Women Entrepreneurs(?)
Where are all the women entrepreneurs? There is a scarcity of women entrepreneurs, and frankly, I don’t understand why. The rate of men entrepreneurs creating new businesses has increased from 370 per 100,000 population in 1996, to 420 per 100,000 population in 2008.
At the same time, the number of women entrepreneurs creating new businesses has actually decreased…from 260 per 100,000 population in 1996, to 240 per 100,000 in 2008—which is up from 200 per 100,000 population in 2007. Let’s hope the upward jump in new business creations by women entrepreneurs in 2008 will continue through 2009, and beyond.
For me, one of the most inspirational entrepreneurs in the world is the late Dame Anita Roddick, founder and creator of The Body Shop. When she first wrote Body and Soul, I would buy several copies at a time and give then out to clients and friends who were struggling to make their business succeed. I, and many others, believe Anita was one of the greatest entrepreneurs of modern times…so where are the women that should be following in her footsteps?
In 2007, twice as many men entrepreneurs started new businesses as women entrepreneurs. That is sad news indeed. Capability is certainly not the issue; nor is education; nor is opportunity…I’m at a loss.
However, it does lead me to think that perhaps not as many women want to start a business. However, this is just a guess on my part. That is why I would like to hear the thoughts and opinions of others, as to why there are not more women entrepreneurs. Please let me know your thoughts, and I will incorporate them into a later post on this subject.
NOTE: All data is taken from the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, prepared annually by Robert W. Fairlie, Professor of Economics at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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