own thing and not have to deal with bosses who want to keep all the money while we do all the work’,” Freeman said. “I think that, too, is why companies have had a hard time finding employees. People were finding that if they’re going to work 70 hours a week or whatever, they may as well be running their own business and being in control of their own schedule and salary and not have to deal with all the stress of being undervalued working for someone else. Life is too short.”

While often being undervalued at work, women and minorities are also underrepresented in media coverage. Freeman works to educate these business owners about the importance of marketing and letting people know their businesses exist. 

Many small business owners and early entrepreneurs assume word-of-mouth will be enough to earn new clients, but that’s not always sustainable. Social media’s popularity has created an elevated ‘word of mouth’ experience, making this easier for some people, according to Freeman. She does often see the time it takes to create engaging social content actually takes people away from running their business.

“There are a lot of other things women- and minority-owned businesses can do to let people know they exist,” Freeman said. “Having professional photos taken, sending out press releases, and reaching out to publications are things anyone can do. People have to invest in their business, and that includes having a marketing budget. You have to spend money to make money.”

Getting business messaging out into the world can be a significant factor in business success. Freeman has heard stories from her clients sharing that media presence has been helpful. People begin engaging with these businesses more, allowing them to do their work in the community and become successful. Women can share their stories and let people know why they went into business, which can lead to more inquiries and more people that want to do business with them.

When women in business do become successful, it can boost entire communities. Women sharing challenges and stories with other women in the community can help them learn from others’ experiences. When people gain business support, it is important to pass that along to others.

“If you’re going to ask someone for their business, you need to be prepared to reciprocate,” Freeman said. “Business is not just about having other people buy your services. As business owners, especially women business owners, we have to support each other. If you have a balance of that, everyone succeeds.”

Networking is a large part of this essential story-sharing. Participating in various networking groups, talking to different people, and learning about other businesses can create relationships that are mutually beneficial. Genuinely engaging with these businesses allows you to know what referrals are good choices to pass along to others in networking groups. 

“This allows you to get to know those who you feel comfortable hiring and referring to others,” Freeman said. “It creates opportunities for everyone to understand what is going on in the community and who the people are that help the community become a better place to live and work.”