Here Are Some of the Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs—And How We Can Solve Them

I was raised to believe I could do anything. My parents always told me that regardless of what occupation I chose, the most important consideration would be that I actually like the job, whether it was a professional career or entrepreneurship.

Not until I grew up did I realize that for women, success in business is not as easy as just choosing a career path you're passionate about. Women face biases in many careers and industries. It’s up to us to not conform to those biases, and to educate and change the way women are treated in order to lessen the challenges female entrepreneurs face.

Female entrepreneurship in numbers

Although the number of women entrepreneurs in the United States is rapidly increasing—(between 2007 and 2018, the number of women-owned businesses increased 58% compared to overall businesses which increased only 12%)—inequality between men and women business owners continues to persist.

Women own approximately 12 million U.S. businesses, making up only 20% of all employer firms. On top of that, women are less likely than men to seek funding for their business (25% vs 34%) and they receive less funding than men. Obstacles that lead to these disparities may include women having less access to resources than men, not getting enough support, and experiencing cultural and stereotypical barriers related to discrimination.

It’s frustrating to realize that even in today’s world, where common sense dictates that equality and equal opportunities for everyone contribute to social and economic growth and development, some people still have problems with women in business that create greater challenges for female entrepreneurs. A Babson College study found that "women who have built successful companies had to navigate significant gender-based obstacles."

"Can I speak with your boss?"

Personally, I still find it difficult to share with others what type of business I am building and in what sector because I’m cautious of social prejudices. This hesitancy didn’t come out of nowhere. When I was first developing my company, I drafted the technical specifications for my platform myself, with the support of a colleague with an IT background. I was in touch with more than 30 different web agencies, comparing their platform development rates and timing.

One senior web developer from a very well-respected firm returned my specifications document with some very patronizing comments containing very specific backend development terms, in which he questioned every functionality as well as the idea of my business concept as a whole. I suggested that we have a call for me to go over the platform’s concept.

Before our call, I spent time learning the developer's professional terms, so that during our meeting I had an explanation for every button and functionality he had questioned. At the end of our meeting, he asked to meet my boss. When I explained that I was the startup’s owner, he asked if I had any male colleagues with whom he could discuss the project. I told him “no” and added that I would go with another contractor.

An interesting fact: According to a study on the sexism women face in the tech industry, “Can I speak with your boss?” is one of the most frequent questions women in tech (63%) hear. This is in addition to “Sorry, am I being too technical for you?” (61%) and “Not bad for a girl” (66%).

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Gender challenges for women in tech

Business conforms to traditionally masculine stereotypes, and the stereotype intensifies if a woman is trying to launch a business in a male-dominated industry (e.g., tech or engineering). Women who run businesses in tech industries are likely to face social prejudices and perceptions regarding whether their role in the tech world is appropriate for them. Women in majority-male workplaces are more likely to report gender equality, discrimination, or sexual harassment.

While developing the platform for my company, I was in touch with a web designer I had found in the international business community. I’d heard many positive reviews about his work and I liked his portfolio, so I signed a contract with him to develop a design for my project. Everything seemed to be working fine until we were approaching the deadline, and this freelancer started delaying major portions of his work and breaking milestone timelines.

We had multiple calls with him to try and understand the reasons behind these delays. During our calls I noticed the designer did not speak to me in the same way that he spoke to my male colleagues. He did not treat me seriously, he spoke to me in inappropriate tones, and he would respond defensively—even passive-aggressively—to my questions about the reasons for his delays and my requests to have the work done on time. In contrast, he treated my male colleagues much more seriously, apologizing and accepting their feedback.

Tearing down the challenges facing women entrepreneurs

Many studies and articles agree on the policies and approaches we can take to bridge the gap between entrepreneurial men and women. Their recommendations include, but are not limited to:

• Encourage investment in female-led businesses
• Create new banking products specifically for parent entrepreneurs, to take the burden of caring for families from women
• Provide more education resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities for women and girls

These practical steps can help women achieve their full entrepreneurial potential by tackling some of the challenges female entrepreneurs face. Unfortunately, in my research, I haven’t found many recommendations that are directed at opening people’s minds and changing the way men treat women in business.

I think we need to find solutions that are aimed at cultural biases and social prejudices, which can include:

• Introduce more female role models
• Showcase more successful businesswomen in pop culture
• Encourage more discussions on the importance of female inclusivity in workplaces, schools, and institutions, and how society benefits from it both socially and economically
• Teach girls to broadcast their abilities instead of humbling them with the fear of failure.

I understand these kinds of changes don’t happen overnight and will take many years, but big changes start with small steps.

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