We recently published a blog about the popularity and success of America’s “vetrepreneurs” – veterans who have established their own successful businesses after transitioning to civilian life, impacting the U.S. economy with more than $1.2 trillion in sales.

If you take the analysis of these motivated vets a step further, you’ll see that female veteran business owners have established more than 94,000 businesses and represent almost $16 billion in sales.

According to the National Women’s Business Council, almost 90% of female vet-owned businesses are “non-employer” firms, although the remaining 10% do employee almost 70,000 people across the country with a payroll of $2.1 billion. The top industries represented being health care and social assistance; professional, scientific, and technical services; and retail trade.

Other interesting facts about female veteran-owned businesses include:
· Women-owned firms make up 3.97% of all veteran nonfarm businesses across the country.
· The non-employer firms earn average receipts of $23,143 while the employer firms earn average receipts of $1.4 million.
· The South has the highest representation (1.6%), followed by the West (1.2%), the Midwest (1.1%) and the Northeast (0.7%).
· The states with the largest number of veteran women-owned businesses are California (9,780), Texas (8,604), and Florida (8,274).
· Industries least represented by veteran female business owners include management of companies and enterprises (.03%), utilities (.06%), and agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (.42%).

A quick search of the online business directory VeteranOwnedBusiness.com results in a long list of female-owned companies encompassing a wide array of professions. From general contractors to pubic relations, clothing manufacturers and massage therapists, female veterans employ the same hard work, dedication, and discipline required in military service to deliver excellent service to their customers.

Other companies, like Mississippi’s Combat Boots 2 Red Bottoms, specialize in networking and training for female vetrepreneurs. As their site explains, “Life beyond the battlefield is about taking a step in a new direction to create your own identity. We take pride in continuing to serve, but now instead of just protection, we provide guidance, resources, and the support for you to reach new heights in all your endeavors.”

Just like their male counterparts, female vets are putting the lessons learned in the service to good use during civilian life. To find a female veteran business owner in your area, visit VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.

Written by Megan Hammons