We ❤ Women-Owned Businesses
International Women’s Day is Friday, March 8th, and we want to celebrate and illuminate some of our favorite small businesses owned by women in Portland, Oregon. The state of Oregon ranked 37th in the country with a 27.8 percent increase in the number of women-owned businesses since 2007, according to the Portland Tribune. Many of these women-owned businesses mentioned below are a part of this growth.
These boss babes have transformed their passions into businesses and are sharing them with the world. From conscious tasty treats to stunning fine jewelry, interactive theater to healing salt floats, these women have so much to offer our local community. We encourage you to reach out, sign up, celebrate, and support these women and the women in your lives.
Margalaxy
One of our favorite Portland neighbors and makers, Margalaxy elevates taste buds into orbit with raw and delicious protein-packed foods. This local woman-owned business was created by veteran baker Margaux Miller, with her 13 years of experience in the baking industry and a degree in International Baking & Pastry Arts. Her incredible concept of sustainable snacking boosts energy to your mind, body, and soul.
Proudly, Margalaxy is dedicated to making foods that are 100% Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free 100% Plant-Based, Non-GMO, and free of refined sugars.
Their line of superfood snacks is devoted to people who want to kick the refined sugar habit. We share a similar belief that the quality of a product is imperative when eating a delicious & nutritious snack.
Every snack tastes and feels like a treat. Using dates as a natural sweetener, it’s easy to see how something so simple and made from plants can pack powerful flavor.
You can buy her moon bars, moon balls, and even subscribe to a snack box on her website.
Bee’s Cakes
Meet the boss lady behind Bee’s Custom Cakes: Rebecca Powazek (BEE) chef and owner. Rebecca is passionate about cultivating community through joyful experiences. After earning her advanced professional diploma in pastry from the San Diego Culinary Institute, Rebecca worked her way up in the pastry world in a number of famous bakeries, restaurants, and hotels in the pacific northwest and southern California.
Bee’s is more than a bakery. It is the perfect date spot, the treat you look forward to, and inviting gathering space. With playful decorations and bold flavor combinations, Bee’s quality custom cakes, breakfast pastries, desserts and sweets are best described as “elevated comfort food”.
The best part is you can easily order directly on her website to make the dessert buying process simple, enjoyable, and stress free. One bite, and you’ll be hooked, you have our word.
Tiffany Anne Jewelry
Tiffany Anne’s biggest passion is creating jewelry you’ll treasure and wear every day. Jewelry helps us tell our unique stories, transform outfits into art, and connect us with a time, place, person or feeling. She designs jewelry for diverse and creative women who want to feel effortlessly beautiful every day. The collections are delicate, lightweight that take you from day to night and outfit to outfit seamlessly.
Tiffany Anne crafts each item by hand in her Hood River, OR studio. It’s important to Tiffany Anne that at every step of this process, the jewelry is crafted with care and environmental consciousness. All materials are of the highest quality and responsibly sourced. She also utilizes local small businesses for supplies, when possible. Stones are conflict-free, metal is recycled from a US refinery, packaging and “bubble mailers” are recyclable and compostable.
When not in the studio Tiffany Anne teaches jewelry-making classes that help people connect to their creativity and communities IRL.
Joy & Wonder Theatre
It started with a dream (and a lot of hard work) and it has turned into the little company that could! Joy & Wonder Theatre creates both productions and classes that awaken the senses, imagination, and playful natures of students and explorers with their brand of immersive theater.
In immersive theater, a world is brought to life before your very eyes that you are invited to play inside. All the voices in the room are listened to and because of that storylines may be changed and shaped by the people in that particular audience on that particular day. They ask that everybody enter a space of play in order to discover how using our skills of empathy, deep thought, and total joy can create a unique theatrical experience in both classrooms and production venues.
Jessica Autumn Zodrow is the Artistic Director alongside her creative partner, Lisa Gilham-Luginbill. They both share a passion for theater and both knew from a young age that their lives would revolve around the act of play. Jessica filled her life with storytelling and studied every type of theater that she could in places like New York City and San Francisco in order to expand her heart and mind. Lisa loves being in charge of a show and is excited she’s bringing her creative business mind to joy & wonder theatre.
The Venderia
In 2013, Taylor Valdes started The Venderia, a collection of unusual vending machines glowing in bars and other fun venues throughout the Portland metro area. Taylor started with one vending machine in Beulahland, and now is in an astounding 14 different locations, so you can find vend these special treasures as far north as Vancouver, WA, and as far south as Corvallis, OR.
The Venderia vends art, media, magic, and everything you need for a one-night stand. From condoms and lighters to vintage paperback novels, to Tarot reading and inner animal mystery bags, The Venderia is a convenience store, thrift shop, oracle, and art gallery all in one.
In the 6 years that have been in operation, Taylor has worked with over 100 Portland artists, mostly women. We love knowing that no matter which machine we vend from, there is an abundance of women creators sharing their art.
Dr. Katie Kanda
Dr. Katie Kanda and her colleague are opening a women’s health, functional medicine, chiropractic, craniosacral and membership-based primary care facility. They look forward to warmly welcoming a truly comprehensive, holistic + heart-centered practice safe for women, female-identified bodies, LGBTQ+, or anybody needing a safe space for deep healing.
Dr. Katie is a holistic-minded physician who believes that everything is connected. She isn’t wrong. In her practice she will work with your body — not against it— to gently uncover the root of an imbalance, restoring your body’s natural ability to heal itself.
She specializing in the gentle and compassionate care of women, pregnancy, and pediatrics, Dr. Katie pulls from her advanced training to customize your treatments that facilitate true healing.
Don’t identify as a woman or a child? Not to worry! All are welcome and safe here.
Nurture Life Coaching
Not only does Savannah Mayfield run a woman-owned business in Portland, Oregon (in practice for 15 years in PDX), she also works with and supports mostly women and women-owned businesses 🙂
Savannah is a life, career, and business coach who helps people get in touch with their own personal clarity to create positive change both in their own lives and in the lives of others.
She started Nurture Life Coaching in 2004 as a healing practice that integrates life and career coaching with bodywork and somatic awareness. As a feminist who believes that change for the individual is deeply connected to change for the collective, Savannah takes an anti-oppression lens in her work and focuses on supporting women and LGBTQ individuals in loving and believing in themselves.
Savannah came to this path from her own challenges as a young single mother, as a person who was traumatized by oppressive religion and patriarchy, and as someone who struggled with lifelong anxiety. Her mission is simple: radical love and radical change.
Nurture Life Coaching invites new and old clients to schedule individual coaching sessions, massage/bodywork sessions, or a combo of coaching and bodywork in her sweet little nest of an office in the Montavilla area of Portland, Oregon.
Purifoy Spirit Essences and Sacred Ways Apothecary
Lorin Purifoy has been a licensed Massage Therapist since 2008. That same year she began her private practice and started offering intuitive Stone Medicine sessions. Lorin is guided primarily by her intuition in her apothecary line and vibrational medicine sessions and ceremonies.
In 2010 Lorin crafted her maiden spirit essence. At the time, it was mostly for personal use, but she began incorporating them into her massage practice and it’s grown from there.
Lorin’s private practice offers massage, cupping, private and group stone medicine sessions, cacao + stone medicine ceremonies, spirit remedy sessions, and home clearings.
Lorin’s apothecary line offers Singles, blends, and custom spirit remedies from wildflowers, gems, minerals, and trees. She also offers wild gathered cordials, oxymels, oil infusions, salves, tinctures, and organic + wild gathered plant-based body care for sacred self-care. It’s all small batched and seasonal, so what’s offered may vary.
We love that she uses her intuition to create custom blends that include a copy of all the Essences and their support. Another women-owned business in Portland, Oregon using its clients as their inspiration.
One Stripe Chai
Farah started One Stripe Chai 3 years ago in the basement of TaborSpace with her friend Joshua. They were working at the coffee shop upstairs and were really struggling with the lack of quality chai options available.
Additionally, Farah is Indian and grew up drinking chai. She felt regular cafe chai seemed to be only portrayed as a sweet milky drink rather than an authentic bold tea-forward beverage. After tinkering in the basement kitchen for 6 months they finally came up with a recipe that they believed to be the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Using jaggery (traditional Indian unrefined palm sugar) and local Clover honey from Nature’s Best, they’ve achieved the perfect sweetness to balance their spices. The cafe patrons loved what they were serving and prompted them to start One Stripe Chai so other coffee shops could also serve a tastier, more authentic chai!
Fast forward 3 years and One Stripe Chai is in about 40 coffee shops in the Portland area, plus 1 in Olympia, WA, and another in Los Angeles, CA.
A spicy and not too sweet blend of some of the most flavorful Chai we have ever tasted. One Stripe Chai concentrate is made locally, right here in Portland, Oregon, and is sold at New Seasons, Market of Choice, and on One Stripe Chai’s website.
Crazy Cat Advertising
Andrea recently started her new Portland-based woman-owned business, called Crazy Cat Advertising. Crazy Cat puts local business ads and coupons on the paper garment covers that dry cleaners use. This is a new and unique place for local businesses to get their information out in front of thousands of potential customers in high-income neighborhoods.
Dry cleaning customers generally get their dry cleaning done close to home, so this is an opportunity for hyper-local advertising for local businesses. The ads are seen multiple times before being discarded, and it is a fantastic alternative to direct mail, which generally gets discarded before being seen.
Many clients rave about Andrea’s help throughout the process, making the entire execution easy and effective. Crazy Cat ad rates are listed on her website.
Stonedware Company
Founded by artist Ariel Zimman of RELM Studios, Stonedware Co. combines aesthetic stoneware with smoking pipes, driven by both form and function, for individuals seeking a deeper connection with the objects in their life. Stonedware believes that it’s the little things that count. It’s time to bring more beauty and joy to your routine with Stonedware Co.
Women owned and handcrafted in Portland, Oregon, each pipe is designed ergonomically for ease of use and made from the finest materials. Stonedware Co. pipes are porcelain, finished with a food-safe glaze and 22K Gold, without any fillers. The unique design delivers a smoother smoking experience. Her pipes look good, feel good, and work great. Nothing but the best for your body and mind.
Stonedware Co. pipes are sold in over 40 different retail stores nationwide, and 10 web stores including Ariel’s own. We feel there is a pipe for everyone and one you won’t have to hide when mom comes over.
Misty Fall Body Works
Misty Fall has a passion for learning about the body and healing, offering bodywork services focused on Amma Therapy. Amma Therapy massage is a bodywork modality based in Chinese Medicine. Misty was honored to be able to participate in an apprenticeship style 3-year training with Tina Sohn who brought the practice from Korea in the 1970s.
Misty uses 90 minutes for a first-time treatment. Clients first fill out the intake form and talk about their health history and wellness goals. Misty then looks at the client’s tongue and takes both wrist pulses and use all of that information to decide what therapy recommendations are for that individual. Throughout the massage, Misty listens and checks in with clients and uses every method to ensure a very welcoming safer space for healing and empowerment for all.
Misty Fall, is a queer, masculine center human who got into Amma Therapy to begin healing from 20+ years of chronic pain. Misty loves “dad jokes”, dance parties, and building community locally in the lovely Portland, OR.
Misty is offering the 90-minute 1st time special for $90, which is $25 off. Misty also offers financial hardship rates and is going to start a massage fund to offer free massage to POC and LGBTQA+ community who can not otherwise access this care.
Yes Thanks
Zoe launched Yes Thanks in the fall of 2018 with a Kickstarter for Greater Hand Oracle Deck. The concept behind the name “Yes Thanks” is that sometimes the Universe throws you awesome shit. Sometimes the Universe throws you shit. Either way, you gotta first accept it, and then show gratitude. Just say, “Yes, thanks”.
Zoe wanted to create a place where you can high-five your cosmic health and find products that help you connect to both your inner self, as well as the greater cosmos.
Growing up being an “art kid” in Southern California, Zoe was constantly creating things and running around looking for fairies. As she progressed with study, she moved between photography, advertising, sculpture, metalsmithing, and creative direction. Now she is backing up to what she did as a kid: making products that involve the hunt to hook up with magick.
Greater Hand Oracle Deck Info:
This 25 card deck is here to help you recenter, refocus, and recharge. Each card has a theme word that is represented with illustrated hands set against a colorful background that undulates throughout the deck. Every deck comes with an accordion-folded Guidebook with further definitions of each thematic word.
Greater Hand Oracle Deck is here to help navigate your celestial questions. The learnings may be a sacred slap to your inner self or a gentle caress of awakening. Either way, they are here to be your tool; use them how you want in the life you create.
Float North PDX
Dana Highfill is the owner and primary operator of Float North, another one of our favorite women-owned businesses here in Portland, Oregon. She has spent much of her life recovering and healing from the stresses and traumas of our modern world and has created a sanctuary for others to do the same. Dana has been a massage therapist for the past 10 years, and in 2011 she floated for the first time. That first float took Dana deeper than any meditation practice ever had, plus she felt physically amazing afterward. She knew then that she wanted to open a float and massage therapy center. Dana now has built one of the most beautiful float centers in Portland.
Float North staff will help you find what modalities work best for you and how often you should be including them in your routine for your personal goals. They adjust to tailor to your needs.
From Integrative Massage Therapy to Float Therapy and SomaWave Therapy, you’re sure to find the right treatment for you. Float North takes health insurance and personal injury claims (car accidents/workers comp) for massage therapy, and even gives back to the community by participating in programs that offer free floats for those in need.
Oh Honey Cookery
Bonnie grew up in New Orleans to an Italian family that grew vegetables for the farmer’s markets. Her family’s farm-to-table cooking was the standard. She loved the Sicilian and Creole-Cajun family specialties and realized that these bold flavors brought people together.
Eventually, she moved to beautiful Bend, Oregon where she had a small 13 table New Orleans-style restaurant. Since relocating to Portland in 2014, some of Bonnie’s special joys include teaching private, group, and team-building cooking classes, having popup dinners, and holding demos at local restaurants, wineries, and breweries.
Alternatively, Bonnie was fascinated as she watched her friend hand-letter signs for a French Quarter jewelry shop window. She was hooked and decided to pursue her own calligraphic journey. Eventually, she worked as a graphic artist at printing companies, direct mail houses, and stationery shops in the Bay Area and LA.
Near and dear to her heart is sharing her love of various forms of lettering with beginners, and she encourages each one to develop their own style – after learning the basics of course!
Bonnie is currently offering cooking classes, pop-up cooking demos, and relaxed calligraphy classes around Portland. You can join a class at her 120-year old farmhouse in South Tabor, or find her cooking and pop-up schedule on her website for Oh Honey Cookery.
Nora’s Kitchen Granola
Last, but not least we clearly love and support our own business. Nora’s Kitchen Granola!
Did you know that we are women-owned and operated? Established in 2015, Nora’s Kitchen Granola offers gluten-free, vegan granola hand-crafted and produced in a licensed commercial kitchen in Portland, Oregon. Slowly roasted in small batches to bring out the unique flavor of healthy oils, nuts, grains, and spices. We also believe that sourcing locally is important, with over half of our ingredients being sourced locally. When purchasing from us you help to support more local businesses than just Nora’s Kitchen Granola, and that’s the way we believe it should be.
In the winter of 2016, Nora decided she needed some more help with growing her business. Kelsey worked alongside Nora for about a year and after seeing the growth of her company, Nora realized it was time to step back and enjoy her retirement. Kelsey wanted to keep the business “in the family”, but more importantly keep the business women-owned. That’s when Kelsey and Nora’s son decided to take over Nora’s Kitchen at the beginning of 2018.
A word from Kelsey:
Food has always been a gateway to connection and brought people together. It’s difficult to find gluten-free and vegan food that not only tastes good but is good for you. Nora’s Granola breaks that barrier and it’s a product I strongly stand behind.