This article in Hispanic Executive highlights ten Latina-owned businesses that are revolutionizing their respective industries, from beauty and fashion to coffee and children’s literature. Despite facing significant gender and racial barriers, these Latina entrepreneurs are breaking new ground with innovative products, ethical practices, and a commitment to cultural representation, inspiring future leaders in the business world.
The 2024 Women CEOs in America Report, released by Women Business Collaborative (WBC) in partnership with Ascend, C200, and Catalyst, reveals both progress and challenges for women in corporate leadership. While women are making significant gains in smaller public companies and private enterprises, their representation in the Fortune 500 remains steady at 10.4%, showing the need for continued efforts to close the gender gap in corporate leadership. Notably, women entrepreneurs are also on the rise, with women now owning 34% of all small businesses and franchises, outpacing their male counterparts in business ownership growth. To read or download the report, click here.
A recent report compiled by PwC found that while women are increasingly starting businesses, they still get a tiny slice of the venture capital pie—around 2% in both Europe and the US in 2023. Gender bias and the fact that so few women hold decision-making roles in investment firms make it tough for female founders to secure funding. However, there are some encouraging signs, like the growing number of female angel investors.
Based on interviews with women investors, the report offers five key tips for women founders: learn the investment landscape, choose investors wisely, network smartly, be ready for tough questions, and aim high with your funding goals. Despite the challenges, now is actually a good time for women to raise capital, as many funds are eager to diversify their portfolios. While there’s still work to do, women entrepreneurs have a real opportunity to secure the funding they deserve. To read more, click the link above to download the complete report.
This article featured in Smart Company highlights how entrepreneurship in your 50s can be a transformative and rewarding experience, particularly for women. The author highlights how shifting away from two decades of traditional corporate responsibilities allowed her to pursue meaningful work aligned with her values.
By becoming a startup leader in her late 50s, she leveraged her deep industry knowledge, professional networks, and confidence gained over time to successfully navigate challenges and inspire investor confidence. The piece encourages older women to embrace their unique strengths, tackle impostor syndrome, and lead fearlessly, reminding them that it’s never too late to step into their power.
In this eCornell Keynote podcast episode, Brad Bell from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations discusses the challenges of managing hybrid teams and offers actionable strategies for success.
He highlights three key differences in hybrid work environments—variety, volatility, and volition—that organizations must address. Effective leadership in hybrid teams involves fostering a shared understanding, maintaining a team identity, and promoting an inclusive social climate. Bell also emphasizes the importance of delegating leadership tasks and using agile technology. Conflict resolution and ensuring team alignment are crucial, as hybrid teams often struggle with cohesion and communication. Finally, he underscores the career advancement challenges of remote work and suggests that in-person engagement can help employees progress.
The growing presence of women in the restoration industry (this industry focuses on repairing and restoring properties damaged by events like fires, floods, mold, and other disasters) signifies progress in breaking traditional gender roles, with women taking on key roles as technicians, business owners, and leaders. Despite facing challenges such as gender stereotypes, women in this field are demonstrating strong leadership, multitasking abilities, and emotional intelligence, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse industry. To read more about this growing field for women, see this article in Forbes.
Despite challenges like high inflation and tight credit, Americans are starting new businesses at near-record levels, with over 3 million business applications filed so far this year. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has responded by increasing loan approvals, particularly for women, Latino, and Black-owned businesses, even as the average loan size decreases. To read more about this trend, see this article in Inc.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can provide some cost effective support for small businesses as they leverage email campaigns, social media posts and search data to better target their customers. AI can work with existing marketing documents research to create material less time and for less cost than it would take create from scratch. Additionally, tools like Adobe Photoshop and Canva have now embedded AI image generation into their workflows, enabling non-designers to put together professional-looking graphics or layouts. To read more about how AI tools are helping level the playing field for small business, check out this recent article in CIO.
In a NPR “Marketplace” interview, Ruveyda Nur Gozen shared insights from her research on 19th-century female entrepreneurs, highlighting how she used historical data to uncover trends about women-owned businesses. Despite the challenges of limited data, her findings revealed that these pioneering women often started with less capital, focused on specific industries, and paid women higher wages, suggesting that boosting female entrepreneurship could significantly impact gender equality in today’s economy.
Since the summer of 2020, America has experienced a persistent boom in new businesses, initially driven by pandemic-related factors such as online retail, warehousing, and unemployment, but now characterized by broad-based growth and a significant rise in startups, particularly tech startups focused on artificial intelligence. This trend includes a “doughnut effect,” with new businesses flourishing in the suburbs while downtown areas see less growth, contributing to a nearly 60% increase in new business creation compared to pre-pandemic levels. To hear more about these trends, check out this NPR “All Things Considered” interview.