Women in Business hosted its Bloom into Business Market on April 9. The event brought entrepreneurial women from the Salt Lake community and beyond to the University of Utah’s campus, highlighting the importance of local and women-owned businesses.
The event featured 17 local vendors selling goods ranging from vintage clothing and hand-crafted jewelry to natural skincare and baked custard.
Taylor Jones is the marketing director for WIB and a strategic communications major at the U. She said this is the first time WIB has organized an event like this.
“We know a lot of our members are wanting to be able to support other businesses, but they also want to know … what is happening within Salt Lake, especially when it comes to women-identifying business leaders,” Jones said. “So, we’re trying to just expand that.”
Jones said the idea for the market came from the desire to increase visibility for women-owned businesses and to inspire women students in the business field.
“I want them to be able to be like, ‘I can do that, too,’ if they want to do something like that,” she said. “But also, I want them to be able to leave with the chance to open their network with our vendors.”
She added that opening their networks could include both collaboration with the businesses, or learning more about how marketing and business planning is done for local businesses.
Elly Soper, a business major at the U, was one of the vendors at the market. She is the founder of Koolringsmate, a business that makes custom rings from old silverware. Soper said the lack of a vending fee and the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded women made WIB’s event stand out from other local markets.
“I think it helps people promote of how creative we are as women, like we just have the power to do something that’s not like others,” Soper said. “Is it just a cool place to see everyone’s creative flow come all together.”
Another vendor was Sidney Smith, district community manager for the Maven District. The Maven District is the block of businesses around 900 S 200 E in Salt Lake City, where 100% of the businesses are locally owned and 75% of businesses are owned by women.
Smith said events like this are important as they set the community up for success with driven future entrepreneurs.
“We know from experience that when you give women money to make something, that they’re going to give it right back to their community,” she said. “And we’re typically very community oriented. So, we feel like if we give back in a circular way.”
The significance of the Bloom into Business Market was recognized by the event organizers, vendors and attendees alike.
Sophia Bailey, an international studies major at the U, attended the event. She said by supporting hard working women in business, she can see what is possible for her future.
“Women in business are so overlooked,” Bailey said. “These women in here are putting their own startups on the map for Utah. It’s so inspiring. It’s so inspiring to be in here.”
