Women-Owned Businesses Grow, Plateau

Posted by in Trends on

Did you know that women launch businesses at a higher rate than the national average? The number of U.S. businesses grew by 34% between 1997 and 2011, whereas the number of women-owned businesses increased by 50%!

As of 2011, experts estimate that there are:

  • 8.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S.
  • 7.7 million people employed by women-owned companies
  • $1.3 trillion in revenue from women-owned firms

The Anchor Leg

While the number of women-run businesses is growing, the businesses themselves tend to have between 10 and 99 employees. If you look at entrepreneurship as a marathon, women-owned businesses are falling behind during the “anchor leg” of the race: at the 100-employee threshold and the million-dollar mark.

What’s Going On?

Why aren’t women-owned enterprises moving along the growth continuum? What is stopping female entrepreneurs from reaching their full potential? The American Express OPEN State of Women-Owned Businesses Report aims to figure out what’s going on, and is doing so by publishing data and statistical analyses on women-owned businesses. The report’s authors hope that their findings will spur conversation among corporate decision makers.

What Do You Think?

How are the women-owned firms that you know of doing? Let us know in the comments section.

10 Reader Comments

Women-Owned Businesses Grow, Plateau

Angel on September 6, 2011

Just made website. Texted a bunch of friends to check it out and NO PICTURES. What happened? Is your site having problems? Does often occur? Embarrassing!

Reply
Chris on September 7, 2011

Its good for women to get involved because naturally they are good managers.

Reply
sian rose on September 8, 2011

I think gender bias is one of the largest obstacles that women face in the workplace. Whether they are employees or employers it matters very little. Working in food service and owning a food service company, it has always ‘amused’ me that women are stereo-typically thought to belong in the kitchen but, Professional cooking is still a predominantly male dominated field.

Reply
Jess Weagle on September 8, 2011

I am a women in business and my massage practice is growing strong

Reply
macaulay on September 8, 2011

Women are great people made by God in nature to go for what they want and get what they want,in the nature of women they never aspect defeat or failure and so by the way women where created they have no chioce but made to succed.Thanks

Reply
Omowunmi on September 8, 2011

It is interesting to know that women are now standing up in the society to help their families finicially

Reply
macaulay on September 8, 2011

Women see ahead ,plan ahead and they are made for exploits,someone said”if you fail to plan ,you have plan to fail”so women think faster that is why they do well in bussiness.Thanks

Reply
Dawda Bayo on September 8, 2011

The Gambian government have raise the right of women from the economic,political,social and even at the decision with the country have the world longest serving female vice president.Her name is Dr Isatou Njie Saidy and she was appointed the Gambia’s first female vice president from 1997—–to date

Reply
Betty Graham on September 9, 2011

There just aren’t enough hours in a day. Women, while being business owners and professionals, are still majorly responsible for the home and children. These take precedence over growing one’s business, so business is not going to grow as quickly unless she can get the support she needs for all the personal things she must also attend to.

Reply
Devon on September 20, 2011

I fully support women in business, I am one myself. I am sure that part of the reason why women-owned enterprises are not moving along the growth continuum as much as others is because we carry so much more in life. Upholding our family’s lives as well as our own. Which is why we have to work harder, to work smarter, so we can nurture our business as well as our homes. I am always looking for things to make my hard work worth the time I devote to it worth it. A business is like a garden that grows, but like all life it needs nurturing. I have recently found a way to ease some of the stress of how to Make easy automatic money
I have an article available describing an awesome opportunity to multiply your money for you. So you can focus more in nurturing your dreams. Please be my guest and make easy money with me.

Reply

Post a Comment

Please keep comments within the top of this article. Should you have any support needs, please visit our support portal.