Self-Employed Gap: Women’s Biz Worth 33% of Men’s
She may be working hard to start her own business, but chances are she isn’t earning as much as a male business owner.
It’s time to not only bridge but fill the gender gap in the world of small business. Male self-starters earn 300 times more in their businesses than women do in their own businesses, according to a new report out last week from the non-profit Corporation for Enterprise Development out of Washington, D.C. The study measured growth of small businesses from 2007 to 2013 and studied a variety of factors affecting economic growth, prosperity and equity.
Using “130 policy and outcome measures of financial security,” the Assets & Opportunity Scorecard revealed that one database showed women at a deficit, posting an average of $239,500 on receipts, compared to men, who brought in receipts of $726,000. In a Fortune story about the report, Elaine Pofeldt writes: “With more and more Americans operating solo businesses, the most valuable support will go beyond feel-good encouragement and help them gain the know-how that will allow them to thrive.” Now that the Great Recession is past, offering more than a pat on the back, pull-yourself-up-by-your-ankle-boots-straps talk is what women need.
About the Author
TAKE THE LEAD prepares, develops, inspires and propels women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. It’s today’s women’s movement — a unique catalyst for women to embrace power and reach leadership parity.