U.S. Census Bureau

Survey of Business Owners

Company Summary: 2007

Census Bureau Economic Data

June 7, 2011
Presenters

Host Stanley J. Rolark

Chief, Public Information Office

U.S. Census Bureau 

Survey findings William Bostic, Jr.

Associate Director for Economic Programs

U.S. Census Bureau

Data analysis Alejandra Castillo

Deputy Director

Minority Business Development Agency

Survey uses Dana M. Lewis

Executive Director

National Women’s Business Council (NWBC)

June 7, 2011 2
Resources for Today’s News 

Conference

Come to www.census.gov and click on the icon 

at the top left corner to obtain –

• Today’s PowerPoint Presentation

• News Release – and More!

• Link to Survey of Business Owners Home 

Page

• Link to Guidance on Accessing SBO Data in 

the American FactFinder

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 3
About the Survey

• Part of the Economic Census taken every 5 

years for years ending in “2” and “7”

• The only comprehensive, regularly collected 

data for businesses and business owners by 

- Minority status

 Race 

 Ethnicity (Hispanic origin of any race)

- Gender

- Veteran status

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 4
Business Ownership by

Minority Status

Categories of ownership are based on the minority status of 

the person or persons who owned 51% or more of the stock 

or equity in the business in 2007 and include:

• Minority

– Hispanic (can be of any race)

– American Indian and Alaska Native

– Asian

– Black or African American

– Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

– Some Other Race, such as multiracial

• Equally minority/nonminority (50% / 50%)

• Nonminority or Non-Hispanic White

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 5
A Look at the 2007 Statistics for 

All U.S. Businesses from the

SBO Company Summary

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 6
Company Summary Data

• Cross tabulations for all business groups by 

the gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status 

of owner(s), for example, women veterans, 

Hispanic veterans, American Indian and 

Alaska Native veterans, and so on

• Separate data estimates for minority, equally 

minority/nonminority (50% / 50%), and 

nonminority businesses

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 7
Growth in Business Ownership

for Select Groups by Gender:

2002 to 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 8

* Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.

** Percentage change for AIAN women-owned firms is not statistically different from the women national-level percentage.

Note: Detail may not add to total because a Hispanic firm may be of any race. Moreover, each owner had the option of

selecting more than one race and therefore is included with each race selected.

5%

33%

2%

50%

10%

26% 25% 20%

46%

14%

67%

23%

54%

41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

All U.S. 

firms*

Hispanic White Black or 

African 

American

American 

Indian and 

Alaska 

Native**

Asian Native 

Hawaiian 

and Other 

Pacific 

Islander 

Men-owned

Women-owned
Veteran Business Ownership by

Gender and Minority Status: 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 9

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. The 2007 SBO provides the first-ever estimates for all

veteran-owned businesses in the United States.

94.8%

4.0% 1.2%

Men 

Women

Equally men/women

14.2%

0.2%

85.6%

Minority

Equally minority/nonminority

Nonminority
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 10

Veteran Business Ownership by

Gender and Minority Status: 2007

Veteran 

firms

(number) 

% of

all veteranowned firms

Veteran sales 

and receipts

($ billion)

% of all 

veteran 

firms’ sales 

and receipts

All U.S. veteran firms1 2,447,608 100 1,220 100

Gender

Women (W) 97,114 4 16 1

Men (M) 2,320,901 95 1,199 98

Equal (W,M) 29,593 1 5 < 1

Minority status

Minority (Min) 347,910 14 63 5

Equal (Min, Nonmin) 5,219 < 1 1 < 1 

Nonminority (Nonmin) 2,094,479 86 1, 156 95

1 Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. The 2007 SBO provides the first-ever estimates for all veteran-owned

businesses in the United States.
Minority Business Ownership

Increased at More Than Twice

the National Rate: 2002 to 2007

Minority-owned 

businesses

All U.S. 

businesses

Firms

(number)

% change 

for firms,

2002 - 2007

Firms 

(number)

% change 

for firms,

2002 - 2007

All firms1 5,759,209 45 27,092,908 18

Employer firms 766,533 22 5,735,562 4

Nonemployer 

firms 4,992,676 50 21,357,346 22

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 11

1 Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
Percent Change in Minority-Owned Firms: 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 12
Minority Business Revenues

Increased Faster than National Rates:

2002 to 2007

Minority-owned 

businesses

All U.S. 

businesses

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% change for 

sales and 

receipts,

2002 - 2007

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% change for 

sales and 

receipts,

2002 - 2007

All firms1 1,025 55 30,032 33

Employer firms 860 54 29,059 33

Nonemployer 

firms 164 59 973 27

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 13

1 Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 14

U.S. Business Ownership

by Minority Status: 2007

Firms

(number) 

% of

all U.S. 

firms

Sales and 

receipts

($ billion)

% of all U.S. 

firms’ sales 

and receipts

All U.S. firms1 27,092,908 100 30,032 100 

Minority 5,759,209 21 1,025 3

Equally minority/ 

nonminority 434,725 2 108 < 1

Nonminority 20,100,926 74 9,816 33

Not classifiable2 798,048 3 19,082 64

1 Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.

2 Includes publicly held and other firms not classifiable by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 15

U.S. Employer Businesses

by Minority Status: 2007

Firms

(number) 

% of

all U.S. 

employer 

firms

Sales and 

receipts

($ billion)

% of all U.S. 

employer

firms’ sales

and receipts

All U.S. employer 

firms1 5,735,562 100 29,059 100 

Minority 766,533 13 860 3

Equally minority/ 

nonminority 85,900 1 92 < 1

Nonminority 4,337,535 76 9,063 31

Not classifiable2 545,594 10 19,044 66

1 Includes firms with payroll at any time during 2007. Employment reflects the number of paid employees during the March 12 

pay period.

2 Includes publicly held and other firms not classifiable by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 16

U.S. Nonemployer Businesses

by Minority Status: 2007

Firms

(number) 

% of

all U.S. 

nonemployer 

firms

Sales and 

receipts

($ billion)

% of all U.S. 

nonemployer 

firms’ sales 

and receipts

All U.S. nonemployer 

firms1 21,357,346 100 973 100 

Minority 4,992,676 23 164 17

Equally minority/ 

nonminority 348,825 2 16 2

Nonminority 15,763,391 74 754 77

Not classifiable2 252,454 1 38 4

1 Includes firms with no paid employees.

2 Includes publicly held and other firms not classifiable by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status.

Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 17

Minority-Owned Businesses and

Their Proportion of All U.S. Firms by

Employer Status: 2002 to 2007

% of U.S. businesses that are 

minority-owned 

Year

2007

Year

2002

All firms1 21 17

Employer firms 13 11

Nonemployer firms 23 19

1 Includes firms with paid employees and firms with no paid employees.
Distribution of Firms by

Receipts Size of Firm: 2007

Receipts size

% of 

minorityowned 

firms

% of equally 

minority-/

nonminorityowned firms

% of 

nonminorityowned firms

% of all 

U.S. 

firms

Less than $50,000 76 66 64 65

$50,000 to $99,999 8 10 10 10

$100,000 to $249,999 8 10 11 10

$250,000 to $499,999 4 6 6 5

$500,000 to $999,999 2 4 4 4

$1,000,000 or more 2 4 5 5

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 18

Note: Detail may not add to 100 percent because of rounding.
Distribution of Employer Firms

by Employment Size of Firm: 2007

Employment size

% of 

minorityowned 

employer 

firms

% of equally 

minority-/

nonminorityowned 

employer 

firms

% of 

nonminorityowned 

employer 

firms

% of all 

U.S. 

employer 

firms

0 to 4 employees1 67 62 62 61

5 to 9 employees 17 19 18 18

10 to 19 employees 9 11 11 11

20 to 49 employees 5 6 7 7

50 employees or more 2 2 3 4

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 19

1 Includes firms with payroll at any time during 2007. Employment reflects the number of paid employees during the 

March 12 pay period.

Note: Detail may not add to 100 percent because of rounding.
Sectors Accounting for the Largest 

Number of Minority-Owned Firms: 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 20

Business sectors

Firms 

(number)

% of 

minorityowned 

firms

Sales and 

receipts 

($ billions)

% of 

minorityowned firms’

sales and 

receipts

Total for all sectors 5,759,209 100 1,025 100 

Repair, maintenance, personal

and laundry services 972,980 17 38 4

Health care and social assistance 754,919 13 84 8

Administrative and support and

waste management and 

remediation services

606,667 11 43 4

Professional, scientific, and

technical services 575,857 10 81 8

Construction 551,209 10 96 9
Sectors Accounting for the 

Largest Number of 

Nonminority-Owned Firms: 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 21

Business sectors

Firms 

(number)

% of 

nonminorityowned firms

Sales and 

receipts 

($ billions)

% of 

nonminorityowned firms’

sales and 

receipts

Total for all sectors 20,100,926 100 9,816 100 

Professional, scientific,

and technical services 3,079,443 15 658 7

Construction 2,754,571 14 1,390 14

Repair, maintenance, personal

and laundry services 2,063,094 10 199 2

Real estate and rental and leasing 2,054,121 10 369 4

Retail trade 2,042,898 10 1,743 18
Minority-Owned Firms by State: 2007

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 22
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 23

States With the Largest Number of

Minority-Owned Firms: 2007 

States Firms

(number)

% of firms 

in state

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

state

California 1,220,581 36 284 8

Texas 723,057 33 115 4

Florida 680,069 34 101 7

New York 537,544 27 79 4

Georgia 263,356 29 30 3

Illinois 223,007 20 36 2
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 24

Largest Percentage of Minority-Owned 

Firms in State: 2007 

States and 

equivalent area Firms

(number)

% of firms 

in state

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

state

Hawaii 68,542 57 21 21

District of Columbia 22,505 40 5 4

California 1,220,581 36 284 8

Florida 680,069 34 101 7

Texas 723,057 33 115 4

New Mexico 48,976 31 9 7

Maryland 164,130 31 23 5
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 25

Counties With the Largest Number of 

Minority-Owned Firms: 2007 

Counties with a 

population of at

least 500,000

Firms

(number)

% of firms 

in county

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

county

Los Angeles, CA 466,312 45 125 11

Miami-Dade, FL 286,596 71 51 21 

Harris, TX 169,381 46 32 4

Cook, IL 154,811 30 22 3

Queens, NY 130,327 55 13 13
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 26

Largest Percentage of Minority-Owned 

Firms in County: 2007 

Counties with a 

population of at

least 500,000 Firms

(number)

% of firms 

in county

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

county

Hidalgo, TX 46,813 71 6 24

Miami-Dade, FL 286,596 71 51 21 

Prince George’s, MD 50,335 69 5 10

Honolulu, HI 48,504 65 15 21

El Paso, TX 41,099 65 6 13

Bronx, NY 72,019 65 5 12

Queens, NY 130,327 55 13 13
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 27

Cities with a 

population of at

least 500,000 Firms

(number)

% of firms in 

city

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

city

New York, NY 403,812 43 57 4

Los Angeles, CA 181,147 40 40 11

Houston, TX 106,895 49 24 5

Chicago, IL 98,750 39 12 4

Miami, FL 61,228 72 13 20

San Antonio, TX 51,030 47 7 6

.

Cities With the Largest Number of 

Minority-Owned Firms: 2007 
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 28

Largest Percentage of Minority-Owned 

Firms in City: 2007 

Cities with a 

population of at

least 500,000 Firms

(number)

% of firms 

in city

Sales and 

receipts

($ billions)

% of firms’ 

sales and 

receipts in 

city

Detroit, MI 34,513 68 2 4

El Paso, TX 33,724 64 6 13 
Accessing SBO Results

• SBO Web site: www.census.gov/econ/sbo

• For access to prepackaged data products and 

the ability to build custom tables, visit

American FactFinder (AFF), the Census

Bureau’s online, self-service data access

tool at www.factfinder.census.gov

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 29
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 30

Data Release date

Preliminary Company Summary - Estimates of 

Business Ownership by Gender, Ethnicity, 

Race, and Veteran Status 

July 13, 2010

Hispanic-Owned Businesses September 21, 2010

Women-Owned Businesses December 7, 2010

Black-Owned Businesses February 8, 2011

American Indian- and Alaska NativeOwned Businesses March 11, 2011

Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific IslanderOwned Businesses April 1, 2011

Asian-Owned Businesses April 26, 2011

SBO Release Schedule
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 31

Data Release date

Veteran-Owned Businesses May 17, 2011

Company Summary June 7, 2011

Characteristics of Businesses June 14, 2011

Characteristics of Business Owners June 14, 2011

SBO Release Schedule

(continued)
Characteristics of Businesses –

June 14, 2011

Provides detailed data for all respondent firms by

ownership group for business characteristics that include:

• Whether the business was family-owned, home-based, or 

franchised

• Types of customers and workers

• Sources and amount of financing

• Whether the business outsourced or exported

• Language(s) used for business transactions

• Use of the Internet and e-commerce

• Employer-paid benefits

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 32
Characteristics of Business Owners –

June 14, 2011

Provides detailed data for all owners of respondent 

firms by ownership group for owner characteristics that

include:

• Owner’s age, education, hours worked, and primary 

function in the business

• Year and how the business was acquired

• Whether the owner was born in the U.S.

• Whether the business provided the primary source of 

personal income

• For veterans, whether the owner was military servicedisabled

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 33
Minority Women-Owned 

Firms Are Fastest 

Growing Firms

U.S. Department of Commerce 

Minority Business Development Agency

Alejandra Castillo, National Deputy Director

June 7, 2011
35

Minority Women-Owned Firms 

Are the Fastest Growing

2002-2007

78%

39%

20%

27%

46%

17%

5%

20%

67%

32%

63%

54%

29%

58%

46%

5% 12%

44%

50%

26%

15%

53%

33%

-3%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Number of Firms Gross Receipts Paid Employees

African American female

Asian female

Hispanic female

All female

African American male

Asian male

Hispanic male

All male
36

More Minority Women Are Entrepreneurs

Many more minority men and women are embracing entrepreneurship, with minority females 

becoming entrepreneurs at a faster rate than any other group.

Minority female-owned firms once again grew faster than all other groups of firms in number OF 

firms, gross receipts and employment between 2002 and 2007. 

African American female-owned firms grew the fastest than any other group of firms in number of 

firms by 67%, and in employment by 39 percent. 

Firms owned by Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander women had the highest increase in 

gross receipts, with a 90 percent growth during the same period. 

Asian women-owned firms followed African American women-owned firms with the second fastest 

growth in number of firms and employment; and Hispanic female-owned firms ranked third in 

terms of growth in those two business measures during the same period. 

In comparison, all female-owned firms grew at a slower rate than minority female-owned firms. 

The number of female-owned firms increased by 20 percent, their receipts by 27 percent and their 

employment by 6 percent. 

Male-owned firms grew at an even slower rate by 5 percent in number of firms, 20 percent in 

gross receipts, and experienced a loss in employment with a decrease of 3 percent in paid workers 

during the same period. 
37

Minority-Owned Firms by Gender

Minority Firm Ownership by Gender, 2007

2,212,777

38%

2,903,966

51%

642,466

11%

Female-owned

Male-owned

Equally male-

/female-owned
38

Minority-Owned Firms by Gender

In 2007, there were about 5.8 million minority-owned firms, of which 2.2 million were 

owned by minority women primarily (with a 51 percent ownership rate) and 2.9 million 

firms were owned by minority men. 

Minority female-owned firms represented 38 percent of all minority-owned firms, while 

minority men held 51 percent of these firms, with the remaining 11 percent equally owned 

by minority women and minority men in 2007.

Minority women-owned firms generated $186.2 billion in gross receipts (about 18% of all 

the receipts generated by minority-owned firms) and employed 1.2 million workers (about 

21% of all the workers employed at minority-owned firms).
39

Minority Women-Owned Firms 

Are Smaller 

Average Gross Receipts, 2007

Minority 

Female-owned 

businesses

Non-Minority

Femaleowned 

businesses

Minority 

Male-owned 

businesses

Non-Minority

Male-owned 

businesses

$84,000 $181,000 $245,000 $706,000
40

Much Room to Grow

Although minority-owned businesses are growing at a faster rate than non-minority firms, there is a large 

disparity in average gross receipts between minority female-owned firms and other group of firms. 

Average gross receipts of minority female-owned firms amounted to only $84,000 per firm, less than half the 

average gross receipts of their non-minority female counterparts ($181,000), and a third of the average 

receipts generated by minority male-owned businesses ($245,000). Non-minority male-owned firms had the 

largest average gross receipts at $706,000 per firm. 

The smaller average size of minority female-owned firms is partly explained by the fact that they had a 

lower rate of firms with employees. There were about 180,000 minority female-owned firms with employees 

representing about 8 percent of all minority female-owned firms in 2007. 

In comparison, other groups of firms had higher rates of firms with employees, with non-minority female- owned firms with employees representing 13 percent of their firms, 16 percent of minority male-owned 

firms had paid workers, and 25 percent of non-minority male-owned firms had paid employees in 2007. 

Among firms with employees, minority female-owned firms continued to exhibit much smaller average gross receipts ($785,000 per firm), compared to their male and non-minority counterparts ($1.3 million per minority male owned firm; $1.2 million for non-minority females; and $2.6 million for non-minority males).

Barriers to capital and market access, as well as discrimination continue to affect the size of minority-owned 

firms compared to their non-minority counterparts.
41

Wide Industry Distribution of Minority 

Women-Owned Firms

Finance and 

insurance

2.0%

Educational services

2.7%

Information

0.9%

Utilities

0.05%

Agriculture, forestry, 

fishing and hunting

0.1%

Construction

2.7%

Transportation and 

w arehousing

2.1%

Accommodation and 

food services

3.1%

Arts, entertainment, 

and recreation

3.2%

Real estate and 

rental and leasing

5.7%

Retail trade

9.4%

Other services 

(except public 

administration)

21.4%

Professional, 

scientific, and 

technical services

9.5%

Management of 

companies and 

enterprises

0.01%

Health care and 

social assistance

23.0%

Mining, quarrying, 

and oil and gas 

extraction

0.05%

Wholesale trade

1.5%

Manufacturing

1.1%

Administrative and 

support and waste 

mgmt. and 

remediation svcs.

11.5%
42

Minority Women-Owned Firms by Industry

Minority-owned firms were widely distributed among all industry sectors. Minority female-owned firms 

were most concentrated in Health Care and Social Assistance (23%); Administrative and Support, Waste 

Management, and Remediation Services (11.5% ); Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (9.5%); 

and Retail Trade (9.4%).

In comparison, non-minority female-owned firms had a slightly different distribution of firms with their largest concentration of firms in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (15.9%); followed by Health 

Care and Social Assistance (13%); Retail Trade (12.7%); Administrative and Support, Waste Management, 

and Remediation Services (9.5% ); and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (9.5%).

Minority male-owned firms were most concentrated in Construction (15.2%); followed by Transportation & Warehousing (11.9%); Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (10.6%); and Administrative and 

Support, Waste Management, and Remediation Services (10%).

Although minority female-owned firms had smaller average gross receipts compared to other firms, there 

were a few industries in which minority female-owned firms seemed to outperform their peers. 

Among firms with employees, minority female-owned firms had larger average gross receipts compared to 

minority male-owned firms in the Utilities sector. 

In the Information sector, minority female-owned firms with employees had higher payroll per employee 

compared to their non-minority female and male counterparts. 

Finally, in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services sector, minority female-owned firms with 

employees had also higher average payroll per employee compared to their non-minority female peers.
43

Employment and Average Payroll

In terms of employment, minority female-owned firms are very competitive with 

slightly lower rates of paid workers compared to their male and non-minority 

counterparts. 

Minority women-owned firms with employees employed on average 7 workers 

per firm, while minority male-owned firms with employees had about 8 workers 

per firm, and non-minority female-owned firms with employees averaged 9 

workers per firm. 

However, minority women-owned firms had lower average payroll per 

employee. Average payroll per employees at minority female-owned firms 

totaled about $26,000 compared to $29,000 for non-minority female-owned 

firms and $31,000 for minority male-owned firms.

MBDA’s goal is to help grow minority male and female-owned businesses in 

industries with the potential for size and scale, as well as encourage job creation 

among these firms.
44

$1.0

$3.4

$2.5

$0.0

$0.5

$1.0

$1.5

$2.0

$2.5

$3.0

$3.5

2007 Actual 2007 Parity 2009 Minority

Buying Power

5.8

8.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

2007 Actual 2007 Parity

Number of Firms (millions) Gross Receipts (trillions) Paid Employment (millions)

Entrepreneurial Parity 

5.8

17.5

0

5

10

15

20

2007 Actual 2007 Parity
45

Entrepreneurial Parity

At MBDA, we measure entrepreneurial parity of minority-owned firms, which is 

defined as reaching proportionality between the share of the adult minority 

population, 18 years old and above, in the U.S. and their business participation.

Compared to their share of the adult population which was 31 percent in 2007, 

minority-owned businesses have yet to reach parity with their share of number 

of firms, gross receipts and employment. 

If minority-owned businesses would have reached parity in 2007, there would 

have been 8.1 million minority businesses, instead of 5.8 million. These firms 

would have generated $3.4 trillions in gross receipts instead of $1 trillion, and 

would had employed 17.5 million workers instead of 5.8 million. 

The entrepreneurial parity gap for minority women is even wider as a result of 

their lower participation rates as business owners. 

There is much work ahead for MBDA and the nation to try to close the 

entrepreneurial gap between the minority population, which continues to grow 

at a faster pace than non-minorities, and their business ownership share. 
46

Minority-Owned Firms with $1 Million 

Plus in Sales

2007

2%

98%

68%

32%

61%

39%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Number of firms Gross receipts Paid employees

Minority firms ($1 million and above) Minority firms (under $1 million)
47

Upside of $1 Million Plus Firms 

While smaller in number, minority-owned businesses with receipts of $1 million 

or more generated a much larger percentage of all minority business’ revenues 

and paid employment than firms with receipts under $1 million. 

Minority-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more represented 2 percent 

of all minority firms but generated 68 percent of all minority firms’ gross receipts 

and 61 percent of all their paid employment. 

There were 141,000 minority-owned firms with gross receipts of $1 million or more in 2007. These firms generated combined gross receipts of $700 billion 

and employed over 3.5 million workers.

Average gross receipts of minority-owned firms generating sales of $1 million or more grew by about 9 percent from $ 4.6 million per firm in 2002 to about $5 

million per firm in 2007 according to MBDA estimates.
48

The Future

MBDA is committed to making sure the growth and 

competitiveness of the minority business community continues 

to be a national priority.

MBDA is creating the foundation for the next generation of $100 

million minority-owned firms capable of employing the growing 

minority and U.S. population, expanding the national tax base, 

and securing our position as a global leader.

In fiscal year 2010, MBDA assisted minority owned firms in 

accessing more than $3.9 billion in contracts and financings, 

and creating about 6,400 jobs. 

To grow more minority-owned firms in size and capacity, MBDA 

encourages minority businesses to consider growth by mergers 

and acquisition, joint ventures and strategic partnerships.
49

Contacting MBDA Public Affairs

For more information, please contact:

Email: public_affairs@mbda.gov

Phone: 202.482.6272

WHO WE ARE

• The National Women’s Business Council is a bipartisan, federal advisory council created to serve 

as an independent source of advice and policy 

recommendations to the President, Congress, 

and the U.S. Small Business Administration on 

economic issues of importance to women 

business owners.

• Members of the Council are prominent women 

business owners and leaders of women’s business 

organizations.
OUR MISSION

• The Council’s mission is to promote bold initiatives, 

policies and programs designed to support women’s 

business enterprises at all stages of development in 

the public and private sector marketplaces – from 

start-up to success to significance.

• The council is committed to:

– Conducting research on issues of importance to women 

business owners and their organizations

– Communicating these findings widely

– Connecting the women’s business community to one 

another and to public policy makers

– Providing a platform for change in order to expand and 

improve opportunities for women business owners and 

their enterprises
Questions?

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 53
Key Upcoming Press Event from the 

U.S. Census Bureau

• June 14 Webinar on 2007 Characteristics of 

Businesses and Characteristics of 

Business Owners

• June 30 Webinar on 2009 County Business 

Patterns Data

www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 54
www.census.gov/econ/sbo June 7, 2011 55

Contact Information

• U.S. Census Bureau

Public Information Office

Phone: 301.763.3030

www.census.gov

• Minority Business Development Agency

Public Affairs Office

Phone: 202.482.6272

www.mbda.gov

• National Women’s Business Council (NWBC)

Phone: 202.205.3850

www.nwbc.gov