SHOREWOOD, Ill. -- Women entrepreneurs are leading a significant upswing in business growth across the United States, outpacing their male counterparts as they seek flexibility and a greater connection to customer needs, according to The Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Report by Wells Fargo. With over 14 million women-owned businesses contributing $3.3 trillion in revenue, this segment of the economy expanded by 17.1% between 2019 and 2024. 

Marissa Soave, 26, is one example of this trend with her Shorewood, Illinois-based company, Complete Closet Design. Soave founded the custom storage solutions firm in 2019, but its period of rapid scaling, including 68% growth in the past two years, began when she took full ownership in 2022 following the birth of her two children.

Soave's strategy centers on a direct-to-consumer approach for custom closets, garages, and pantries, primarily serving families seeking functionality and order.

“I’m helping people and the quality of their life,” Soave said, noting that her focus on community involvement and social media marketing has driven the company's expansion, which now includes six employees.

Her operational philosophy prioritizes work-life balance for both herself and her employees, focusing on efficient time management and delegation.

Industry partnerships key to scaling

Soave credits her partnership with Organizers Direct Industries (ODI), a supplier operating with a non-franchise dealer model, for providing the necessary support structure without excessive restrictions.

Alicia Barker, president of ODI, highlighted how the structure of the home organization industry attracts female leadership, and specifically praised Soave's drive.

“She's got that drive. She is willing to call us … if she has questions,” Barker noted. Marissa has attended ODI’s national training conference multiple times and has brought her team with her. “She's just really been trying to learn all that she can. So, I think that between her personality, her drive, and her willingness to learn what she doesn't know, she's really been killing it.”

Barker also observed that successful women dealers are willing to leverage the supplier's training and mentorship, reducing the need to "reinvent the wheel." Soave's determination was demonstrated when she vowed to achieve top performance status at an industry conference, a goal she accomplished two years later.

Soave aims to grow Complete Closet Design into a $10 million company within the next five to eight years, reflecting the high aspirations driving this generation of female entrepreneurs.