There’s no way to know exactly how many US businesses are owned by LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs. Unlike race and (binary) gender, the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t collect data about sexuality, nor about gender identity that falls outside the binary. (Is that any of the government’s business? Arguable! But bear with us here.) The best information we have comes from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NLCC), which has “certified” 1,678 LGBTQIA+-owned and -operated businesses — compared to the 31.7 million total small businesses the government has counted overall, as of 2020. That’s only 0.005% — and if 5.6% of Americans identify as queer or trans, those numbers just don’t add up. So we’re pretty sure there are way more than that.
Now let’s talk about venture capital: Between 2010 and 2019, global VC deals doled out more than $1.5 trillion to businesses overall. But according to one report, not even 1% of US deals are made with openly LGBTQIA+ founders — “openly” being the keyword there, as another report found that 37% of LGBTQIA+ business owners avoid mentioning their sexuality and / or gender identity to investors in the first place. It’s hard to own your own business in general, but in an economy dominated by cishet people (usually men), that struggle can be exponentially more challenging if you’re … not.
As we say often here at Ellevest, money — who gets it, how it’s spent — is an essential component of social justice. That applies to LGBTQIA+ justice, too. And in the absence of “official” forms of data — the kind that can expedite access and stability at the institutional level — it’s even more on us, as consumers, to actively support queer- and trans-owned businesses when deciding where to put our dollars.
You probably know a few LGBTQIA+-owned businesses already, but there are countless more to explore and support, in your own network and beyond it. We asked the Ellevest community to share some of their favorites, and we’ve compiled the answers we got into an initial list. We’ll be updating this by-the-industry directory in the coming weeks, so be sure to bookmark this page for future reference.
Art, Artists, and Crafts
Anna Parade, IG: @annaparade
Art Joshua Studio, IG: @artjoshuastudio
Bless the Messy, IG: @blessthemessy
Brooklyn Sewing Academy, IG: @brooklynsewingacademy
Eel Fine Art & Sculpture, IG: @eelcostello
Prime Creative Co., IG: @joaquinprime
La Flecha FIlm Co., IG: @laflechafilm
Lanni Made, IG: @lannimade
Lonesome Bill, IG: @lonesome.drift.er
Mud Witch, IG: @mud.witch
Muddy Rib, IG: @muddy_rib
POT Studios, IG: @POT_la
Robin Eisenberg, IG: @robineisenberg
Slip n' Stitch by Toni, IG: @slipnstitchbytoni
Sydney Valiente, IG: @sydney_valiente
The Pigeon Letters, IG: @thepigeonletters
Beauty, Wellness, and Skincare
Babeland, IG: @babeland_toys
BatMe Cosmetics, IG: @batmecosmetics
Bijou Candles, IG: @bijoucandles
Bottom Line Yoga, IG: @bottomlineyoga
Boy Smells, IG: @boy__smells
Candle Tit, IG: @candletit
Entity Health Coaching, IG: @entityhealthcoaching
Faceted Beauty, IG: @facetedbeauty
Fempower Beauty, IG: @fempowerbeauty
Fluide, IG: @fluidebeauty
Goodlayla, IG: @goodlaylaco
Heart and Soull Studio, IG: @heartandsoullonmtrose
Jade & Fox Co., IG: @jadefoxco
Katelyn Page Fitness, IG: @katelynpagefitness
Little Yoga Studio, IG: @littleyogastudio
Maven Made, IG: @mavenmade
Mainstream Nails Denver, IG: @mainstream_nails
Mystic Baby, IG: @mysticbabystore
Noto Botanics, IG: @notobotanics
Platform BTN, IG: @platformbtn
Pura Luna Apothecary, IG: @puralunaapothecary
Roots & Crowns Apothecary, IG: @rootsandcrownspdx
Sapphic Apothecary, IG: @sapphicapothecary
Selia & Co., IG: @seliaandco
Service Bar Soaps, IG: @servicebarsoaps
Simply Extract, IG: @simplyextract
Taya Beauty, IG: @tayabeauty
The New Savant, IG: @thenewsavant
Untamed Supply, IG: @untamed_supply
We Live in Truth, IG: @weliveintruth_welit
Clothing and Accessories
Automic Gold, IG: @automicgold
Awe Inspired, IG: @aweinspired_
Bowtie Behavior, IG: @bowtiebehavior
Carmen Liu Lingerie, IG: @carmenliulingerie
City6 Streetwear, IG: @city6streetwear
Culture Flock, IG: @cultureflock
Dapper Boi, IG: @dapperboi
Jen Zeano Designs, IG: @shopjzd
Official Rebrand, IG: @official_rebrand
Otherwild, IG: @otherwild
Peau de Loup, IG: @peaudeloup
Powers Provisions, IG: @powersprovisions
Proud Crowns, IG: @proudcrowns
Q Threadz, IG: @qthreadz
Silkkin Co., IG: @silkkin.co
Shannon V Jewelry, IG: @shannonvjewelry
The LB Connection, IG: @thelbconnection
Twin Denim Co., IG: @twindenimco
Wildfang, IG: @wearewildfang
Wooaryou, IG: @wooaryou
Food and Restaurants
Big Gay Ice Cream, IG: @biggayicecream
Cuties, IG: @cutiesLA
Dayum Jam, IG: @dayumjamrva
Diaspora Co. Spices, IG: @diasporaco
Kajun’s Pub, IG: @kajunspub
Marination, IG: @curb_cuisine
Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks, IG: @pipsnacks
The Royce Detroit, IG: @theroycedetroit
The Pie Queen of Denver, IG: @thepiequeenofdenver
Other
Camp Violet Jungle, IG: @campvioletjungle
Charis Books and More, IG: @charisbooksandmore
Common Dear, IG: @shopcommondear
Darling Spring, IG: @darlingspring
Encourage Coaching Chicago, IG: @encouragecoachingchicago
Everybody LA, IG: @everybodylosangeles
Foggy Pine Books, IG: @foggypinebooks
Homo Af, IG: @homo_a_f
The Honey Block, IG: @thehoneyblock
Lesbian Bar Project, IG: @lesbianbarproject
Little Pickle Memories, IG: @littlepicklememories
Minna Goods, IG: @oh_minna
Rebel Data Co., IG: @rebeldataco
The Salt Eaters Bookshop, IG: @thesalteaters
Shop Jamie Freya, IG: @shopjamiefreya
Thems Health, IG: @themshealth
The Trans Capitalist, IG: @thetranscapitalist
Tubby & Coo’s, IG: @tubbyandcoos
Very Gay Paint, IG: @verygaypaint
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Information was obtained from third-party sources, which we believe to be reliable but not guaranteed for accuracy or completeness.
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