October is National Women's Business Month

The City of Cambridge will again celebrate National Women’s Business Month this October to recognize the importance of women-owned businesses and to highlight the women entrepreneurs in the local Cambridge economy.

City-sponsored events, workshops, webinars, and networking opportunities will be held throughout the month and are free to all Cambridge residents and business owners. Everyone is encouraged to join the celebration by supporting Cambridge women-owned businesses and other entrepreneurs during the month of October and beyond. To find women-owned businesses in your neighborhood, visit the newly expanded Cambridge Business Diversity Directory.

National Women’s Business Month commemorates the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988, which authorized the federal government to issue loans to businesses controlled by women. Previously, many states required a male relative co-signer for women to access capital via a business loan. 

Today, women own 42% of businesses in the United States, women of color account for 50% of female business owners and women-owned businesses generate $1.9 trillion annually.

The following City-sponsored events are free and open to the public. In addition, many business associations and women-owned businesses in Cambridge are hosting their own events or offering special promotions.

Wednesday, October 12

City of Cambridge Women’s Business Month Kick-Off Event, 5 – 7 p.m.

• Location: Cicada (rear patio), 106 Prospect Street, Cambridge MA.
• Celebrate the start of Women’s Business Month at woman-owned Cicada, a café and restaurant in Central Square. There will be light fare and drinks, time for networking with women business owners and entrepreneurs, and brief remarks from City leaders.
• Free to all. Space is limited. Registration is required.

Monday, October 17

How to use Economic Data for Business Planning, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

• Location: Zoom.
• Before opening a business, it is important to gather as much information as possible about costs, customers, and competition. In this webinar, we will go step by step through economic data sets that are free and accessible through the City of Cambridge website. Come with questions about your specific business or industry.
• Free to all. Registration is required.

Saturday, October 22

Pop-Up Market at MIT Open Space, 5 – 10 p.m. (public plaza, behind Inbound Kendall Square MBTA entrance)

• Location: MIT Open Space Plaza (292 Main St.)
• A pop-up market of Cambridge-based, women-owned small businesses. Vendors will set up alongside food trucks, Artifact Cider Project, and multidisciplinary artist and educator Amanda Shea. Bring a song, poem or performance to share, or come as a fan to support the community in sharing their art! Performers, please note that this is a family-friendly event, so keep this in mind as you get ready for your moment in the spotlight.
• Free to all. All ages welcome. Registration recommended for Amanda Shea performance.

Tuesday, October 25

How to be a Pop-Up or Market Vendor Webinar, 7 – 8 p.m.

• Location: Zoom.
• Join us for a discussion with established vendors as well as Popportunity Market Manager Manoucheca Lord, to learn about the Do’s and Don’ts of getting started as a farmer’s market or arts market vendor. Bring your questions about permits, inventory, booth setup, and customer service.
• Free to all. Registration is required.

Community Events

Additionally, the following Community Events are being hosted by Cambridge businesses or business associations.

Thursday, October 27

Workshop on podcasts with Amira Valliani, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

• Location: Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), 438 Massachusetts Avenue
• Join the Cambridge Network of Women, a program of Cambridge Local First, for a workshop on podcasts. Amira Valliani, the workshop speaker, is the CEO and founder of Glow, a company that helps podcasters make money. Amira will discuss strategies for finding success in podcasting.
• Registration: contact Theodora Skeadas at theodora@cambridgelocalfirst.org

For more information on Women's Business Month, please contact Christina DiLisio at cdilisio@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4601.