In a recent survey, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman asked women-owned and led businesses to choose their top three barriers from a list.
The list included access to capital, lack of networks/mentorship, other responsibilities outside work, unconscious bias, regulatory barriers/red tape and risk appetite.
In response to the survey, one woman business owner said the following: “Your list of items WOEFULLY misses the actual issues we face. Where is the question about childcare and employee share ownership?”
Criticism of the list sparked a reflection article from Ombudsman Bruce Billson, who said the incident had made his office aware of the gap between Government advocacy efforts and the actual experiences of women entrepreneurs.
“We know we need to do more to make sure that our voice of advocacy for women-owned and -led businesses reflects the things that matter the most to them,” said Billson.
“We were keen then, and are keen now, to hear and learn about the real-world, right-now issues for women-owned and led businesses.”
Data vs reality
Even the number of women entrepreneurs is a hazy figure, according to Billson.
About 35 per cent of small businesses are owned or led by women – double the rate in the 1970s. However, the ASBFEO pointed out that the actual figures might be higher.
“Our on-the-ground discussions with small-business owners and preliminary analysis of new datasets indicates that the extent of female entrepreneurship is constantly underestimated,” Billson explained.
“If we can’t see people, we can’t make or evaluate policy for them. And more than that, we can’t include them in the discussions and consultations about how a policy or its intent may impact, either positively or negatively, on women led businesses.”
One possible reason we don’t know the true extent of women-led businesses is that these ventures are often dismissed as side-hustles or hobbies.
The Ombudsman said that understanding the real extent of female entrepreneurship is a priority for his office for the next 12 months. He added that the “female sole trader story” is of particular interest.
