What is a "Micro-business?"

A micro-business or microenterprise is one that employs between 1 and 5 people, including the business owner, requires less than $50,000 in startup funds, and does not have access to traditional credit or other conventional funding.

In Washington, microenterprises employ more than 600,000 people and make up a staggering 85% of businesses. Across the country, approximately 92% of businesses tracked by the census are micro-businesses.

The vast majority of micro-businesses are owned by entrepreneurs with limited incomes who are part of historically marginalized groups such as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, women, veterans, rural populations, tribal groups, LGBTQA+ people, and people with disabilities.

Learn more about the ways we strengthen the organizations that help entrepreneurs, especially those who have been marginalized, build capacity and succeed.

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What is an Entrepreneur Support Organization (ESO)? ESOs include but are not limited to: nonprofit business technical assistance providers, including CDFIs, that predominantly offer business training, technical assistance and/or microloans for the companies with 5 or fewer employees, including small businesses, gig entrepreneurs, business owners with limited incomes, rural businesses, people with disabilities, those from historically marginalized communities and others.

Here are samples of Washington State ESOs that are part of WSMA’s Partner Network

Read more about ESOs

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