In reflecting on the exhibit, discussion participants noted the great achievements of women business owners throughout American history and how the landscape has changed over the past 250 years. Social and legal advancements for women, for example, have made possible the phenomenal growth in the number and economic impact of women-owned businesses. Further, the types of businesses that women own have diversified into almost any field imaginable.

Participants noted that many issues have not changed much for women business owners through the years, such as the challenge of balancing business ownership with family life. Participants also noted that utilizing personal networks and mentoring relationships has been a constant factor in women business owners’ success over the years.

These discussions then focused on the issues that are most pressing for women business owners today, which tended to include concerns shared by all small business owners, rather than issues that are unique to women. Participants were particularly concerned, for example, with the high and rising costs of health insurance, payroll taxes and other costs associated with doing business, and doing business in the current economy. Participants also raised the issue of government contracting opportunities for women, noting that there are too few contracting opportunities overall, and that the five percent goal for Federal contracting with women business owners is alarmingly low. Additionally, they strongly felt that the process for achieving business certifications—such as women- or minority-owned business certifications—was too cumbersome and not always beneficial.

Each of the discussion groups provided several specific recommendations and messages for Federal agencies and policy makers on several topics:

• While access to capital has improved significantly for women, there are still disparities between women and men in access to funding to start and expand businesses. Specifically, there is an urgent need for more venture capital and angel financing programs organized by and for women.
• Participants also noted the opportunity to examine the definitions that qualify small businesses for special lending programs. The definition of small business, for example, is so broad that the smallest firms often fall outside of the scope of many lending programs.
• Discussion participants were especially vocal about the five percent goal for Federal purchasing from women-owned businesses. Participants felt strongly that Congress should consider raising the target to be more
  reflective of the proportion of businesses that are actually owned by women. And, noting that the current goal is not mandated, participants also suggested that there be a stronger push for agencies to actually achieve the target.
• There was an overwhelming recommendation from each of the sessions that the processes for obtaining certifications—such as a women-owned business certification or an 8(a) certification —were in need of streamlining.
  • Throughout the series of discussions, participants noted the need for improved technical assistance for womenbusiness owners, particularly for specific assistance in such competencies as developing business plans, achieving growth in an economic downturn, negotiating contracts, marketing, and taking advantage of international markets. While participants described a range of experiences with the Small Business Administration’s district offices, Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), women’s business centers and others, most noted the lack of a centralized source for learning about and accessing all of the different training and technical assistance programs that are already available to women.
  • Participants also noted the need for more role models, remarking that Americans seem to have lost a lot of the history that is portrayed in the exhibit—with most women today not knowing these compelling stories. Participants suggested that there is a need for more documenting of women’s stories and more analysis of the lessons learned so that women business owners today can benefit from the experiences of those who came before them.“While the comments generated during these sessions should not be considered representative of women business owners across the U.S. or even within the locations visited, the issues they raise point to important questions for further examination about the challenges women face as they advance through the stages of successful entrepreneurship ,” said Carlson Nelson.

    The three roundtable discussions point to several opportunities for additional research and opportunities to support women business owners:

  • There is a clear need for future research to address why women are still not obtaining the level of venture and angel capital that men receive and what the public and private sectors could each do to improve women’s access to such funding.
  • A well-documented body of knowledge of the rewards and risks of international business has been in existence for some time and continues to evolve. An information clearinghouse on this topic would allow women business owners to access such information to support their decisions about whether or not to enter international markets.
  • Finally, a number of participants in the Atlanta session expressed their concern that small, minority-owned, or women- owned businesses that have government certifications may suffer from negative stereotypes, particularly in the private sector arena. Research to determine whether such negative perceptions exist and, if so, to what extent, is likely to generate useful information for supporting decisions on how such businesses should position themselves in public and private sector markets. If the stigma exists, determining specific, common objections and how they can be successfully circumvented, by industry, may offer valuable information.The research report was prepared for the National Women’s Business Council by Synthesis Professional Services, a woman- owned consulting firm located in Rockville, MD. A copy of the full report and a summary of the research is available on the NWBC web site, www.nwbc.gov. To learn more about the exhibit, “Enterprising Women: 250 Years of American Business,” which is currently on display at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, visit www.enterprisingwomenexhibit.org. The exhibit will travel to Los Angeles and Detroit in 2004.