Latest news with #womenEntrepreneurs
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Dark Side Of Women's Empowerment
Written by Lauren Hendricks, President and CEO, Trickle Up Women are living through dark times. Gender-based violence kills one woman every 10 minutes, and feminist attitudes and policies—after decades of hard-won progress—are now regressing due to an onslaught of anti-feminist rhetoric in the news, on podcasts, and across social media. Younger generations are shifting to more conservative viewpoints, and anti-feminist beliefs amongst young men have been on the rise. A Trickle Up participant in Odisha, India, works on a task for her small business. These shifting attitudes make it even harder for women to navigate gender bias on their path to economic equity and empowerment. One study across 20 countries found that 40% of respondents felt it was 'natural for men to earn more than women,' 23% agreed that men should be paid more than women for the same job, and 34% believed that men make better business executives than women. What's more, another study found that 60% of Gen Z men across 31 countries believe that women's equality actually discriminates against men. In many of these countries, deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes deny women autonomy and limit their access to education, financial resources, job opportunities, and business or property ownership—the full spectrum of economic independence. In rural regions where employment opportunities are scarce, one of the best ways for women to reach economic empowerment is through entrepreneurship, but social norms biased against women often create barriers to success. And even when women overcome these barriers, their success can prove dangerous. The Cost of Ambition The threat of women's success to the male ego is universal. Having lived and worked in developing countries, I have seen this dynamic unfold repeatedly: when women become primary breadwinners or earn more than men, it creates conflict. In Uganda, I worked with some of the most capable, intelligent women I have ever met. But many hesitated to accept high-paying international jobs that could transform their families' futures because they feared their husband's disapproval and jealousy. For rural women living in poverty, the situation is even more dire. In my work on women's economic empowerment projects across Africa and Asia, every opportunity had to earn a man's approval, requiring careful navigation around what husbands or fathers would allow. Giving a woman a smartphone could boost her income, but it could also lead to physical violence and confiscation of the phone by her husband. Women across the globe make large and small decisions based on what they believe their husbands or partners will tolerate instead of basing goals on their talents or ambitions—placing limitations on themselves that wouldn't be necessary in the face of true equality. When women step outside their carefully defined roles and succeed too much, they may risk a violent backlash. Redefining Masculinity: From Dominance to Partnership Violence against women is a symptom of a larger problem: some men's belief that they have the right to control women's behavior. Some exert control through violence, some through financial dominance, and others through the threat of divorce and social isolation. Whatever the method, the goal is the same: to keep the women in their lives under their control. The tactics needed to overcome these entrenched and dangerous attitudes require slow and painstaking work on multiple fronts. And much of this is men's work. We need more men to openly support their wives' success. We need more conversations within households about how an entire family benefits when a woman thrives. We need men to congratulate each other when their wives succeed, instead of questioning their masculinity. And we need men to model to their sons the appropriate behavior of showing women respect and decency. The bottom line is that we need to redefine manhood in a way that does not involve dominating women. Shifting harmful gender norms starts with encouraging men of households to be allies (AVSI Foundation). For any of these strategies to succeed, we must engage men and boys and transform them into allies by working at the ground level with families and communities to shift harmful gender norms. Some of this begins with early education on gender issues, while other tactics begin with including men in discussions about economic challenges and financial literacy—which has been shown to encourage joint-decision-making, joint goal setting, greater cooperation, and more equitable partnerships that redistribute household and caregiving responsibilities. Changing Gender Norms by Investing in Women's Potential Dismantling harmful social norms also requires a woman-centered approach. We've discovered that when women earn income, they reinvest in their families and communities, leading to improved health, education, and economic outcomes. Financial independence also gives women greater autonomy, enabling them to challenge oppressive social norms and participate in decision-making in their communities and households. And when men see women as equal partners in the household, we get one step closer to true equity. By providing the right resources to women in rural areas—like seed capital, savings groups, training in financial literacy, and links to local markets—we can help them start and sustain small businesses. And while a savings group may seem like a simple approach, it's more complex than it sounds: these groups are essential venues for women to gather, meet, and learn from one another how to advocate for their rights, negotiate better wages, access new economic opportunities, and build the support and self-esteem they need to take on larger roles in their households and communities. Pushpanjali Baccha of Balangir, India, works with her livelihood coach on her agricultural business. In a world where gender inequality continues to threaten the rights, safety, and potential of women, we must move beyond surface-level solutions. True change starts by recognizing the power women hold and ensuring they have the tools, opportunities, and support to claim it. At Trickle Up, we see every woman not just as a participant in our economic inclusion programs, but as a leader, a provider, and a catalyst for transformation. When women gain economic power, they shift the dynamics of entire communities and reshape the future.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Rise Of Women-Owned Businesses But Without The Riches
The Rise Of Women-Owned Businesses But Without The Riches Women are starting businesses at an unprecedented rate, from side hustles to full time businesses, and we are seeing a powerful shift. It's an exciting time for women, especially Gen X and Millennial women, who are choosing entrepreneurship over traditional employment. But there is a problem among women business owners. Despite the surge in business ownership, only 1.9 percent of women-owned businesses ever cross $1 million in annual revenue. This is a tragic statistic, and too many brilliant, capable women are suffering because of it. So why is this happening? It's not because women aren't ambitious or strategic. It's because the system isn't built for us to scale. From funding barriers to mindset roadblocks, there are structural issues that keep women playing small in business. And it's time for change. Not solely for the sake of equity, but because the economy needs more women building wealth through business ownership. Nothing bad happens when women have more money. While women are launching businesses in record numbers, several key barriers prevent them from scaling: This is the biggest hurdle women face when trying to grow their businesses. Women receive a tiny fraction of venture capital and struggle to access business loans and angel investments, despite running profitable and innovative businesses. The lack of cash available limits the ability to hire, run marketing campaigns, and build the systems needed for growth. Women are then forced to bootstrap and that slows down the speed of growth and their potential as a business. Without scalable operations and automation in place, the growth of a business hits a ceiling. Scaling requires building a business that runs without the owner doing it all, however women have been conditioned to do it all. And without the capital to expand their business, women have no choice but to do it all. Business owners have been conditioned to chase revenue believing that it's the ultimate marker of success. But revenue alone does not build wealth. You need a clear understanding of profit margins, cash flow and profit drivers. It's easy to chase bigger revenue numbers while making less profit, and this revenue over profit mindset can lead to financial struggles and burnout. Profit is what fuels sustainable growth and financial freedom. Women have been taught to play small. We are told to be agreeable and modest, and that mindset often follows into business. Many women hold back on their pricing or going after big deals and showing up competitively in the market because it is frowned upon. And to make money is viewed as greedy and unlikeable for women. These beliefs quietly sabotage the financial success of women. If more women are to break past the million-dollar mark, we need to normalize financial ambition among women. Wanting to build wealth should be celebrated, not shamed. And it starts with shifting the narrative that wealth isn't selfish, and ambition isn't arrogance. Women deserve to make money, grow empires, and take up space in the business world unapologetically. Women also need real support. Access to capital must be reformed and more funding should be directed to women. Real change won't happen unless the gatekeepers, who are primarily men, step up. Since men still hold the majority of decision-making power, they must take responsibility for reforming the system. The burden should not fall solely on the women to fix a funding gap that they did not create. The bottom line is that the fact that only 1.9 percent of women owned businesses reach $1 million in revenue should be a wakeup call. As women continue to start and grow businesses, now is the time to provide the resources needed to grow and scale their businesses. Profit isn't a dirty word and there is no shame in financial ambition. We need to stop applauding survival and start investing in women.
