The Highest-Rated Women-Owned Small Businesses in America

America’s women-owned businesses employ 11.4 million people and generate over $2.1 trillion in revenue annually. But women still own just 22.3% of employer businesses, and women-owned businesses generate just 4.84% of all business revenue overall.

While bigger is by no means better, this disparity between the number of women’s businesses and their quantitative economic impact reflects the challenges that women entrepreneurs still face. The gender wage gap and hiring biases may drive women to become entrepreneurs while depriving them of equal resources and experience to do so.

Annie Zou, owner and photographer of America’s highest-rated women-owned small business, says that one of the biggest challenges for women entrepreneurs is being underestimated early on:

“As a young woman, I had to learn to lead with clarity,” Zou tells OnDeck. “I reminded myself to project an image of a confident, experienced photographer so that I could earn that level of trust in my clients. These days, I’m actually a lot more relaxed and casual – word-of-mouth and reviews do that part of the hard work for me now.”

To celebrate the continued success of women-owned small businesses against the odds, OnDeck analyzed the Yelp ratings of over 12,000 women-owned small businesses in the U.S. to find the top-rated one in every state, plus the top-rated restaurant, cafe and salon overall — and we spoke with some of the women who are making it happen.

What we did

We gathered data from all women-owned businesses in 431 U.S. cities listed on Yelp with at least 50 reviews and a rating of four stars or higher. Then, we manually researched these businesses’ websites to ensure they were small businesses. Businesses were ranked according to their five-star customer rating on Yelp. In case of a tie, the business with more reviews was ranked higher.

Key findings

• America’s highest-rated on Yelp for women-owned small businesses is A Tale Ahead Photography near San Francisco, which has 391 perfect five-star ratings on Yelp.
• New York’s highest-rated women-owned business is Brooklyn Tails & Trails Dog Walkers on Staten Island, with 95 five-star ratings on Yelp.
• The highest-rated women-owned restaurant in the U.S. is Rang’s Cocina Moderne in North Las Vegas, Nevada, with an average Yelp rating of 4.97 stars.
• Frisky Business Palm Springs Cat Cafe in California is the highest-rated women-owned cafe, with an average rating of 4.94 stars from Yelp users.
• The top women-owned salon is Makeup by Raven in Oklahoma City, with 93 five-star ratings received from Yelp users across America.

Photography, dog-walking and lobster tours among America’s top rated women’s businesses

First, we identified the highest-rated women-owned small businesses, regardless of category or state on Yelp. The top ten all have perfect five-star ratings, but the one with the most is A Tale Ahead Photography in Pacifica, California. Run by a wife-and-husband wedding photography team, A Tale Ahead has 391 perfect five-star reviews.

“The most common feedback we get is that working with us is fun and easy,” A Tale Ahead Photography’s Annie Zou tells OnDeck. “I don’t like to take on a lot of clients because I want to give each couple individual care, and people do feel that. Quick, thorough communication is often cited as an important point.”

We found six of the 10 highest-rated women’s businesses are photography companies. The top-rated business outside of that industry is Blackbird Floral in Austin, Texas, with a perfect five-star rating from 152 reviewers.

“My advice for others starting a business is to keep returning to that spark of inspiration if things take longer than expected,” Lea M., Blackbird’s owner, tells OnDeck. “Try and work a regular job and build your new business as a side hustle for as long as you can. Try not to take on debt, and be sure to know how to wear all of the hats in your business. That way, you’ll be a better leader when the time comes.

“Also, be patient with yourself and find a mentor or friend who is further along than you.”

We also identified each state’s top rated women-owned small business from Yelp reviewers. In New York, Staten Island’s Brooklyn Tails & Trails Dog Walkers scores a perfect 5.0 based on 95 reviews. This dog-walking, training and pet-sitting firm has been going for 14 years. “We love the pictures they send with each walk, and they are always happy to accommodate our ever-changing schedule,” says one happy customer.

In Maine, South Portland’s Rocky Bottom Fisheries is the highest-rated, with an average Yelp rating of 4.96. The company is co-owned by Kate-Lyn “Bait Slayer” Knight, who runs lobster tours, sunset cruises and private hires with her family’s former tuna fishing boat, the Wild Duck. The company is highly rated for its pleasant, informative lobster catching (and returning) experiences and the clean, well-maintained environment of the boat.

Top women-owned restaurants include groundbreaking fusion and vegan pizza places

Next, we narrowed our search to women-owned restaurants. Rang’s Cocina Moderne, serving “Spanish & Italian dishes infused with Asian flavors” in North Las Vegas, is highly-rated among users. Rang’s has a near-perfect average rating of 4.97, thanks to the unique talents and cultural background of Chef Rang Tan — who also maintains a catering business in Manila.

“My family was my inspiration behind starting my business,” Tan tells OnDeck. “While I have always had a deep love for food and a passion for cooking, being a wife and mother have always been my most important roles… Starting my own business has given me the freedom to pursue what I love while being present for my family.”

By way of advice, Tan says: “Embrace your uniqueness. Your background, perspective, and experiences are your strengths. Let them guide your business and set you apart.”

Florish in Tampa, Florida, makes it to second place by a few decimal points, with an average rating of 4.93 on Yelp. It’s a family-run vegan pizza joint co-owned by Jill Faline-Sedita, and the Falines aim to maintain “a positive and upbeat space that makes it easier for people to transition to a plant-based diet which will contribute to a happier, healthier, more just and sustainable planet.”

“We learned that plant-based eating is better for our health, and for the health of the planet,” says Faline-Sedita. “Along the way, we realized how difficult it is to find plant-based meals for our family in most restaurants. We began a mission to make plant-based eating delicious, simple and more available.”

In Florida, Faline-Sedita is in good company as a woman-owned business — the state has one of the highest percentages of women-owned businesses in the country.

Cat cafe and non-profit ice cream shop are top-rated women-owned eateries

The highest-rated coffee shop or cafe is Frisky Business Palm Springs Cat Cafe in California, a “one-of-a-kind destination that blends feline companionship with the refinement of top-quality coffee and irresistible treats,” with an average rating of 4.94 stars on Yelp

The runner-up is Kansas’s Golden Scoop in Overland Park, with an average score of 4.93 from Yelp reviews. President & CEO Amber Schreiber and her sister Lindsay Krumbholz established this non-profit ice cream and coffee shop to provide meaningful employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“The inspiration for The Golden Scoop started by listening to parents [and] caregivers of uniquely abled people and their concerns for what their future would look like,” says Schreiber. “Would they be able to live on their own? Would they be able to obtain meaningful employment?”

OnDeck spoke to Tamara Lapsley and Angie Hudson, Co-Founders of Esteamed Coffee — Thesixth highest-rated women-owned cafe (4.92 stars on Yelp) — a Cary, North Carolina, coffee shop that, like the Golden Scoop, offers meaningful employment to those with intellectual, developmental, communication, or visual disabilities.

“Know your ‘Why’ when starting your business journey as it will motivate you and sustain you on the hard days,” advise Lapsley and Hudson. “Keep doing the next right thing towards your goal/dream, especially on the hard days when you want to give up.

“Rather than listening to the critics who say you aren’t qualified to start your business, surround yourself with positive, encouraging people who have the skills you lack and believe in your dream alongside you.”

Solo makeup artists claim most five-star reviews

Finally, we identified the top-rated women-owned hair and beauty salons on Yelp. We found seven with a perfect five-star rating, of which ​​Makeup by Raven in Oklahoma City is the winner with 93 ratings. Certified and award-winning makeup artist Raven Herschel has 12 years of experience, including work for celebrities, and is something of a celebrity herself, having appeared on and won an episode of TV’s “Beauty School Knockout.”

“I think what sets me apart is how my journey with beauty is a personal one and has become a talent, feeling and vibration to me over the years,” says Herschel. “Makeup Artistry is my ability to embellish what is already there; both physically and energetically. When I work on a client, I usually channel colors they love intuitively and help remind them of their beauty; as women we sometimes forget our beauty and power!”

With 63 five-star ratings, Beauty by Meagan in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is the runner-up. Meagan Brown offers glamorous or modern natural beauty makeovers and makeup lessons. “Ever since I was young I’ve been fascinated with beauty and makeup,” says Brown. “I decided to pursue makeup and started calling local makeup artists until someone agreed to let me apprentice them and from there I started in production and was amazed at the possibilities makeup artistry had to offer.

“Every woman has a different comfort level with makeup, and it’s my job to understand and design a look that will make you feel confident, comfortable and most importantly- like yourself.”

Embracing female ownership

Running a small business is challenging no matter what your demographic, and in 2025, all sorts of small businesses had to weather difficult conditions as tariff changes have made it more expensive to import stock and raw materials or export to overseas clients. Still, women entrepreneurs face greater challenges in starting and maintaining their small businesses. Here are some tips on how to turn the situation to your advantage.

1. Look before you leap. Whether through choice or as a result of societal imbalances, women often take on disproportionate levels of responsibility around personal life issues such as childcare ​​or looking after aging parents. As such, women entrepreneurs may benefit from more careful planning and preparation before launching a small business.
2. Get qualified. Regardless of your experience, pursuing qualifications before or during the operation of a business can help you establish credentials and credibility. Perhaps more importantly, business school and other classes are a great place to build a network and generate ideas.
3. Get certified. Getting certified as a woman-owned business with the Small Business Administration, Women’s Chamber of Commerce or other organization offers many benefits. It can help you boost credibility and visibility and make you eligible for government contracts, networking opportunities and financial resources..
4. Look into women-oriented support. The Small Business Administration and other organizations offer funding and support programs specifically directed towards women entrepreneurs.
5. Celebrate Women’s Small Business Month. Highlighting your business’s contribution to the thriving and innovative women-owned business community locally and across America can help build solidarity, good will and brand awareness.

Nearly half of the new small businesses started in 2024 were women-owned. And as America’s top-rated women-owned small businesses illustrate, female entrepreneurship is not just driving forward America’s economy, but it’s doing so with care, responsibility and confidence.

Methodology

To identify the highest-rated women-owned small businesses in the United States, we gathered data on all women-owned businesses in 431 U.S. cities listed on Yelp with at least 50 reviews and a rating of 4 stars or higher. Women-owned businesses are tagged as such by the owners on Yelp using the Attributes function.

In total, we collected information on 12,789 businesses nationwide. We then manually researched these businesses’ websites to ensure they were small businesses.

Businesses were ranked according to their five-star customer rating on Yelp. For instances of tied ratings, the business with more reviews was ranked higher.

The data was collected in September 2025.