March is women’s history month and the entrepreneurial success of women as small business owners has continued to shape the landscape of nearly every industry.  Women from all backgrounds and lifestyles have taken to ownership and there are many different reasons why.  There are more small businesses owned by women than ever before.  According to Inc. magazine, there are three important facts about this trend:

• Women are growing the field of small business
• They are innovative
• They are achieving a great deal of success

From changes in laws to an increased number of women willing to take the plunge, women are taking the small business world by storm.  Not only are there more women that are starting their own businesses, these companies have been largely successful.  Unfortunately, when it comes to funding, women have still had a difficult time securing the cash they need to make their businesses thrive.  Whether or not this is due to gender bias is of course debatable.  What can be said is that with the recent success of women business owners, it is inspiring others to follow suit.  There are many reasons that women actually hold and advantage over men when it comes to running a business.   Here are a just a few reasons women entrepreneurs have dramatically increased their presence in the small business world.

Education

There are currently more women graduating from college at this time than men.  Women choosing business related majors has also increased dramatically.  With the success of women entrepreneurs, there is no longer the stigma that a woman can’t make it as a business owner.  Having a degree and a strong background in finance and business operations greatly impacts the confidence and ability of women to succeed in small business.

Lower Start-Up Costs

As recently as 2013, the percentage of women being approved for small business loans was about 10% less than their male counterparts.  With the difficulty receiving funding to start their business, technology has opened the door for those that have been denied.  With the advent of social media as one of the most effective ways to market a company, the cost of promotion has dropped significantly as well.  This has contributed to the greater success rate of women owned businesses.

Media

With the many different equal rights movements that have flooded the media, women in business have received more publicity than ever before.  With the coverage, many women have been inspired to start their own businesses.  With more support for their endeavors, women have an increased confidence in running their own businesses.  This is particularly true with the younger generations.  The rise to prominence of women business owners has given young women role models to look to for inspiration and strength.

Childcare

The days of the stay at home mom may never truly be over, but there are more opportunities than ever for today’s moms to succeed in business.  With the ability to work from home, women who have a working husband or are single have a much better opportunity to start their own businesses.  The term “mompreneur” has come into fashion.  Being able to juggle a family and owning a business is easier than it has ever been.  Childcare is also much more available these days and it allows women to structure their work day around their family.

Pay Discrepancies

One big reason that women have taken to starting their own businesses is the still present pay gap between women and men.  Owning their own business allows women to control their own destiny and have a greater influence on the business world.

Becoming a Role Model

Part of the motivation for some women entrepreneurs is to serve as a role model and influence younger women.  Being able to serve as a mentor for young women is a great source of pride and motivation for today’s business woman.

Securing Capital

Although women have proven over the last few decades that they more than measure up to their male counterparts, funding has still remained difficult to come by.  Quikstone Capital Solutions takes pride in helping women achieve their business goals.  A merchant cash advance is a business loan alternative that has far fewer requirements than traditional bank loans and can be a great way for women to become innovators within the small business ownership community.