Recognizing the challenge and strain on women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color, as the holiday season approaches this year we would like to highlight some of our members’ favorite businesses.
The following list is made of businesses submitted by AFN members and staff. Thank you for considering supporting these and other small businesses during the season of giving!
Are you an AFN Member with a business to share? Fill out our form.
4KINSHIP is a Diné (Navajo) owned sustainable artwear brand dedicated to producing handmade, one of a kind, restored, repurposed and lovingly upcycled, artisanal and small batch products.
A 2nd Cup was established in 2012 to raise awareness of human trafficking issues in Houston—and to develop resources that help create a second chance for survivors..
Ari’s Glow Candles are handmade in small batches with clean, plant-based ingredients. Each candle is made with you and your family in mind and a lot of love, using only the highest quality, sustainably sourced fragrances and materials to ensure that we are giving back to the planet we live on.
Baldwin & Co. is a black-owned independent bookstore and coffee shop located in New Orleans, LA. Baldwin & Co. also stocks numerous regional titles as well as cards, journals, and gifts.
Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop tea blends are here to spread joy and inspire all who sip to be as creative and bold as the blends they drink. Along with delicious and unique tea blends, Black Leaf Tea & Culture uses their platform to engage the community and celebrate Black culture.
Black Paper Party’s well-curated collection includes gift wrap and ornaments with nods to the African Diaspora for everyone to enjoy. When you see our designs you will know it’s gonna be a party!
Café X: By Any Beans Necessary is a family-owned, Black woman-owned cooperative coffee shop built to support generational wealth building in the Black community and other marginalized communities.
Charlotte Truffles welcomes and celebrates the diversity of our community through chocolate. Our chocolate selections are unique because we choose flavors that represent specific cultures.
Chef Sarah and The Farmer x the Chef is an Oakland-sourced creator of small-batch artisanal condiments and infused oils.
Chicago French Press (CFP) is a coffee destination aimed to connect java drinkers to quality, healthier coffee options and vital philanthropic endeavors for them to support. Freshly roasted in the Windy City, CFP delivers premium fair-trade, non-GMO coffee to coffee lovers nationwide.
City Tasting Box is a boutique e-commerce shop that curates a blend of packaged goods from famed Memphis restaurants and chefs, up-and-coming local food artisans, and other Memphis inspired crafts all packaged in a well-designed mailer box.
Cura Bello Skincare offers effective natural skin care for sensitive skin, including 5 different types of body moisturizers to relieve extremely dry, irritated, flaky, and itchy skin.
Based in Missouri, EyeSeeMe is the only children’s bookstore devoted exclusively to promoting positive African American Images and African American History while advocating for Academic Excellence.
Frères Branchiaux Candle Co. is a home fragrance company based in the Washington, DC Metro area created and managed by 3 brothers, Collin (16), Ryan (13), and Austin Gill (11).
Garden Girl Foods grows organic, non-GMO foods and preserve them for you to enjoy anytime. We also teach children to garden and cook.
Gifted by FreeForm is a social enterprise focused on generating wealth for survivors through entrepreneurship and living wage employment.
Goods that Matter creates everyday design goods, with extraordinary impact.
H Kyle is a place where you can find cute gifts and accessories, as well as contemporary and fashionable ladies’ apparel in the parish of Ascension, outside of Baton Rouge, LA, and online.
Harriett’s Bookshop, named for historical heroine Harriett Tubman, celebrates women authors, women artists, and women activists.
Jam Box Fitness Lounge is a boutique group fitness studio. We provide on-demand and livestreamed standard dance fitness classes and unique classes such as Pound, Hip-Hop Step, Booty Fit, Heels and Afro Beats to name a few.
Joyas Piel Canela is a product of a leap of faith, embracing change, and my parents’ hard work and sacrifice. While education and working with teens is my calling, I decided to branch out and continue the family business of owning a jewelry store.
Each Kate Weiser handpainted Chocolate Collection is a unique piece of art.
Love Iguehi is a custom clothing and apparel company located in Oakland, California. We are a “Made-in-America” brand that uses strikingly beautiful bold African Ankara prints.
As a global retail destination Maison Black amplifies the innovative design of Black creatives who exemplify design excellence. Maison Black creates community, fosters unity and creates space for Black creatives to build legacies and Black heritage brands.
Nooworks is a woman owned, women run business. We make limited edition textiles with artists we love in cuts to make you look and feel good. All our garments are produced in California.
Nta-woven offers beautiful, handcrafted clothing and accessories sustainably made by women throughout the African Diaspora. Nta-woven seeks to connect the tapestry of women’s lives across the globe through the vibrant colors of African fabric and fashion.
Omsom is a loud and proud Asian food brand led by two daughters of Vietnamese refugees. Their starters let you cook restaurant-quality Asian dishes in under 30 minutes.
Pop-Up Makeke is an online marketplace that centralizes hundreds of Hawaiʻi’s small businesses and showcases their talent and unique products for the world to enjoy.
Premier Flowers offers delivery in the Memphis and the surrounding areas. We also send out throughout the United States to those near or far.
SONSON accessory designs are inspired by cultural celebrations, art, and personas. Our redefined fashion accessories serve as a catalyst for conversations–further building relationships from “one son to another.”
Speakeasy Candle Co. is a small batch chandlery located just 15 mins away from the Las Vegas strip that crafts hand-poured scented candles that are inspired by the delectable aromas of craft cocktails.
Tallio’s Coffee is a coffee roaster, beverage brewer, cafe, and retailer headquartered in Bayview San Francisco, California, focusing on bringing quality, high end coffee and beverages including ginger, tea, and coffee brewing training to neglected communities.
The Black Belt Soap Company sells gourmet treats for the body! We create our own highly concentrated formulas, which do not contain fillers or preservatives.
The Village Retail is a retail experience rooted in storytelling, upward mobility and a destination for Black-owned brands seeking a home for their product and shoppers seeking to take incredible products home
At Three Sisters Kitchen we believe that good food, health, and economic opportunity are for everyone. Our Local Foods Shop celebrates the bounty of New Mexico with locally grown, raised, and produced foods for retail sale.
Womxn on the Moon is an LGBTQ+ Afro-Latina owned business. In addition to creating unique earring designs, this small business also focuses on uplifting female artisans, maintaining inclusive branding made for all womxn, and community engagement through fundraising for various non-profit organizations.
At Nailah’s Shea, we take pride in quality certified organic, ethically sourced ingredients. No animal testing – vegan friendly. Our philosophy is to promote the benefits of using body care products that are organic, free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, alcohol, and harsh chemicals.
Wrap Culture’s goal is to bring more of the African American presence to packaging for all types of celebratory occasions! We will feature the beauty of our culture in every aspect of gifting.
Nonprofit Shopping Guides
The ICA Marketplace features great local product and service providers from our accelerator, investment portfolio, and network. By shopping with us, you’re helping the Bay Area small business ecosystem thrive.
The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center 2021 Small Business Holiday Shopping Guide. A curated
selection of over 70 small businesses featuring unique items.
The REDF Social Enterprise Gift Guide features products from mission-driven businesses around the country. Each item is handcrafted by a talented individual reentering the workforce after overcoming challenges like homelessness or incarceration. Shop now and help support an economy that works for everyone.