Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs
Despite a lot of emphasis being placed globally on achieving gender equality, being a woman entrepreneur is still measurably harder than being a male entrepreneur. Today, we are celebrating the valuable role that women entrepreneurs play in society and explaining why it is well worth investing in them!
We are very proud and grateful to have talked with so many women entrepreneurs. And though we believe that you can be a successful entrepreneur regardless of your gender, it’s important to remember that the reality is way more challenging. And it’s our goal to bring more diverse voices to the Beyond 8 Figures podcast and give our listeners remarkable role models with can be proud of.
Women entrepreneurs are vital for economic growth
Entrepreneurs make a valuable contribution to a country’s economic growth because more people working means more money circulating in the economy. Not too long ago, women were largely excluded from the working world. Still, the number of women-owned businesses has been steadily growing over the years, increasing revenue and employment levels.
Despite the progress made in the entrepreneurial space, women still face more significant barriers to success than their male counterparts, particularly when gaining access to capital. According to Credit Suisse, all-male tech company founding teams receive 93% of the capital invested in Europe. There are many reasons for this, including gender biases, lack of financial knowledge, and confidence in their abilities.
Women entrepreneurs enhance innovation
It has been measured and shown that diverse teams perform better (e.g. improved performance that results from having more gender-diverse teams) and having a more diverse workforce would also help to fill the industry’s talent shortage. It also just makes logical sense - most people come up with innovations that solve the problems they themselves have. If we don't have diverse perspectives among those innovating (in tech) then we won't be solving diverse problems. But what truly drives and concerns us at imagi goes beyond the health of the industry itself. We believe including women in tech is about economic fairness. The tech industry creates some of the best paying jobs. Women need to have the opportunity to pursue careers that will help them achieve financial security and independence.
Dora Palfi, imagiLabs Share
Diverse perspectives breed innovation, and innovation is the key to progress. Of course, every individual has their unique set of circumstances but broadly speaking, living as a woman and living as a man are vastly different experiences.
For example, according to the World Economic Forum, women are 47% more likely to be severely injured during car accidents because car safety testing has traditionally been done using crash test dummies modeled on men.
When women become entrepreneurs, they can innovate in a way that benefits populations whose needs are often disregarded due to the dominant leadership structures. In this way, women entrepreneurs can enhance innovation and make the world a better place for all.
Women entreprenuers are role models for future generations
If you’ve never seen someone who looks like you in a leadership position, you may internalize the idea that you can’t be a leader yourself. However, when young girls see women running businesses, they become aware that it is possible for them to do the same.
So, if you ever feel like giving up because the challenges that you are facing are too significant, remember that you are an inspiration to the next generation. There are no barriers that we can’t break.
Women entrepreneurs have a beneficial leadership approach
Women usually have an improved ability to read other peoples’ emotions, and when they read other peoples’ emotions well, they are able to provide the kind of compassion or empathy or support that helps people deal with their emotions. So women’s ability to read emotions often makes them really great leaders.
Annie Hyman-Pratt, Leading Edge Teams Share
Research has shown that soft skills, like communication, collaboration, and integrity, are key determinants of good leadership. Additionally, research has shown that women outperform their male counterparts regarding most of these skills.
Leadership skills are not just nice-to-haves; they “can make a real difference to the bottom line” because when people feel heard and valued, they are more likely to produce their best work. A good leader can improve the quality of a workplace, and since we spend so many hours of our lives at work, they are improving the quality of life of their employees too.
Entrepreneurship allows women to balance work and family life (if they wish to have both)
I don't believe that work and life will ever be perfectly balanced. I subscribe to a work/life harmony. Some days my family needs me more than work, and other days, work needs me more than my family. There isn't perfection on a day-to-day basis, but there is a good partnership between the two.
Michelle Penczak, Squared Away Share
Balancing work life and family life is a challenging task at the best of times. When you’re working on someone else’s schedule toward someone else’s goals, it can be an even more significant challenge. Entrepreneurs work extremely hard, but entrepreneurship’s beauty is that you can choose when, where, and how you work. This means that you also control the time you dedicate to family, friends, and leisure.
We have come a long way in gender equality, but we still have a long way to go. We hope everyone takes the opportunity this Women Entrepreneur’s Day to support and show appreciation to the women entrepreneurs in your lives.
More often than not, women entrepreneurs make the world a better place, so if you are one, today we are celebrating you!
Get inspired by these outstanding women entrepreneurs
Optimize Sleep for Peak Performance with Mollie Eastman (McGlocklin), Sleep Is a Skill
Entrepreneurs often sacrifice their sleep time to grow their businesses and chase their dreams. However, sleep is vital for your mental and physical health. That’s
Leverage Your Professional Growth with Samantha Kempe, IMMO
As a business owner, you’re the heart and soul of your organization. That’s why your professional growth and development are critical to its success. In
Simplify Your Business for Growth with Margo Crawford, Business Sherpa Group
As businesses grow, they become more complex and overwhelming (especially for you as the owner), so sometimes, you need to simplify your business to achieve
Scale Up Your Business with a Coach with Jess Stewart, Jess Stewart LLC
To scale up your business, consider finding a coach who resonates with you! As Jess Stewart (serial entrepreneur and coach) explains in this episode, there
Embrace Networking for Business Success with Shiloh Johnson, ComplYant
Using networking for business is challenging, and it requires deliberate focus and effort. As Shiloh Johnson shares in this episode, if you are willing to
Problem Solving to Serve Needed Audiences with Jo Goodall, Luna
Entrepreneurs are problem solvers, and Jo Goodall is using her problem-solving skills to achieve her goal of improving access to healthcare education! In this episode,
The Business of Elderly Care with Annalee Rae Kruger, Care Right Inc.
For the sake of your relationship with your parents, their and your quality of life, and the well-being of your business, make sure that you
How To Make Sustainable Investment Decisions with Felice Verduyn-van Weegen, EQT
As an investor in the biotech industry, today’s guest, Felice Verduyn-van Weegen, brings a different perspective to the podcast as we discuss her approach to
Building An Effective Mental Healthcare System with Mackenzie Drazan, MiResource
Mackenzie Drazan has made it her mission to ensure everyone has access to effective mental healthcare through her platform, MiResource. During this episode, Mackenzie shares
Navigating Uncertainty on the Entrepreneurial Journey with Sartou Djibril, Enlight Ed
Choosing the entrepreneurial route requires navigating uncertainty, being prepared for chaos, and being open to continuous learning and adaptation. In this episode, Sartou Djibril, co-founder
Stay Motivated with Clear Goals with Lilia Stoyanov, Transformify
When you set clear goals, it’s much easier to stay motivated (and therefore satisfied) on your entrepreneurial journey. In this episode, the CEO of Transformify,
Everything Is A Learning Opportunity with Martyna Lewinska, Fiat Republic
As Martyna Lewinksa explains in this episode, everything is a learning opportunity! And to be the best entrepreneur you can be, don’t ever stop learning.
The Art of Storytelling with Tracy MacNeal, Materna Medical
The purpose of Materna Medical is to make pelvic health products more accessible and to demonstrate that “when we invest in women, we all win.”
The Keys to A Successful Business Exit with Laurie Barkman, SmallDotBig LLC
If you’ve built a successful business, you’ll already know that it requires a lot of time, planning, and effort. But do you know what it
The Great Decentralization with Eleanor Beaton, SafiMedia
In this episode, Eleanor Beaton explains the benefits of decentralizing your business and how to do it successfully, why entrepreneurs need to focus on improving
Fighting for Gender Diversity in Tech with Dora Palfi, imagiLabs
A lack of diversity within a company has negative implications for the business and for society as a whole. Through imagiLabs, Dora Palfi is fighting
Overcoming Your Financial Fears with Melissa Houston, The Fractional CFO Agency
Although accounting may not seem like the most exciting part of running a business, if you properly understand your finances and take the time to
Building More Inclusive Business Systems with Hana Mohan, Magic Bell
Creating fair, just, inclusive business systems are Hana Mohan’s ultimate goal, but she is as pragmatic as she is idealistic. In today’s episode, Hana speaks
Embrace Adversity to Grow as a Leader with Annie Hyman-Pratt, Leading Edge Teams
Anxiety, fear, stress (and other negative emotions) are an unavoidable part of the entrepreneurial journey. It’s how we handle them that matters. Our returning guest,
Innovative Disruption for a Better World with Nima Sophia Tisdall, Blue Lobster
When confronted with the unsustainable and unjust model of commercial fishing in Denmark, Nima Sophia Tisdall co-founded Blue Lobster to disrupt the industry innovatively while
Rebranding Yourself from Founder to CEO with Jamie Lieberman, Hashtag Legal
When you reach a certain degree of success in your journey as a founder, it’s important that you focus on rebranding yourself as a CEO.
Building a Boundary-Breaking Business with Dominnique Karetsos, The Healthy Pleasure Group
Breaking boundaries in business takes more than just hard work. It takes courage, support systems, and a lot of resilience. Dominnique Karetsos, CEO of the
Customer-Centric Brand Building with Kelley Higney, Bug Bite Thing
If you want to grow and improve your business, put your customers first! Kelley Higney, founder, and CEO of Bug Bite Thing, has achieved incredible
Why Timing Is Key When Building A Brand with Fran Maier, BabyQuip
When it comes to the success (or not) of an entrepreneurial venture, timing is key. In this episode, Fran Maier shares how her understanding of
Delegating Tasks To Sustain Success with Michelle Penczak, Squared Away
Business owners often struggle on delegating tasks because they feel like they have to do everything themselves. Michelle Penczak has a message for you: you
Continuously Adapting To Enable Transformation with Maha Achour, Metawave Corporation
To thrive as an entrepreneur in the competitive, ever-changing world we live in, adapting is key! Maha Achour, founder and CEO of Metawave, shares how
Changing Lives Through Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship with Kara Goldin, Hint
After replacing her insatiable appetite for sugary drinks with an unstoppable passion for health, Kara Goldin founded Hint. It is now an award-winning, multibillion-dollar unsweetened
Innovating Relationship Wellness with Jenny Holmström, Coupleness
As entrepreneurs, it’s easy for us to get swept up into all of the work tasks we need to complete and forget to nourish our
Fighting Climate Change With Finance and Technology Solutions With Alex Wright-Gladstein, Sphere
Have you been investing in fossil fuels and climate change without realizing it? Alex Wright-Gladstein, Founder, and CEO of Sphere, sits with A.J. Lawrence to
Using Intelligent Debates To Drive Innovation With Clea Conner, Intelligence Squared US Debates
Why are intelligent debates essential for you in life and business? Today, Clea Conner, CEO of Open to Debate formerly known as Intelligence Squared US