Year of the Women Entrepreneurs

Over the last 15 years women owned businesses have been on the rise.

In 2012 alone, there were 8.3 million women-owned businesses nationwide.

In Monroe County, the latest U.S. Census numbers show they make just about 1/3 of all business.

"Thank you for calling Miss Rachel's school for dogs, this is Rachel how may I help you," answered Rachel Leavy as she picked up her phone at her shop off of University Avenue.

Rachel Leavy's business has gone to the dogs.

"Come on....good boy," said Leavy to one of her customers, a yello lab.

Rachel is just 24 years old and has two years of business experience.

But she has already made a name for herself.

"I was hoping to do well but I didn't expect to do so well so quickly. Now I work 60 to 80 hours every week, I am pretty busy," said Leavy.

She teaches obedience classes at night and holds doggy daycamp three days a week.

The idea sparked when her dog dixie was hit by a car.

"I probably never would have done this if it hadn't been for that situation," said Leavy.

Rachel didn't go to business school but she's a self-starter who took charge.

"I figured better now than later when I had a motgage and a family. I kind of learned as I went along writing the business plan. I did a lot of research online, took a couple business courses and then I decided it would work," said Leavy.

"I think every year is the year of the women enterpreneur," said Linda Hall, president of the Rochester Business All

Linda Hall is president of the Women's Council for the Rochester Business Alliance.

She says there is a new generation of women creating something of their own.

"I think there is a trend that comes from this generation coming out and wanting to be as fully engaged as possible," said Hall.

Hall is on her fourth business -- a consulting firm.

"Researchers say women choose to be in business for themselves because they want the freedom to choose how they work, when they work, how hard they work and who they work with," said Hall.

A report by American Express OPEN - which gives credit to small business - showed a more than 50-percent increase in the number of women-owned businesses over the last 15 years.

"The number of women owned business on the top 100 list here in rochester have a year over year increase, which tells me that trend is showing up here in our community," said Linda Hall.

In the Village Gate, Get Caked is getting ready to open March 1.

Owner Kelly Halligan's specialty is vegan cakes, using great-grandma's recipe

"I have gotten a lot of inspiration from my mom and my best friend who also owns her own business, she is really the one who convinced me that I could do it," said Kelly Halligan, bakery owner.

Leavy is Halligan's friend and roommate.

"12:33:50 people would buy our cookies and eventually we started getting into cupcakes :53

Kelly switched from biochemistry to culinary arts at Monroe Community College.

"The professors worked with me because I said, hey I am not just coming out of high school to go to school for culinary, I have a goal of having a business," said Halligan.

Kelly used a college business advisor and had to shop banks before getting the money she needed.

But is still optimistic about the future.

"Honestly, it's the right time for me and I think that the economy is recovering and I think if people were to support their local businesses, that's a huge part of it," said Halligan.

A web.com survey of women business owners says 75% rely on social media for advertising.

"Social networking is absolutely huge especially with businesses these days because it's free, it's easy to use and it reaches pretty much everybody in the area ," said Halligan.

Kelly still has plenty to do.

"I am really excited but nervous. I am extremely nervous. But just the idea of walking in and looking at the shop and saying wow, this is mine, it's an amazing feeling of accomplishment," said Halligan.

But something she can call her own, is the icing on the cake.

"It does seem like the year of the woman," said Halligan.

Here are some resources for women looking to start a business.

http://www.sba.gov/content/women-owned-businesses Small Business Association (Federal)

http://www.esd.ny.gov/MWBE.html Minority and Women Business Enterprise (NYS)

If you want more information about Miss Rachel's School for Dogs or Get Cakes, you can click on the links below.

http://www.missrachelsschoolfordogs.com

http://www.facebook.com/GetCakedROC