NASHVILLE, Tenn.–Businesses owned by minority women are growing at a historic rate and having a deep impact on the American economy. According to The Center for Women’s Business Research, the number of firms owned by minority women increased by 32 percent from 2002-2008 and revenues have spiked a dramatic 48 percent.

Elayne Wooding, Showhomes St. Petersburg Owner

Showhomes, America’s largest home staging company, is proud to have a member of its team who’s a participant in this bright economic trend. The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently named Elayne Wooding, owner of the Showhomes St. Petersburg franchise, the area’s most outstanding young minority small business owner. With 2,600 members, the chamber is largest in the Tampa Bay region and some estimates have put it at the second largest in the country.

Wooding, 34, decided to become a home staging entrepreneur after working her way up the ladder in the real estate and finance fields. She only bought her franchise in March, but quickly made a name for herself in St. Petersburg, where the downturn in the housing market has left hundreds of vacant homes stagnating on the market. Wooding recently sold a $530,000 home that was on the market for two years in 120 days for 97 percent of the list price.

“We’ve had so much negativity when it comes to real estate,” Wooding said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of a solution that helps everyone – the homeowners, Realtors, builders and top notch home managers that we find to live in the homes while they are on the market. It’s extremely rewarding to help people in distressed situations and homeowners who feel overwhelmed by all they are up against because of the market for high-end homes.”

CWBR estimated that there are about 1.9 firms owned by women of color that employ 1.2 million workers and bringing in $165 billion in revenues and making up 26 percent of all women-owned firms.

“I don’t spend much time thinking about the fact that I’m a woman and a minority,” Wooding says. “But leadership is very important to me. It’s important to be a strong role model for others and help others in any way you can.”

This means that Wooding finds ways to link her knowledge of real estate and home staging to the community. Just last week she talked to third and fourth graders at a local elementary school about her career in home staging, emphasizing the importance of having a clean, organized room and telling them about the benefits of being an entrepreneur.