Auto Industry Advice Tailored to Women

We’re highlighting small businesses from around the country as nominated by you, our readers. If your favorite small business is using Twitter to communicate with customers, let us know about it @fbsmallbiz with the hashtag #mysbc, and it may be featured as an upcoming Small Business of the Day.

Small Business of the Day: Ask Patty.com

Who: Jody DeVere, 56, @askpatty

What: An automotive advice site for women

When: 2006

How: The idea to start up her business came to DeVere while she was working as a consultant for automotive service providers. She noticed a major gap in the industry for addressing women.

"I realized there was a black hole in terms of addressing the needs of women," she said. "I saw an opportunity."

Where: Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Biggest lesson learned: "Although women are the primary purchasers and ones who take vehicles in for service, there is a bit of resistance to serve the needs of women, and recognize them as the majority shoppers for cars," DeVere said. "[The industry] needs to be woken up to address the needs of women to better win marketshare."

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