Entrepreneurship: Identifying a Gap in the Market

Founders of companies often start by identifying a gap in the market, but personal experience can be the inspiration for some of the strongest ideas. Laura M. Mackay (her Instagram), founder and CEO of Mina™ swimwear, spent years in competitive open-water swimming and had trouble finding swimwear that had both a luxury look and the functionality for serious movement in the water.  Hence, she combined all her talents to create a swimsuit that would allow women to move freely in the water while also being elegant. 

Mackay has joined other women entrepreneurs in building businesses that now account for 39.2% of all enterprises in the United States. Since 2019, women-owned businesses have increased by 69%. Last year, women launched 49% of all new businesses, according to the New Business Formation report from Gusto. These women-owned businesses employ 12.9 million workers and have an annual revenue of $3.3 trillion.

Entrepreneurship can have many different paths.  Choose yours and get going!