Strong Growth in Number of Female-Owned Businesses (Infographic)

Women compose 50.4% of the population of the United States, and yet own only about 35.8% of all businesses.  The persistent gap between female workforce participation and business ownership has been present since the country’s inception, but there are positive trends currently in the marketplace, where even poorer states such as Georgia are seeing huge increases in the number of women business owners.  

In many environments, social and workplace cultural conditions can impede woman from moving up in their careers.  The largest factors are a lack of confidence in women to pursue risky career decisions, insufficient training and education levels, or exclusion from opportunities due to pervasive gender bias in certain companies. Family–Work balance issues are another large factor in businesswomen’s decision making, as research shows that even when women have a job they are taking care of and acting as primary caregivers for their children and parents.  

Many businesses are taking steps to combat problems such as a lack of diversity.  They are allowing flexible work hours, mentoring programs, and training where they can interact with other females in positions of power.  However, one of the best ways to break out of a bad work situation is still to start your own business.  Although a lot of work is necessary for success, owning and growing a business is an incredible education experience, once for which you set the bar for achievement and structure to work within.  If you are interested in business ownership, franchising is a tremendous opportunity to explore an industry and choose the business model that fits your needs and preferences.  Attend our free monthly webinar “Franchise Ownership as a More Stable Career Path” for expert advice and information from our experienced franchise consultants.  Register by clicking on this link or calling 866-246-2884.