Women entrepreneurs face numerous well-documented challenges, such as access to capital, lack of resources, and mentorship. However, a significant yet often overlooked issue is the resistance to paying women-owned businesses fairly for their products and services. Many assume these businesses are non-profits, leading to unfair expectations and undervaluation.
Entrepreneurs frequently encounter potential investors and customers who expect free services or significant discounts. This bias is not as prevalent for male-owned businesses, which are typically paid for trial programs and products without question.
Women-owned businesses, like any other, incur costs and need to charge appropriately to cover these costs, grow, and make a profit. Despite often outperforming the market, women entrepreneurs struggle with self-doubt and feel pressured to lower prices, contributing to economic disparities and business closures.
To address this issue, it is crucial to recognize and challenge biases against women-owned businesses. Paying women entrepreneurs fairly fosters economic growth and promotes gender equity. Supporting women-owned businesses by valuing their products and services appropriately can lead to a more equitable and thriving business environment.
South Africa’s fashion entrepreneurs are navigating unprecedented challenges, from rolling power outages to supply chain…
Bismriti Paudel and Gita Paudel, two Nepali entrepreneurs, have overcome personal and professional challenges to…
In Kenya, Mary Nyambura, founder and CEO of Ecocharge Limited, transforms agricultural waste into biomass…
Canadian women are increasingly stepping into entrepreneurship across industries like retail, technology, and food services.…
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, supported by the Government of Japan, has…
The Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth (WING) project focuses on integrating women into formal economies…