Women-owned businesses increase in Tennessee
This video is no longer available.
EAST JACKSON — Nell Huntspon has owned and operated Nell Huntspon Flower Box in East Jackson for close to five decades. “In the beginning, the thought occurred to me that we should get out,” Huntspon said. As an African-American woman, she says she’s a double minority as an entrepreneur. However, she’s paved the way for other women dreaming of owning a business. A recent report from American Express’s Open Report showed that women-owned businesses in Tennessee have surged by 65 percent in the last five years, making Tennessee the 14th in the nation in growth. “You have to have a determination to never give up,” Huntspon said. Dawn Bramblett, co-owner at the Bramblett Group in Henderson, agreed. She said times have changed and it’s now easier to balance family and career. “I think it’s a little bit easier because of flexibility when you’re own your own business and set your own hours,” Bramblett said. Although reports showed that women-owned businesses have increased significantly, the number of people employed by these businesses has dropped 17 percent. Bramblett said she believes the economy is the reason more companies, like hers, aren’t hiring as many employees, but she’s optimistic that it will get better.
