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Women & Business

Women are accounting for an ever growing number of business owners, as reported by the Census Bureau. The 1997 Census reports show that women owned businesses:

  • Accounted for 5.4 million businesses

  • Employed 7.1 million people

  • Generated $818.7 billion dollars in receipts

Between 1992 and 1997:

  • The number of women owned businesses increased 16%

  • Receipts increased by 33%

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Although the increase is evident, women owned businesses continue to account for only a small percentage of all businesses and revenues account for a small percentage of total revenues generated by businesses, as reflected in the 1997 Census information.

About Women Owned Businesses

There is an interesting difference between the businesses the Census considers women owned and male owned. What the statistics show is that a huge proportion of the businesses majority owned by women are small businesses, usually sole proprietorships (unincorporated). Women owned businesses tend to be smaller than other firms. The 1997 Census figures show:

  • 85% of all women owned businesses were sole proprietorships

  • 6% of women owned businesses were incorporated (C corporations, excluding S corporations)

  • The 6% of incorporated women owned businesses accounted for 45% of receipts of all women owned businesses

  • Just under 69% of women owned businesses had under $25,000 in receipts, compared to 5% of all businesses with under $25,000 in receipts.

  • Only 2% of women owned businesses had over $1 million in receipts, compared to 5% of all businesses with over $1 million in receipts.

  • Only 16% of women owned businesses had paid employees

  • 70% of women owned businesses operated in the retail and services sector

    (U.S. Dept. of Commerce News,
    1997 Revenues for Women-Owned Businesses Show Continued Growth, Census Bureau Reports)

What do all these numbers mean? These statistics demonstrate a continued growth in the number of and revenues generated by women owned businesses. What they also show is that women owned businesses continue to account for a small percentage of all businesses operating and that they tend to be small, unincorporated businesses, often operating without paid employees.

Women continue to be underrepresented in terms of the number of business owners in America, and continue to be underrepresented in the number of large, incorporated businesses with revenues over $1 million in receipts yearly.

It is incumbent on the Federal and state governments to assist women in changing the nature of women running women majority businesses and increase the number of businesses that are majority owned by women. One of the most effective ways to do this is to provide financial incentives, whether they be through government grants or low interest government loans.

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