During this holiday season, put your money where your heart is. State-wide COVID restrictions have made it difficult to safely shop locally in-stores, but with so many businesses pivoting to online marketplaces, you’ve got a lot more options to invest in your community and find great gifts this year. When you support small businesses, you are supporting someone’s dream. Girl Scout research shows that while women own only 39% of businesses in the US and employ only 4% of the workforce, 76% of girls are interested in starting their own business. That rises to 85% for Black girls and 81% for Latina girls.
There is an existing racial and gender disparity when it comes to promoting and shopping at small and locally-owned businesses. Girl Scouts of Western Washington wants to promote equity in our community by supporting small business owners who embody Girl Scout spirit, values, and aspirations. We’ve created a giveaway basket, featuring items from 11 local small businesses owned by people who identify as women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, People of Color, Indigenous, Black, Brown, and/or differently-abled/disabled. Get to know a little about them and help promote these small business owners by entering our small business giveaway, shopping their businesses, and spreading the word.
Indi Chocolate’s Girl Scout roots connect directly to founder and CEO, Erin Andrews. She attributes the entrepreneurial skills and confidence to start her now 10-year-old Seattle-based chocolate company to selling Girl Scout Cookies as a Brownie. Her daughter Indi—the business’s namesake—now leads her own troop! Erin works directly with cacao farmers around the world to provide a higher income to farmers. Check out the wide range of cacao-based products at her online store. Giveaway Item: Vanilla Nib S’mores Kit
At The Kitchen Imp, you’ll find over 100+ organic and fair-trade spices, teas, and accessible recipes. Owner Melissa Aaron hopes to share a sense of play and magic that customers can find in their own kitchens. In the past six months, Melissa started a Pay What You Can program for folks who aren’t able to pay at the time of purchase, encouraging others who can spare more to pay-it-forward to fund the program. Spice up your life at her online store. Giveaway Item: 1 oz Speculaas Blend, 1.75 oz Vanilla sugar, 2.75 Imp’s Umami Powder
Logan Niles brings over 30 years of culinary experience to her business, Pot Pie Factory. Since starting in 2016, Logan has garnered a lot of media attention and seen sales boom during the pandemic. Her intentions haven’t wavered: bring communities together with delicious and nutritious food. Her kitchen only uses antibiotic & hormone-free meats, no chemical additives, no flavor enhancers, and no preservatives. Pick up a meat, vegetarian, Paelo, Halal or gluten-free pot pie at her online store. Giveaway Item: $25 gift card
Inside the Old Historic Freighthouse Square in Tacoma, Benita Smith can find you a gift for anyone in your life within her store, Adorned Abode Boutique. Hailing from St. Louis, Benita brings her midwestern charm and positive life outlook to curating and selling locally made goods and fair trade items, while supporting other small businesses. Discover a treat for yourself or a loved one at her online store. Giveaway Item: You Matter messaged Pop-Open Cards, 30
Based in Tacoma, Angela Larsen is the artist behind The Lovesome Dove, an illustration and screen-printed based business focused on feminism, self-love, and social justice and working to create meaningful connections with accessible and wearable art. Every month, Angela donates a portion of profits to organizations fighting for social and environmental justice. You can find her artwork and wearables at her Etsy shop. Giveaway Item: “You Are Not Alone” and “We Are All Worthy of Taking Up Space” vinyl stickers
Heidi Xu’s small Olympia-based sticker business, Krakken Design Co. began as a simple way for her to purchase more art supplies in high school. It quickly became more meaningful, turning into a way that she could express and support herself. As a Girl Scout alumna and current college student, Heidi sees how many aspects of attending school and selling stickers have “strong translational similarities to [her] experiences selling cookies with the troop.” You can find her artwork and stickers at her Etsy shop or online store. Giveaway Item: “Take All the Time You Need” vinyl snail sticker
At her full-time job, Brianne Kampbell is an estate planning lawyer in Gig Harbor. During some dark times a few years back, after 17 years of logistical and detail-orientated work, she felt the need to express her creative side and started Enlight Candle Co. She sells 100% pure soy candles from soybeans grown in the U.S., wax melts, and reed diffusers in hopes of bringing light and beauty to the everyday. Bring some warmth and light into your home through her Etsy shop or online store. Giveaway Item: 4 oz. Hello Fall candle – warm pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove scents
Estelita’s Library is a community bookstore on North Beacon Hill filled with books focused on social justice, ethnic studies, and liberation movements. Co-owners Edwin Lindo and Estell Williams opened with the goal to host community book talks, classes, meetings, history lessons and so much more. While the store is closed to the public, you can shop their curated online library where a portion of your purchase goes back to local bookstores. Giveaway Item: “Let’s Talk About Race” illustrated book by Julius Lester
Wyldwood Creative just celebrated its one-year anniversary at their Renton store. Owner Tawnee Kinnebew quickly pivoted from in-person sewing classes and helping customers find fabric, crafting kits and art supplies to an entirely online business model. Tawnee’ store is a space where anyone will be able to connect with their inner artist, and where she shares her love of crafting and sewing with the community. Find your next creative outlet at her online store. Giveaway Item: Fiber Rainbow Kit with vibrant yarn
Taylor Cox is a Pacific Northwest native and invested her undergraduate years at Pacific Lutheran University falling in love and developing her skills with letterpress printing, hand typesetting, and book arts. She now shares her talents as the artist and proprietor of Coxswain Press in Tacoma. She creates and sells artist books focusing on handwork and women’s rights, limited edition prints, and custom letterpress printed work. Purchase a one-of-a-kind piece at her Etsy shop or online store. Giveaway Item: 4×6 “Sending Long Distance Hugs” letterpress card + envelope
Girl Scout alumna Erika Massaquoi has been an art curator, Assistant Dean, a fashion journalist, professor, and currently flexes her brilliance as the founder and CEO of The Oula Company. Oula’s trans-seasonal clothing pieces use vibrant Ankara (African Wax Fabric), and versatile patterns in hopes that customers get a lifetime of use. When the pandemic surged, Erika pivoted her business to offer masks with the same materials and sustainable intent. All OULA garments are hand-cut and sewn locally in the USA. You can add a stylish piece to your wardrobe through her online store. Giveaway Item: Adjustable (adult) face mask