Despite the fact that more women are establishing businesses, they still have difficulties running them. The proportion of female business owners is growing. Despite the successes, women still struggle to survive in the workplace because of the obstacles they must overcome.
Women entrepreneurs are those who start a business, acquire the necessary resources, take risks, overcome obstacles, employ others, and run the company on their own. The term “women entrepreneurship” refers to company ownership and business formation that gives women more economic power and social status.
In general, women are expected to follow rather than lead; they are not intended to hold leadership positions. It’s not that they are unable; rather, our culture does not completely accept women in positions of leadership. Even if a lot has changed in this situation, there is still a long way to go.
The National Association of Women Business Owners estimates that as of 2017, more than 11 million U.S. companies with over 9 million people working for them and $1.7 trillion in sales were owned by women. It is generally acknowledged that female entrepreneurship is important for economic growth.
Numerous studies show that female entrepreneurs contribute positively to economic development and progress. Women entrepreneurs still make up a small portion of the business world, and they still have to overcome numerous challenges.
There are many challenges for female entrepreneurs to face in establishing a business.
8 Main Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs
1.Limited Resources
Not many company owners have the good fortune to have a financier or investor for their enterprise. Some have to raise money on their own, use credit cards, or bootstrap their businesses. Women-owned firms rank among the most common enterprises that receive little funding.
Due to cultural and gender prejudices, women have frequently rejected loans—many institutions prefer to support male-owned firms.
2.Managing Responsibilities
Entrepreneurship requires time and patience, and many women have other commitments in addition to their businesses or careers, such as families, spouses, and kids. While business requires her to be a leader and demonstrate devotion, society and her family want her to be a good mother and wife and to always be accessible to them.
It may be challenging to juggle personal and professional obligations, and it can be more challenging for people who lack familial support. Nevertheless, a lot of female business owners are able to successfully balance their home and work lives.
3.Lack of Confidence & successful women entrepreneurs
Failure and success are mutually exclusive; neither can be attained without the other. The same applies to both men and women, although people are more likely to tolerate a man’s failure in business. People like to make fun of women for making mistakes.
It’s more like they view the failure of women in business as a triumph because it confirms their beliefs that women cannot be good leaders or efficiently operate organizations. And this worry is harmful, particularly when there is no support. As a result, fear replaces confidence, causing them to fail even when they were intended to succeed.
4.Gender Inequality & women owned businesses
One of the most often used phrases in today’s society is “equal pay for equal effort,” yet in most cases, it seems to have little effect. Everywhere we walk, a man is in charge of the field. Women must overcome every stigma and discrimination in a world that is predominantly male.
Women continue to be viewed as less than males despite having the necessary mindset and ability the work, despite the government’s efforts to create a supportive atmosphere for them. And these challenges further heighten the challenges of starting a firm.
5.Inadequate Support System
The unfavorable atmosphere is one of the biggest impediments for female entrepreneurs amid all the difficulties they encounter. In certain regions, even business owners who are women are expected to need a male counterparts to close sales, conduct negotiations, or act as the company’s public face.
Additionally, they are limited in their ability to pick their company location and operating hours, which affects their chances of success. Rape cases are also on the rise. The lives of entrepreneurs are challenging, and this is especially true for women.
6.Lack of Knowledge
The education of girls is not a top priority in many nations. They are being trained to be a ‘nice wife and mother,’ rather than being inspired to be career-oriented or a leader. They are expected to abandon their aspirations and priorities in favour of taking care of the family.
To identify sources of unique ideas and turn these ideas into businesses, education is crucial. Their access to a variety of publicly and privately funded support services, such as company development services and information on business growth, is limited by a lack of education and skill training. They need to attend women focused networking events for some guidance,
7.Unfavorable Business Culture
Less developed business networks, as well as social and conventional barriers that prevent women from participating in business, are among the difficulties that women face. Women are prevented from owning companies by religion.
In certain nations, women would be obliged to have a male partner who will close agreements, engage in negotiations, and represent the company in public. Despite these obstacles, women’s skills and contributions are increasingly valued in the economic sector.
8.No Family Support
They find it challenging to satisfy the expectations of their family and society since running a business requires commitment and time. As a result, they struggle to work as entrepreneurs because they are unable to take care of their household duties or the requirements of their kids, which causes stress in their relationships.
All of these difficulties make it harder for them to handle the risks and uncertainties that come with running a business unit. Women are forced to give up on the goal of succeeding in the business sector due to a lack of adequate support, collaboration, and backing from both their own families and the outside world.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, despite all of these challenges for female entrepreneurs, there are a lot of successful businesswomen who manage to successfully manage their businesses while juggling their personal and professional life.
And it is their commitment to overcoming all obstacles to achieve success as an entrepreneur that has altered people’s perceptions of women to a greater extent. The World Bank and its donor nations, as well as top corporations, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), are now focused on supporting women-owned businesses.
