Center Publication
Fact of the Week, June 28, 1999
Copyright Notice
Women Business Owners.
January - June 1999
During just the past seven years, the number of women-owned businesses in each of the 50 top metropolitan areas of the U.S. has grown significantly-ranging from a 33% to a 59% increase.
From 1999 Facts on Women-Owned Businesses: Trends in the Top 50 Metropolitan Areas, © NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, June 21, 1999
Nearly one-quarter (23%) of women business owners surveyed in São Paulo, Brazil are involved in the international marketplace. Among those involved in international trade, 20% have been involved for less than one year, 55% for one to three years, and 20% for more than three years.
From Women Business Owners in São Paulo, Brazil: A Summary of Key Issues, © NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, June 14, 1999
The top five business issues and concerns of Canadian women business owners surveyed are: maintaining business profitability (97%); managing cash flow (89%); the state of the economy (70%); gaining access to technology (65%); and finding and keeping quality employees (62%).
From Women Business Owners of Canada: Entering the New Millennium, © NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, June 7, 1999
The ten fastest growing states based on 1992 to 1999 growth rates are: Georgia, Arizona, Washington, Delaware, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Florida, and California.
From 1999 Facts on Women-Owned Businesses: Trends in the U.S. and the 50 States, NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, May 31, 1999
The top ten ranking states based on the number of firms, number of employees and sales generated in 1999 are: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, New Jersey, and Washington and Michigan (tied for 10th).
Fact of the Week, May 24, 1999
From 1987 to 1999, the number of women-owned firms in the U.S. increased 103%. Employment grew at a far more rapid rate of 320%, and sales skyrocketed 436%.
Fact of the Week, May 17, 1999
As of 1999, there are 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., accounting for 38% of all firms in the country. Women-owned firms in the U.S. employ over 27.5 million people and generate over $3.6 trillion in sales.
Fact of the Week, May 10, 1999
Women and men business owner investors who buy or trade using an online broker or mutual fund company do so regularly. Fully one-third (34%) of women business owners and half (50%) of men business owners say they trade at least every month or two.
From NFWBO Analysis of Investing in Stocks and Mutual Funds and Investing Online, NFWBO 1998 (unpublished)
Fact of the Week, May 3, 1999
Women business owners reported in mid-1998 that, over the coming year, they planned to purchase or upgrade the following: computer software, 72%; computer hardware, 60%; employee training, 57%; vehicles, 32%; and cellular phones, 29%.
From 1999 Business Outlook: The Plans, Goals and Expectations of Women and Men Business Owners, NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, April 26, 1999
Women entrepreneurs, regardless of country of origin, are optimistic about the outlook for their businesses over the next two years. Nearly all (91%) of Canadian, 86% of Argentinian, 84% of women entrepreneurs who were surveyed at two international conferences, 84% of Mexican women business owners, and 59% of Brazilian women business owners are optimistic about the outlook for their firms for the coming two years.
From Characteristics of Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide press release, © NFWBO 1999
Fact of the Week, April 19, 1999
Women business owners of color continue to be less likely than their counterparts to have bank credit. Less than one in three (29%) women business owners of color surveyed currently have bank credit, compared to 53% of Caucasian women business owners surveyed.
From “Capital, Credit and Financing: An Update Comparing Women and Men Business Owners’ Sources and Uses of Capital,” © NFWBO 1998
Fact of the Week, April 12, 1999
Women business owners sell their products and services to a variety of customers. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of the women business owners surveyed count individuals as customers, and nearly half (49%) sell to small or medium-sized businesses. Just over four in ten (42%) have some sales to either large corporations or to government agencies.
From NFWBO Omnibus Survey Government Procurement/Corporate Purchasing Analysis, © NFWBO 1998
Fact of the Week, April 5, 1999
Women-owned firms in Canada that are involved in international trade are doing business with Canada’s most important trading partners. The U.S. is the dominant market where 74% of the exporters are making sales. Sixty percent (60%) of exporters report activity in Asia and 58% sell in Europe. Active exporters generate close to 40% of their sales in foreign markets.
From “Beyond Borders: Canadian Businesswomen in International Trade,” © Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada 1999
Fact of the Week, March 29, 1999
While women and men business owners rely on many of the same sources of information on financial issues for investing including mutual fund companies or brokers; financial planners or advisors; general interest magazines or newspapers; and investment advisors women entrepreneurs are much less likely to seek financial information from financial magazines or newspapers than are men entrepreneurs.
From Market Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs A Study of Government Procurement and Corporate Purchasing in Women- and Men-Owned Businesses, NFWBO 1998 (unpublished)
Fact of the Week, March 22, 1999
Women business owners continue to have less bank credit than their male counterparts. Forty-six percent (46%) of women business owners with bank credit, compared to 34% of men business owners with bank credit have less than $50,000 available for use in their business. Thirty-four percent (34%) of women with bank credit have $50,000 or more available to them for use in their business, compared to nearly six in 10 (58%) men business owners.
From Capital, Credit and Financing: An Update Comparing Women and Men Business Owners’ Sources and Uses of Capital," NFWBO 1998
Fact of the Week, March 15, 1999
Just over half (55%) of women business owners currently invest in stocks or mutual funds compared to 67% of men business owners. The total value of investments held by women business owners is lower than the total value of investments of men business owners; although 40% of both women and men business owners have less than $50,000 invested in stocks or mutual funds, 36% of men business owners have $100,000 or more invested, compared to only 17% of women business owners.
Fact of the Week, March 8, 1999
Women come into business ownership in Mexico for a variety of reasons: independence and the desire to have their own business (29%); the need to improve their standard of living and to obtain income (20%); a keen interest in the particular line of business (18%); the continuation of a family business or because of encouragement by parents (18%); and need for income after the loss of employment (16%); and the search for personal achievement (11%).
From Women Business Owners in Mexico: An Emerging Economic Force, by Gina Zabludovsky, Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM); in consultation with NFWBO; underwritten by IBM
Fact of the Week, March 1, 1999
One-third (64%) of women business owners and half (52%) of men business owners who sell products or services to government agencies or large corporations said that “having perseverance and patience” is critically important to their market success. Also of great importance to business owners but more so to women than to men is having an administrative infrastructure in place to be able to compete successfully, and gaining familiarity with the terminology and procedures of procurement.
Fact of the Week, February 22, 1999
Among business owners who do not currently invest in stocks or mutual funds, women entrepreneurs are twice as likely as their male counterparts to report they will begin investing in the coming year. One-quarter (25%) of women business owners who do not currently invest, compared to 13% of men business owners who do not currently invest, say they are likely to start investing in the next year.
Fact of the Week, February 15, 1999
Nearly half (47%) of the women who own firms with less than $1 million in sales do not have a college degree, compared to 36% of those with $1 million or more in sales. Women who own firms with $1 million or more in sales are more likely to have a graduate education.
From An Analysis of Select Issues from “Paths to Entrepreneurship: New Directions for Women in Business,” NFWBO 1998 (unpublished)
Fact of the Week, February 8, 1999
The most important issues for both women and men business owners are managing and maintaining business growth, finding and keeping qualified employees, keeping up with technology, and labor costs. Eighty percent (80%) of women entrepreneurs and 72% of men business owners report that growth-related issues are foremost in their minds.
Fact of the Week, February 1, 1999
Women business owners are using bank credit for a more varied balance of expansion capital, operating expenses, and reduction of debt than in prior years. In 1998, 39% of women business owners are using their credit for expansion capital; 24% for operating expenses, and 19% for refinancing or reduction of debt.
Fact of the Week, January 25, 1999
Women business owners are optimistic about the future health of their businesses. Two-thirds (67%) of women business owners, compared to 62% of men business owners, say that their revenues will increase in 1999 compared to 1998; 64% of women entrepreneurs, compared to 57% of men business owners, report that their profits will increase in 1999.
Fact of the Week, January 18, 1999
Most of the businesses owned by women in Mexico (86%) operate full time. Among these, 57% have plans to increase their sales and hire more workers in their own facilities, 28% plan to expand their businesses by opening up new locations, and 24% intend to continue working at their present level. Among the businesses that operate part-time, 58% plan to expand to become full- time businesses.
Fact of the Week, January 11, 1999
Federal government set-aside programs have resulted in nearly one-quarter (23%) of firms owned by women of color having some sales to the Federal government, compared to 13% among firms owned by Caucasian women business owners. Women’s business enterprise (WBE) certification has had a positive effect according to 45% of those who are certified.
From NFWBO Omnibus Survey Government Procurement/Corporate Purchasing Analysis, NFWBO 1998
Fact of the Week, January 4, 1999
Seventy percent (70%) of the business owner members of Network Ireland, a women’s association consisting of entrepreneurs and business professionals, report that their businesses experienced growth in 1997 over 1996 levels: 38% reported that their businesses grew “significantly” and 32% said “somewhat.” Furthermore, 85% expect continued growth in 1998 44% saying it will increase “significantly” over 1997 and 41% “somewhat.”
From a survey conducted by IBM among members of Network Ireland, in consultation with NFWBO, and with additional support from Bank of Ireland. NFWBO and IBM 1998
Citation
Center for Women’s Business Research. “Fact of the Week, June 28, 1999.” Washington, DC.