Why One Day Isn't Enough (And How We Can Do Better for Women Entrepreneurs)

Grab your coffee—we need to talk.

Last Tuesday, I was sitting in my favorite local coffee shop (owned by this amazing woman named Sarah who makes the most ridiculous lavender oat milk lattes), when I overheard a conversation that made me pause mid-sip. Two women were discussing WO3 Day and how they were planning to "support women-owned businesses for the day" before going back to their regular shopping habits.

And honestly? My heart sank a little.

Don't get me wrong—I'm thrilled that movements like WO3 and initiatives like The Sleep Lady's partnership are creating awareness. March 30th sounds amazing, and I'll definitely be participating. But here's what's been keeping me up at night (and trust me, as someone who runs on approximately 73% caffeine, that's saying something): what happens on March 31st?

The Problem with One-Day Activism

Look, I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here. WO3 Day is important. It's a starting point, a rallying cry, a moment when we all collectively say "hey, women entrepreneurs matter!" But if we're being real with each other—and I hope we always are—one day of support is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

The statistics are pretty sobering when you dig into them. Women-owned businesses receive only about 2% of venture capital funding. Two percent. That's not a typo, that's a systemic problem that can't be solved with a 24-hour shopping spree, no matter how well-intentioned.

I learned this the hard way when I was starting my own business. After leaving my soul-crushing corporate job (you know the type—endless meetings about meetings), I thought the hardest part would be figuring out my business model. Turns out, the hardest part was getting people to take me seriously as a business owner rather than someone with a "cute little side hustle."

And here's the thing that really gets me: we've somehow convinced ourselves that supporting women-owned businesses is charity work. It's not. When women succeed in business, everyone wins. The data backs this up—women reinvest 90% of their earnings back into their families and communities, compared to 35% for men. We're not asking for handouts; we're asking for a level playing field.

The Economics of Actually Making a Difference

But let me tell you what I've discovered in my three years of running my own business, through the sleepless nights, the imposter syndrome attacks, and yes, the occasional ugly cry in my car after a particularly brutal rejection...

The women entrepreneurs who thrive aren't just surviving on one day of solidarity. They're building relationships. They're part of communities. They're supported by customers who genuinely believe in what they're doing, not just during designated awareness days.

Sarah from the coffee shop? She didn't build her business on special occasions. She built it because people like me became regulars. Because we brought our friends. Because when someone asks me where to grab coffee, I don't even think twice—I send them to Sarah's place.

And this is where I think we need to shift our perspective entirely.

Beyond Performative Support: Building Real Ecosystems

Instead of thinking about supporting women-owned businesses as a calendar event, what if we thought about it as... well, just how we do business?

Here's what I mean:

Start with your existing habits. You're already buying groceries, coffee, clothes, whatever. Instead of defaulting to the big box stores or the first Google result, take an extra minute to see if there's a woman-owned alternative. I've been doing this for about a year now, and honestly? I've discovered some incredible businesses I never would have found otherwise.

Think about your professional network differently. When you need a graphic designer, a consultant, a lawyer—whatever—make women-owned businesses your first call, not your last resort. This isn't about lowering standards; it's about expanding where you look for excellence.

Use your platform, however small it might feel. Maybe you have 50 Instagram followers or 5,000—doesn't matter. When you have a great experience with a woman-owned business, share it. Tag them. Write that Google review. Word-of-mouth marketing is still the most powerful tool small businesses have.

Question your assumptions. This one's uncomfortable, but necessary. When you automatically assume the male founder is the CEO, when you ask women entrepreneurs if their business is their "main job," when you're surprised by women in traditionally male-dominated industries—notice those moments. Because awareness is the first step toward change.

The Ripple Effect of Intentional Choices

Here's something I didn't expect when I started being more intentional about where I spent my money: it actually made shopping more enjoyable. There's something deeply satisfying about knowing that when I buy from Maria's handmade jewelry business, I'm not just getting a beautiful necklace—I'm helping her send her daughter to college. When I hire Jasmine for social media consulting, I'm not just getting great strategy—I'm supporting a Black woman entrepreneur who's breaking barriers in tech.

And the businesses I've discovered? Often better quality, better service, and more innovative than their corporate counterparts. Makes sense when you think about it—women entrepreneurs often have to be twice as good to get half the recognition, so they tend to really know their stuff.

But here's what really blew my mind: the more I supported women-owned businesses, the more connected I felt to my community. It's like I accidentally built this whole network of badass women who were all rooting for each other's success. Which, by the way, is exactly the kind of energy we need more of in this world.

The Community vs. Competition Myth

This brings me to something that's been on my mind a lot lately. There's this weird myth that women in business are inherently competitive with each other. That there's only room for a few of us at the top, so we have to fight for scraps.

Total. Bullsht.*

Every successful woman entrepreneur I know is generous with her knowledge, her connections, her support. We lift each other up because we know how hard this journey can be. The scarcity mindset? That's old-school thinking that doesn't serve anyone.

When I see another woman crushing it in business, my first thought isn't "there goes my opportunity." It's "hell yes, another door kicked open for the rest of us."

This is why movements like WO3 matter, but also why they need to evolve beyond single-day campaigns. We need to normalize women succeeding in business. We need to make it so unremarkable that it doesn't require special days to celebrate.

Making It Personal (Because Everything Is)

Can I be vulnerable with you for a second? There are days when running a business feels impossible. When the rejections pile up, when the cash flow gets scary, when I wonder if I should just go back to the safety of a corporate paycheck.

On those days, what keeps me going isn't the promise of some future success. It's the women who've supported me along the way. The customers who became cheerleaders. The fellow entrepreneurs who shared their hard-won wisdom. The mentors who saw something in me before I saw it in myself.

And yes, it's also the spite. Pure, motivating spite against every person who ever told me I wasn't cut out for this, that I should stick to "safer" choices, that my ideas were "cute" but not commercially viable.

But mostly, it's the knowledge that when I succeed, I create space for other women to succeed too. When my business thrives, I hire other women. I share opportunities. I pay it forward because that's how we break down the barriers that exist—not with one day of action, but with sustained, intentional choices that compound over time.

So What Now?

Look, I'm not saying don't participate in WO3 Day. Please do! Shop the hell out of women-owned businesses on March 30th. Post about it. Spread the word. Make noise.

But then wake up on March 31st and ask yourself: how can I make this mindset my default, not my exception?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Audit your regular purchases. Make a list of everything you buy regularly and see where you could switch to women-owned alternatives. Start with just one or two categories so it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Set up Google alerts for "women-owned business" + your city. You'll be amazed at the incredible companies right in your backyard that you never knew existed.

Join communities where women entrepreneurs hang out. Facebook groups, networking events, online forums—wherever they are, show up and engage authentically.

When someone asks for a recommendation, make woman-owned businesses your first suggestion, not your afterthought.

Invest in women-led companies if you're in a position to do so. Even small investments through platforms like Republic or StartEngine can make a difference.

Hire women entrepreneurs for your business needs. Need a logo? Website? Marketing help? Legal advice? Start your search with women-owned service providers.

Amplify women's voices in your industry. Share their content, recommend them for speaking opportunities, introduce them to valuable connections.

The Long Game

Here's the thing about creating real change: it's not sexy. It's not a hashtag campaign or a viral moment. It's showing up consistently, making intentional choices, and playing the long game even when it feels like progress is slow.

But this is how we build a world where women entrepreneurs don't need special days to be recognized. Where we succeed because we're excellent at what we do, period. Where the next generation of women grows up assuming they can start businesses, lead companies, and change the world—because they've seen it happen their whole lives.

And you know what? I think we're already starting to see it. In the coffee shop where I started this essay, in the woman-owned businesses thriving in my neighborhood, in the female founders raising millions and building unicorns.

The momentum is building. The question is: are you going to be part of it, or are you going to watch from the sidelines?

Because here's what I believe with every caffeine-addled fiber of my being: when we support women entrepreneurs—not just for one day, but as a way of being—we don't just change businesses. We change everything.

So what do you say? Ready to move beyond one day and start building something bigger?

Drop a comment and tell me about a woman-owned business that's changed your life. Let's start building that network of support, one story at a time.

Maya Chen is the founder of [fictional sustainable lifestyle brand] and writes about entrepreneurship, sustainability, and the messy reality of building a business while maintaining your sanity (mostly). Connect with her on [social media] for more honest conversations about the entrepreneur life.