To commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots and celebrate the vibrant and diverse LGBTQ community, June is observed as LGBTQ Pride month. We have highlighted organizations that are LGBTQ+ owned or are allies of the LGBTQ+ community in celebration of Pride Month.
Pulse Pro Health
Launch and Grow Path Graduate, Business Impact NW
“I’m inspired by how people want to help each other. People want to champion what you do, you just have to share it. I’m a firm believer that opportunity is everywhere — if I put myself out there, opportunity presents itself. Helping people makes life worth living.”
Kids’ Carpentry Seattle
Winner of the “Best Established Business” Award – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2019
Kids’ Carpentry Seattle, provides hands-on woodworking workshops to youth. “In a world of screens and consoles, we are committed to capturing children’s attention by providing quality programming through hands-on learning and engaging experiences.”
Girl Boss Sports
Winner of the “Best LGBTQ+ Owned Business” Award– IMPACT Pitch Awards 2019
“I am incredibly grateful to the Business Impact NW community as well as all of the Girl Boss Sports supporters that have been here since the beginning. We have made real progress toward helping girls and women in sports (for athletes and coaches) and this award will only make our impact even greater.”
Simone Pin Productions
Winner of the “Best Community of Color Owned” Award – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2019
“As we refined the aesthetic and goal of our production company, we realized that we are passionate about ensuring performers of color have a space. We, ourselves as dancers of color, have experienced our own challenges in finding our voice and platform to perform so we want to promote a culture and space where diversity is celebrated.”
Pivotal Center
Winner of the “Best Immigrant/Refugee Owned Award” – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2019
“One of the greatest challenges when we need help is finding the right clinician. We work as a team, offering various lenses, modalities and support to the whole family. We offer Psychotherapy and counseling in person and tele mental health options into the communities of south Seattle and King County.”
Positive Spin Pole Dance Fitness
Winner of the “Best Startup Business” and “Best Women-Owned Business” Awards – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2018
“It’s a lot of responsibility – all of the components of the business – the students and the staff. And because we have such close relationships, I really feel that responsibility. When I make a decision, I’m not making it just for myself. I’m considering who it might affect. And the bigger the business gets, and the more successful it gets, the more I feel that responsibility. I want to make sure everyone we reach feels taken care of.”
Repair Revolution
Winner of the “Best Established Business” Award – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2018
Eli Alison is owner of Repair Revolution. He is proud to spend extra time and care educating his customers, while simultaneously creating opportunities for the queer community. “We’ve created the most transparent repair experience possible. All of my staff is mission driven and therefore are amazing leaders.”
Fairy Magic
Business Impact NW – Lending Department Client Success Story
Hahnan Luna is the owner of Fairy Magic. She has embedded mindfulness, self-acceptance, social emotional learning, gratitude, positive affirmation, mood regulation, curiosity in addition to creativity into the fabric of her performances. “The magic is the matrix in which I get to embrace and interact with imagination. If you want rapid self-growth, be an entrepreneur, you want really rapid self-growth be an entrepreneur with your performing art.”
Dorothy’s Piano Bar
Winner of the “LGBTQ+ Owned” Award – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2018
“We offer a multi-faceted venue where anyone can sing with a pianist open mic style, sit back, relax and enjoy the singers on the stage, or enjoy a featured performer in our lounge. And here, whether it’s some of Seattle’s best or performers from around the country, or a first timer, ANYONE can shine!”
MEND Institute (formerly Seattle Therapy Alliance)
Winner of the “Best Established Business” Award – IMPACT Pitch Awards 2018
“Since STA opened in 2009, we’ve launched over 75 women-owned businesses. That means we turn over our entire caseload once a year so that our interning therapists can leave graduate school with a business that they’ve built,” said Jacquie Gallaway, owner of STA. She hopes to find social entrepreneurs in cities with a counseling program across the US. Her plan is to open Therapy Alliances so that healing change at the micro can collectively heal the world.
About the author
Ashley Minter
Ashley Minter is a contract Communications Officer at Business Impact NW. Ashley is a public relations and communications professional and has worked for numerous organizations in Georgia including the City of South Fulton, City of Union City, Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, and Fulton County. Ashley is also CEO of Ashley Nicole Communications, a boutique public relations firm in Atlanta.