A Few of My Favorite Small Biz Women!

A Few of My Favorite Small Biz Women!

So many amazing women entrepreneurs.

It’s small business Saturday and I wanted to highlight some of my favorite female makers and their products. Here goes, clockwise from top left:

Marshall’s Haute Sauce

I met Sarah Marshall at the PSU Farmer’s Market at her booth on a cold, rainy October day. I listen to her podcast with Sarah Masoni of OSU’s Food Innovation Center (Masoni & Marshall – a must-listen for small food producers looking to bring their products to market). I knew about her hot sauces and was frankly a little timid by how she described them in her live instagrams as being so spicy. I took a chance on two of her flavors and her sauces are now a staple in our fridge for everything from soups to tacos and everything in between. She packs a ton of flavor into a little 8 oz bottle.

Flourish Farm Flowers

Based here in Hood River, Nicole grows and tends a variety of perennial and annual flowers using organic methods and sustainable practices. I would describe her style as humble, accessible and very northwest, using native flowers and plants for her pieces with varying layers of evergreen and soft highlights of color.  She is usually at the various holiday events this time of year with her beautiful wreaths. I’m ordering mine today!

Lisa Congdon Art & Illustration

I stumbled upon Lisa via Instagram when a friend shared one of our pieces and I was all like “I need this woman in my life.” So many of her pieces spoke to me – most highlight the fragility of us, human nature and humankind, but she boldly shines light on human rights, LGBTQIA and BIPOC issues through her colorful shapes and characters. If you just need a pick-me-up, spend 5 minutes scrolling through her instagram.

Freeland Spirits

Someone gifted me a bottle of Freeland Gin a year ago, and I was not a gin fan. That changed. I first fell in love with the bottle, then I made some drinks with it. Then I heard their story on a podcast. I fell even more in love with them. They are a 100% women-operated distillery in Portland. Maybe the only one in the world?? Yes, their master distiller is a woman, who even trained in Scotland.  Their motto is strong women deserve strong gin. My kind of women!

Queen of Hearts

Well, that’s us, so you don’t need much introduction there!

Roots Wrap

Based here in Hood River, Roots Wrap is my Farmer’s Market neighbor who makes beautiful beeswax food wrap and soaps. She uses organic beeswax, tree resin, jojoba oil and lots of love to make each of her wraps. She will even refinish them for you if your wraps get extra worn, like mine! She also makes a variety of lovely mild soaps, but you have to get those from her in-person at the Hood River Farmer’s Market!

There are many other small businesses that I will support today. I challenge you to take a pause from the Amazons and Walmarts and find a small producer, maker, business or restaurant to support directly today. Supporting small business is vital to the lifeblood of our communities.


Older Post Newer Post