Women are at the forefront of a new wave in entrepreneurship, with one survey finding that nearly half of all new businesses in the United States in 2021 were founded by women. Despite this growth, women continue to face barriers to entry and growth while women business owners remain underrepresented at large. To celebrate Women’s History Month, The Michigan Daily’s business beat spent March sitting down with five female business owners based in Ann Arbor to discuss their stories and experiences.

Phillis Engelbert – Detroit Street Filling Station / The Lunch Room / North Star Lounge

You may not know her name, but there’s a good chance you’ve wined and dined at one of the three prominent Ann Arbor establishments run by Phillis Engelbert: Kerrytown staple Detroit Street Filling Station, the recently-opened North Star Lounge and The Lunch Room Bakery & Cafe in Huron Towers. With a focus on locally-sourced produce and community organizing, Engelbert’s restaurants provide an assortment of eclectic vegan fare for their patrons.

Read more from our interview with Phillis Engelbert.

Ji Hye Kim – Miss Kim

Nestled in the heart of Kerrytown, Miss Kim, an award-winning restaurant operated by Ji Hye Kim, serves traditional Korean cuisine with a contemporary twist. Kim opened the restaurant in 2016 as a part of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses through their Path to Partnership program, which allows anyone, regardless of previous business experience, to apply to either join an existing Zingerman’s business as a partner or, in Kim’s case, start their own. 

Read more from our interview with Ji Hye Kim.

Jessie Lipkowitz – aUM Yoga / Polarity

Jessie Lipkowitz has a journey full of twists and turns that led her to become the owner of aUM Yoga and Polarity, a yoga and pole studio located on South University Avenue in Ann Arbor. 

Read more from our interview with Jessie Lipkowitz.

Eve Aronoff Fernandez – Frita Batidos

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels and a stark white interior beckon Main Street passersby into the Cuban-inspired burger and “batido” joint, Frita Batidos, owned by Eve Aronoff Fernandez. The indoor picnic tables, reminiscent of a cozy backyard gathering, are often completely filled with patrons indulging in Cuban comfort food, including the signature frita burgers and batidos milkshakes the restaurant is named after.

Read more from our interview with Eve Aronoff Fernandez.

Diana Marsh – Thistle & Bess

Whether you are shopping for classy gold jewelry, sparkly cocktail-themed Christmas ornaments or realistic food-shaped candles, owner Diana Marsh promises that you don’t have to look any further than Thistle & Bess, a funky store full of surprises. Located on Ann Arbor’s 4th Avenue on the outskirts of the Kerrytown District, Thistle & Bess opened a physical location in 2015 after making its mark as an online antique jewelry store.

Read more from our interview with Diana Marsh.