I
don't know about you, but I'm awash in negative numbers where female
entrepreneurship is concerned. From the number of women launching
businesses and leading high-growth companies to the number of government
contracts won by women and venture-backed female start-ups. The general consensus: the numbers are too low.
I
agree. Innovation and economic growth benefit greatly from an expanded
talent pool. But the following article posted by Jonathan Ortmans on
the Policy Forum Blog, along
with many others in recent months, leaves me asking: What numbers
indicate success for female entrepreneurs? Is there even a "right" answer to
this question? What are we shooting for?
Increasing the overall number of start-ups launched by women in direct
proportional representation to their percentage of the general population (~51%) or college
degrees received (~60%) seems unrealistic. Yet, these stats are often cited
as one of several metrics to use. Could focusing on the stats, however, actually be perpetuating the very negative we want
to change?
It
might be a difficult pill for some to swallow, but Lesa Mitchell, Vice President of Advancing Innovation, Kauffman Foundation, and Sramana Mitra, founder of the One Million by One Million initiative, might have it right. Mitchell
says, "Women's entrepreneurship is an economic issue, not a
gender-equity issue." Mitra recently penned that, "For those who choose to whine about prejudice and obstacles, you are wasting your time."
Rather
than rehashing the negative, why not highlight the
positive? Women are running start-ups. Perhaps it's time to report on and write more about the
women currently launching and running start-ups. Doing so just might create a far more
powerful—and positive—change in the numbers down the road.
What do you think?
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