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It’s great to see the constant increase in the number of women entrepreneurs active in most industries from around the world, but this doesn’t actually mean we’re looking at a completely level playing field. There are some unique challenges that appear for women simply because they’re women. Some of the really significant obstacles that should be mentioned are discussed below.
Limited Funding Control Access
Sexism is still very strong in the world today, including in business funding. Most of the industries are dominated by men that make financial decisions. This means even taking out short-term loans is tougher for women.
Really frustrating challenges can appear for women entrepreneurs, like the highly frustrating challenge of not being fully taken seriously when asking for a loan or simply being treated differently than men with equal credit.
Balancing Work And Family
Statistics show that 70% of mothers are now dealing with the chaotic work-life balance associated with career management and parenting. Raising a child is difficult and comes with unique challenges that are highly stressful. The same thing can be said about being an entrepreneur. Balancing the two will always be difficult, but it’s more difficult for women because in most families, they take more responsibility on the family side.
What’s important is to cut yourself some slack. Juggling work and family is close to impossible. Although it has nothing to do with gender, since a man would have the same problem, women tend to be judged more. It’s impossible to please everyone, and the only thing that can be done is to do your best.
Support Is Lacking
For women at the top, everything is lonelier. Finding leadership that inspires and a mentor are very difficult for women entrepreneurs. This is simply because men dominate the very top of the industry. Men then, naturally, cheer men.
In the workplace, it’s really important to get support and feel camaraderie. This is what inspires people and helps them move forward. If the aspiring entrepreneur isn’t motivated to tackle fears and take risks, failure comes. A woman needs to look for support from conferences and female networking events. Fortunately, these are growing in number. Also, the internet makes it easier to meet women entrepreneurs, especially through social media.
Sexual Harassment
This is the one challenge that is the most publicized but it is definitely one we need to keep talking about. Sexual harassment is seen in practically every industry today, ranging from entertainment to politics. We’re basically looking at an epidemic. The good news is that a mainstream spotlight on the issue is gained.
Women are constantly sexual harassment victims. This has been going on for hundreds of years and any workplace can be affected. Sexism and oppression are common for women in all industries, especially those that are highly male-dominated.
Sexual harassment can vary from sexual advances to inappropriate comments. Fortunately, different HR policies are now in place to handle many of these situations. Sexual harassment training is often mandatory and there are many companies that implemented a “No Sexual Harassment Tolerance” policy.
