The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, has released the first-ever snapshot demonstrating the economic and social impact of America’s LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs. The America’s LGBT Economy report explores the revenues, types, sizes and geography of LGBT-owned businesses currently certified by NGLCC, as well as the number of jobs they create and the personal narratives of successful LGBT business owners who reflect the very best about America’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.
Bob Witeck of certified LGBTBE Witeck Communications helped prepare this landmark report. Witeck’s works has helped give voice to the LGBT community and our annual spending power. Now he has helped NGLCC produce the first look at our economic impact as a business community.
“The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is pleased to be able to evidence, through this report, what we’ve observed since our founding fifteen years ago — that America’s LGBT business owners are driving our economy upward and deserve every opportunity to keep creating jobs and innovating our industries. The estimated 1.4 million LGBT business owners NGLCC advocates for have truly earned a place at the equality table,” said NGLCC Co-Founder & President Justin Nelson. “If you are an LGBT business owner and not yet certified, you’re leaving opportunities on the table to help your business and our economy grow. For the LGBT community, this also means we are missing out on more accurate data, role models, job creator, and future success stories that prove ‘If you can buy it, a Certified LGBTBE can supply it.'”
“These numbers tell the real story,” said Bob Witeck, President of Witeck Communications, a certified LGBTBE that served as the analyst for this report. “While our community’s $917 billion spending power highlights our market clout, the jobs, tax revenues and profits we create as employers and entrepreneurs define our full economic value to America. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of our potential.”
“At NGLCC, we have nearly 200 corporate and government partners that understand not only the value of the LGBT dollar, but the economic imperative of inclusivity and LGBT visibility in their supply chains and marketplace. This groundbreaking report proves our NGLCC philosophy that economic visibility, just like social visibility, is essential in building a diverse and inclusive society,” said NGLCC Co-Founder & CEO Chance Mitchell.
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