Female Entrepreneurs: Problems in the Workplace

As of 2017, more than 11 million U.S. businesses were owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people and generating $1.7 trillion in sales, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners. Businesses owned by women are constantly increasing, however, women-owned businesses are still in the minority. 

 One of the most common struggles for female entrepreneurs is to be taken seriously. Alison Gutterman, CEO, and president of Jelmar stated that most women CEOs who are in a male-dominated industry or workplace do not want to acknowledge their leadership role. Many women entrepreneurs struggle to get people to respect them and their role in the company. This affects how they own up to their accomplishments. As many people choose to criticize women in businesses, they often intentionally downplay their worth. Women entrepreneurs would often say “we” instead of “I” or give others credit they don’t deserve. It’s a struggle for them to realize their worth in the company and gain confidence in themselves.

 If a woman wants to start a business, it is often difficult to access funding. Not all startup founders look for investors to help get their businesses off the ground. However, those who are ambitious can try to get investors for the future of their company/business. Raising capital is even more difficult for women-owned businesses. A 2014 Babson College report found that less than 3% of companies with venture capital funding had female CEOs. Venture capitalists tend to invest in startups run by people of their own "group”. Even when they can raise money, female entrepreneurs find that it is in amounts much lower than their male counterparts.

 Although female inequality in entrepreneurship has decreased, it still needs to be discussed. Women are being mistreated based on their gender and not skill. Women are statistically having harder times to create a business and become successful compared to their male colleagues.