Depending on where you live, finding a woman-owned business might be hard to come by. But here in Maryland, we hold the number one ranking for women-owned businesses across the country. In fact, over 32% of all Maryland firms are women-owned, making Parallel Risk Advisors the perfect addition to the Baltimore business community.

Formed in early 2013, Parallel is a women-owned and operated commercial insurance brokerage and risk management company - a unique combination that makes up only 1-2% of the industry in the Mid-Atlantic region. The company is operated by Debbie Dorsch, Jessica Gray, and Eileen Hartzell, and while none of the owners originally hail from Baltimore, that hasn't stopped the women from calling Charm City home.

The trio came together by chance, meeting each other through previous jobs and years of networking. "It isn't often that you find three women who have that innate entrepreneurial spirit in them," said Eileen. "We used to joke that we could start our own company and conquer the world," they laugh and reminisce. But it didn't take long for these fearless women to realize one thingthey couldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass by.

The Harbor East firm focuses on the commercial real estate industry, providing advisory and risk management services to owners, managers, developers, lenders and investors delivering solutions and assessments with a deep understanding of the real estate world. Parallel Risk Advisors is a national company, but the bulk of its clients are located on the East and West Coasts.

While the insurance industry is one of the largest in the world, Parallel Risk Advisors feels it is strong enough to compete. "We are in a male-dominated industry, servicing a male-dominated industry. We are breaking the mold, but we're doing it because we want to bring a new level of expertise and solutions to an industry that we love," Debbie said. The company hopes to inspire others to chase after their goals, even if it means breaking traditional barriers.

Starting up in Charm City has brought the women's love and spirit of Baltimore to a more serious level, and now they want to give back to the city that started their journey. With four current employees, the company expects to add one or two more jobs this year, and then repeat every nine to twelve months. The company is looking into mentorships starting with Monique Dove, a local Baltimore entrepreneur who offers an after-school mentor program, Equal Medium Inc., for Baltimore City students. The owners are also considering working with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where students are required to have an internship to graduate.

"There's so much power in owning your own business. It allows us to make choices we couldn't necessarily make as employees," said Jessica. "We hope to gain financial freedom with our success so we can really give back to our community."

Learn more about Parallel Risk Advisors on the company's website.