In the past few years, South Florida has emerged as a vibrant and growing hub for women entrepreneurs. The Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy found that there were 1.145 million Florida small businesses owned solely by women. That's a five percent increase in women-owned businesses from the year prior, showing a growing segment of women in the Sunshine State are choosing business ownership as their career path.
North of Miami is Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding Broward County, where TD Bank Regional Vice President Jennifer Starkey sees a similar phenomenon happening. “Women-owned businesses here are also growing in number and contribute substantially to the local economy,” she said. “Their enterprises span diverse industries, including technology, healthcare, retail, and professional services. And they generate millions of dollars in revenue and create many thousands of jobs for residents.”
Bringing local women entrepreneurs together
Recently at one of TD Bank’s Fort Lauderdale stores, Jennifer and her Women at TD Co-Chair Melissa Lugo, brought together a diverse group of South Florida women business owners. They included professionals from various fields: healthcare, retail, interior design, arts, and online networking, matching the diverse business segments that Florida is known for. This mix fostered an engaging environment for networking, exploring possible business partnerships, and exploring ways TD could support their business journeys.
Highlighting the event were two insightful panel discussions. The first, “Community Support Partners for Your Business,” featured representatives from the Alan B. Levan | Nova Southeastern Broward (NSU) Center of Innovation, SCORE Broward, the Urban League of Broward County, and a TD SBA Relationship Manager.
Panelists discussed accessible resources within the community, such as SCORE’s free mentorship and the Urban League’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) initiative. TD Bank supports a variety of CDFIs in its regions to extend financing options to businesses that may not yet qualify for traditional bank loans.
Supporting businesses from startup to exit — and owners’ personal finances, too
The Levan | NSU Center’s representative also outlined its public-private partnership model, offering comprehensive support for business owners — from initial launch to scaling growth to different exit strategies, including selling the business or taking it public. Attendees left with a better understanding of the wealth of resources available, as well as practical knowledge on how to navigate SBA loans directly through banks, rather than the SBA itself.
The second panel, “Personal Financial Security and Planning,” emphasized the importance of business owners ensuring their personal financial health alongside their entrepreneurial success. With insights from two TD Wealth representatives, the discussion explored essential aspects of financial planning, from building a rainy-day fund to long-term estate planning.
Jennifer shared a key takeaway for attendees about contingency planning. “It’s crucial to make sure you have a rainy-day fund or a line of credit that you can tap into, just in case,” she said. “You may never use it, but it should provide comfort that it’s there if you need it. As we know, businesses go through all kinds of cycles…you can't avoid the down ones, but you can plan for them.”
Networking opportunities and a deep commitment to women in business
Throughout the event, guests had the opportunity to engage in more intimate conversations with TD Bank’s Small Business Relationship Managers at various tables set up around the store. They could also browse new TD Merchant Services customer payment technologies.
Daniel Wakefield, one of South Florida’s top photographers, provided complimentary headshots that guests could use for their websites, business cards, and social media. All attendees took advantage of this offering.
Reflecting on the day’s success, Jennifer said: “The most important thing that I hope attendees got out of the event is an understanding that TD can be a financial partner and trusted advisor throughout the business cycle and personal journey, and that we’re genuinely rooting for women to succeed in business. We care truly care about their success in both business and their personal lives.”
Through events like these, TD Bank underscores its commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs by connecting them to essential resources and ongoing financial guidance. Each year, in fact, the bank hosts more than 120 Women in Leadership events and donates more than $1 million to women-focused initiatives, all to empower the success of women business owners and leaders.
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