Today there are countless business opportunities for women. Women are starting new businesses at record rates as reported by the Center for Women’s Business Research. But the overwhelming number of businesses co-owned or majority-owned by women are and will remain very, very small. In 2006, there were 7.7 million businesses in which women owned at least 51% of the company. Those businesses employed 7.2 million people–less than one employee per business.
Although it’s true that the overwhelming majority of all businesses start small and stay small, I wonder why women-owned businesses stay smaller than their male-owned counterparts. Are we afraid of success or failure? Are we just trying to balance business and family? Do we prefer alliances and outsourcing to employees? Or do women lack the knowledge or training to know how to grow a business without simply working harder?
What do you think? Please post your comments here.
