Internet Helps Women Entrepreneurs Overcome Hurdles

http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/tipsforsmallbusiness/internet-helps-women-entrepreneurs-overcome-hurdles.html The Internet may well be the best tool for women entrepreneurs as they seek increased opportunities, female mentorship, start-up capital, and perhaps even a way, if it exists, to let go of any mom guilt. From entrepreneurial websites designed just for women to crowdfunding and online-based small business financing, the Internet offers business-oriented women a wide array of start-up opportunities. Tamara Monosoff, a social entrepreneur and the owner of TamaraMonosoff.com, recalls when—in 2003—she was ready to launch her own business, she found next to nothing online about launching a new start-up as a mom. I had no idea†¦show more content†¦alone, women-owned companies grew by 68 percent at a time when all businesses grew by only 47 percent, according to 2014 data published by Womenable and American Express OPEN. And according to a Dell survey, the U.S. topped a list of 30 countries as the best for women entrepreneurs—followed next in line by Australia, Sweden and France. However, these survey results showed that 75 percent of these countries could do more to support female business leaders. Challenges that women face include male-dominated industries, limited access to capital, and less-than-stellar women s rights issues. In almost half of the surveyed countries, 50 percent of the female population are described as unbanked, meaning that a significant disparity exists between the number of men and women who have bank accounts. According to Business News Daily, other hurdles facing women entrepreneurs include lack of funding from venture-capitalist firms, balancing work and family life, and finding like-minded women in the business world to provide support and mentorship. A recent study from the Kauffman Foundation shows that the lack of available advisors tops the list of challenges for female entrepreneurs. Limitations also arise from gender stereotype. A recent study from the University of California, Santa Barbara, suggests that people generally regard female entrepreneurs as less competent and their businesses less worthy of investment. And, because men lead many venture capitalist firms,