Female entrepreneurship is on the rise. Fundera recently released statistics on women-owned businesses for 2020, and the data was promising. A few highlights include that there are 114% more women entrepreneurs now than there were 20 years ago, 40% of U.S. businesses are women-owned, and 64% of those businesses are owned by women of color.
That said, there are still many specific challenges that uniquely affect women when entering these spaces. Societal expectations, access to funding, and not being taken seriously are all commonly cited experiences as told by women entrepreneurs. Add in a young age, and all of those occurrences intensify.
While it’s never too late to follow your dreams, these women remind us it’s also never too early. If you’re passionate, driven, and believe in your product or service — you can make it happen. If you’re looking to start a business, but need a little inspiration, take a look at these fearless leaders and how they built their companies from the ground up.