7 Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Biggest Challenges

Women entrepreneurs face challenges that men might never experience, let alone consider. Here's how they leap over their unique hurdles.

• Women own 1 in every 5 American businesses – that’s 1.1 million businesses.
• Women entrepreneurs often face challenges in accessing funding, feeling respected as business owners, and building a support system.
• To overcome these challenges, women entrepreneurs often create their own support systems, overcome their insecurities, and reach out to other women entrepreneurs.
• This article is for women who own or want to start a business and are curious about how other women entrepreneurs face their unique challenges.

How many American businesses are women-owned?

were 1.1 million women-owned businesses as of 2019. This figure corresponds to women owning 1 in 5 businesses. These businesses employed 10.1 million people and earned $1.8 trillion in receipts. The SBA also notes that women-owned businesses grew at twice the rate of men-owned businesses from 2014 to 2016.

How women entrepreneurs can overcome their challenges

Women have made significant strides in the business world, but they still face obstacles that men don’t encounter as frequently. We talked to a few successful women entrepreneurs about challenges they face and how they overcome them.

Making authoritative first impressions

“One of the biggest challenges women entrepreneurs face is creating an authoritative first impression. We are often stereotyped by our looks and not immediately recognized as a serious entrepreneur.”

The solution: “To overcome this challenge, I’ve started to introduce myself, first and last name, and my business as I shake hands. ‘Hi there. Sarah Pendley, Sarah Theresa Communications.’ This establishes authority and immediately clears up any confusion as to my role. I’ve found that conversations go further, and I’m taken more seriously as an entrepreneur.”

Achieving work-life balance

“As a mom of two and owner of three businesses, my greatest challenge as a female entrepreneur is finding balance. It can feel like your heart and your time are being tugged a million different directions at once.”

The solution: “However, one thing that has helped me achieve the balance I’ve been craving is by creating schedules and systems.

Finding a support system

“As a mother, most of our personal friends have kids, and a large percentage stay at home – or, if they do work, they don’t have the same business risks and demands as an entrepreneur has. It is easy to feel like nobody feels like you do or has your struggles.”

The solution: “In this day and age, it is helpful to listen to podcasts, read books, connect outside the geographic confines that may make you feel isolated. There are stories out there that can inspire you, and we all have days we need inspiration.”

Getting unsolicited advice

“Everyone and their cat wants to give you advice on what to do, especially men and people who are not even remotely in the pit with you. I have been talked down to, not taken seriously, and even ridiculed.”

The solution: “The kindest way I have learnt to tackle this is to be graceful and repeat a silent mantra in my head: ‘I am not here to prove anything to anyone. I release this thought from sticking to me or having the need to react to the comment. The people meant for you will understand and find you.’ And I smile and get on with my work because my energy is limited, and I need to show up every day.” 

Overcoming self-doubt

“I believe the biggest challenge female entrepreneurs face is their own self-doubt stemming from a past negative experience or relationship … Insecurity can get the best of some and lead to a less-than-supportive community of women. It is only when women support each other can we squash our self-doubt, take a risk, and breathe 100% confidence into our new endeavor.”

The solution: “The first step to overcoming this challenge is to dig deep and identify the source of any insecurities. Why do you doubt yourself? These are the barriers to our success and cannot be overcome unless they are recognized, validated, and released.”