Here's some good news in the middle of all the anti-DEI noise out there.
CNBC reports that queer owned business upstarts are on the rise.
Turns out, LGBTQ+ folks are starting businesses like never before. A new survey from Gusto shows that 10% of all new entrepreneurs last year identified as LGBTQ — that's up 50% from the year before, and actually matches our share of the population. Huge.
Gusto's senior economist Nich Tremper called it a milestone, saying more queer folks are building businesses on our own terms — rooted in care, autonomy, and community.
And that's exactly what salon owner Liz Whalen is doing in Libertyville, Illinois. She and her co-founder opened Rebel Rebel back in 2020 after feeling out of place at a conservative salon. Liz said, "I have a lot of genderqueer, non-binary, and trans clients — and they didn't feel safe there. We wanted something inclusive."
Now, her shop is thriving. The local LGBTQ+ center backs her, her clients support her, and she says it feels like a beautiful circle of community care.
Same story in Atlanta with Danielle Stringer, who runs Dandi Cleaning & Organizing. She started full-time in 2022 — and yeah, she's lost some clients because she's openly pansexual. But she doesn't mind.
"Good riddance," she told us. "The best part about being your own boss? You choose who you work with."
And that's a common theme. Tremper says LGBTQ folks are more likely to start businesses for autonomy — and sometimes just to avoid discrimination in traditional workplaces.
Jonathan Lovitz from the Human Rights Campaign says it best: Queer-owned businesses are resilient. The average U.S. biz lasts five years, but certified LGBTQ+ businesses? They're averaging twelve.
Let's say that again: We're thriving. In fact, we're contributing $1.7 trillion to the U.S. economy.
So yeah — despite the political climate, we're out here building safe, affirming spaces and doing it on our own terms.
