It is clear to see that the business world has undergone some big changes in the last 20 or 30 years in its treatment of women. This has been especially true in more recent times when increasing awareness of equality in this environment has become more widespread. Indeed, it is reported that there are 114% more women entrepreneurs now than 20 years ago. This equates to women in the US starting over 800 businesses each day! This shows just why being an entrepreneur is finally becoming a realistic option for many women wanting to forge their own path in life.
Of course, there is still gender discrimination in corporate America to tackle, but the upswing in women starting their own businesses is very positive. With society looking to make true equality apparent across all spheres of work, it seems that the entrepreneurial sector is where it is gaining most traction.
Just why are more and more women starting their own businesses though?
Puts them in control
As noted above, when you work a normal job for someone else as a female, you may experience the old problems of the gender pay gap and not being treated equally with male colleagues when work is handed out. What more women now realize is that running your own business is a fantastic way to avoid this! As you are in charge, you can make sure that you get paid what you should, and also make sure that you do not get left all the mundane, low-level work to handle. Being the boss also demands the respect you are due from those you work with and stops them treating you differently because you are a woman.
Changing attitudes in society
Another reason why more women are moving into the entrepreneurial sector is that they feel more able to do so now. In the past, this was always seen as something for men to do, and this made it hard for women to feel that this was a feasible option for them. Fortunately, these old-fashioned attitudes have changed in our modern society. This now sees everyone realize that women can start up a business just as well as any man and also that they should be given the support to do so if they wish. With more access to the business sector and more media coverage showing role models in business for women to follow, far more have been encouraged to give it a try.
New organizations to help
A big change to help more women become business owners has been the level of help available to them now. One of the best firms around in this regard at the moment is AccelerateHer. This sees
Education
We all know how key education is in our society and how much of an impact this has on what people go on to do later in life. In the past, this is something that held women back in terms of starting a business as they did not always get the education needed to do so. Where the boys would get lessons in business studies or IT, the girls would be learning about home economics. Thankfully, this has changed a lot in recent times, and this now sees more girls getting the education needed to start up their own company as women.
Gives women better future opportunities
Even with all the advances in how women are treated in the workplace, it is thought that many hit a glass ceiling still in terms of their career. Reports state that women are still around 15% less likely to get promoted than equivalent male counterparts. To get around this, more women are starting their own business as they can then go as high and be as successful as they choose to be. With no one else deciding their future, it means that the dreaded glass ceiling is avoided.
More women entrepreneurs is a great thing
While some issues that women in corporate America still face remain to be fully dealt with, it is a positive thing to see more females start up their own businesses. This shows not only that women themselves are feeling confident enough to do so, but also that society now encourages it. Put together, this makes for a much more welcoming business environment for women. With more business role models for women popping up every day and more support to help them get a business started, it can only be a good thing for us all.