Inside Google

Google’s Economic Impact 2009 report (see Consumer Watchdog’s statement) released online and at a series of press events around the country on Tuesday, shows an off-key bias about our nation’s citizens. The profiles of successful small business advertisers state-by-state (plus Taxation-without-Representation District of Columbia, where I live) are  pictured as overwhelmingly white and male. These are the numbers determined from my own reading of the document.

State by state by gender:

• Men                 43
• Women            6
• Couples           2

State by state by race/ethnicity:

• White              49
• Black                 1
• Asian                1
• Hispanic name    1

Congratulations to the female entrepreneurs who made it: Suzanne Gotter of California (canine boarding and doggie daycare), Caitlin Derry of Montana (stylish, comfortable baby slings),  Regina McCrae of New York (custom cakes and desserts), Heidi Morrissey of South Dakota (kitchen remodeling), Liz LaVallee of Vermont (teddy bears – whoops she’s not the owner, HE’s not pictured) and Brooks Lively of Virginia (kids’ clothes).

And the car dealers, insurance companies, travel services, costume suppliers, IT support solutions, and virtual phone system providers? They’re all men.

What does small business in America really look like? According to the US Small Business Administration, in 2002 (most recent available):

“Of the 23 million nonfarm businesses in 2002, women owned 6.5 million businesses, generating $940.8 billion in revenues, employing 7.1 million workers, and paying $173.7 billion in payroll. Another 2.7 million firms were owned equally by both women and men. Also in 2002, minorities owned 4.1 million firms that generated $694 billion in revenues and employed 4.8 million people. Hispanic Americans owned 6.6 percent of all U.S. businesses; African Americans, 5 percent; Asian Americans, 4.6 percent; American Indians or Alaska Natives, 0.8 percent; and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders, 0.1 percent.”

More recent facts from the Center for Women’s Business Research:

“Key Facts about Women-Owned Businesses

The Overall Picture: 2008-2009

10.1 million firms are owned by women (50% or more), employing more than 13 million people, and generating $1.9 trillion in sales as of 2008.

Three quarters of all women-owned businesses are majority owned by women (51% or more), for a total of 7.2 million firms, employing 7.3 million people, and generating $1.1 trillion in sales.

Women-owned firms (50% or more) account for 40% of all privately held firms.

Businesses Owned by Women of Color

1.9 million firms are majority-owned (51% or more) by women of color in the U.S.

These firms employ 1.2 million people and generate $165 billion in revenues annually.”

In the self-serving report, Claire Hughes Johnson, Google’s Vice President, Global Online Sales states:

“Like so many American companies, Google began life as a small business that succeeded by putting in long hours and hard work. That’s why we want to help as many businesses as we can to grow.”

Wake up, Google! Women, Hispanics and people of color are small business people, too.