ACC ASCENDER STUDENT GONZALEZ SHOWS HER ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Every year March is designated Women’s History Month by Presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history. National Women’s History Month traces its roots to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over poor working conditions. The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was in 1909. In 1981, Congress established National Women's History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month.

As CTN celebrates Women’s History Month 2021, we reflect upon some of the advances women have made over the last decade. There are more women-owned businesses in Texas than anywhere in the country, according to American Express, with Austin coming in fifth overall.  Austin ranks second in the nation for women-owned startups. Thirty-seven percent of startups in Austin are owned by women (that’s 1,433 startups) and ACC Ascender student Erika “Gaby” Gonzalez, who recently started her own soap making business, is one of them. Due to COVID quarantine Gaby had to quit her two jobs and found herself at home and bored. She started looking at youtube videos and decided to try soap making.  She really liked it and was giving the soaps to friends and family members. “Then some of my mom’s friends were asking to buy them. That’s when I started doing it as a business,” Gaby said. When asked what advice she would give to someone who might be thinking of starting a business, she said, “First thing I would tell someone is ‘Don’t be scared to do it. Believe in yourself.’”

Gaby is on Instagram and facebook at https://www.facebook.com/elespaciodegaby