GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas—Throughout the Metroplex on Sunday, families will gather to celebrate the strength, resilience and creativity of moms for Mother’s Day. Throughout the year, those qualities are celebrated at events to highlight women-owned businesses.
And with good reason. CoworkingCafe in March ranked the Dallas-Fort Worth area No. 11 among the top U.S. large metropolitan areas for women-owned businesses.
Some of the women behind that ranking showcased their talents at a recent local gathering.
Through the glass panels of the event center, grey clouds drifted by and chatter filled the room as a young couple listened intently to a jewelry vendor showcasing her finest pieces. Children ran and gathered with friends, laughing and filled with excitement. Locals clutched small and large bags of purchased items as they admired more jewelry, crafts and food.
The Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual women-owned business expo at Epic Recreation Center on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The expo showcased community women-owned businesses that sought opportunities to network with other entrepreneurs and connect with locals. The Chamber hosts many expos for businesses and the community. This year’s expo attracted many vendors who had learned about the event from previous expos.
Organizer Claudia Herrmann, the director of education, workforce and business outreach at the Chamber of Commerce, oversaw the expo alongside her fellow chamber members. She said it was inspired because of international women’s month; it aimed to showcase women-owned businesses in the community. She said she connected with the event as a business owner herself.
The Chamber’s mission statement is to promote and expand the business community, fulfilling its mission through advocacy for small businesses. She said they welcome any business owners to the chamber to place their flyers, postcards and business cards. The chamber also offers a monthly networking luncheon for entrepreneurs to introduce themselves and their businesses. The Grand Prairie Chamber Foundation offers a program called Community Entrepreneurship Academy, which provides 23 courses in skill building that serves to foster profitable businesses.
“Our role as a chamber is to be available for these businesses to get their name out there, get to know each other and get the public to know them,” Herrmann said, adding that the Chamber’s website has a business directory where anyone can sign up and automatically get listed in the member directory.
Felicia Agent, owner of a flower greeting card business, Felicitous Paper Crafts by Fee, works in Cedar Hill but runs her business on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
“I love the fact that it’s a women’s expo. I also love that it’s before Mother’s Day. That helps me out a whole lot, but it’s just a great event to highlight women’s businesses,” Agent said.
She learned how to make paper flowers years ago for her daughter’s birthday backdrop. She realized she had the skill for crafting paper flowers. Her grandmother, who raised her, gave her cards with heartfelt notes written within them. She said combining her skill for paper flowers with cards is special to her because it reminds her of her late grandmother.
“They were very special to me, and now that she’s gone, I have those cards, I can look back to, and I see her handwriting, and it’s like she’s with me all over,” Agent said.
Zilva Haseeb, a 30-year-old henna artist, had her first booth at the women’s expo. She said her culture ias a Pakistani woman nfluenced her to pursue henna. She said that, in her culture, henna is a form of celebration used to adorn women with body art during festivities. She said tattoos are disapproved of by her religion. Henna is a form of body expression that is temporary.
She said all the women in her family, as well as her friends, have pushed her to exceed her limits through their constant support. She added that she wouldn’t have been able to take the leap without her husband’s support, and his help allows her to pursue her business venture.
“I was getting ideas as I was looking at other people’s businesses, how I can make more out of my business,” Haseeb said. “I saw a lot of jewelry, I was thinking maybe next time I can do a shawl.”
