Working Women on Labor Day

I am taking this Monday off to write on the weekly Woman Entrepreneur of the week.  Figuring it is Labor Day and most of us are taking the day off so I am going to too.  Instead I am going to write about why we should support women entrepreneurs.

I have written about my career before.  The dots have connected as I have learned from each and every step I have taken particularly the steps where I have failed. My career has not been your classic slow move up the ladder.  As most women that I have talked to over the past few years, and the many of them that I have written about on this blog, have also found their sweet spot through moving forward because of opportunities that presented themselves.  The one thing that they all have in common is their entrepreneurial spirit.  Their desire to make their career, their life, their job, their challenge, their own. 

I have invested in women and I have invested in men but I do try to support women entrepreneurs first and foremost.  Why? 

Women entrepreneurs are incredible managers.

Women are the best at multi-tasking. It is important to have that asset as an entrepreneur.

Women listen. They want feedback and advice.

Women entrepreneurs have carrots dangling in front of their nose.  They understand the road is long and are willing evolve and pivot until they find their sweet spot.

Women tend to create businesses that fill voids in their lives.  Those voids create businesses that fill the needs of many. 

Women are more attune to the important of community and family in their companies.  That is a win win for everyone.

Their aren't enough women entrepeneurs being funded.  Most of the investment dollars are being held by men who tend to invest in other men because it is just easier putting money into people who they feel more comfortable with.  We call it the boys club.  Perhaps it is but I honestly do not believe that it is conscious but more comfort. I want to change that. 

I investment in women because I believe in their ideas.  I get their ideas.  I have found that many of the ideas start out as companies that we see as being able to scale to a $50 million, some of course much larger.  Over time, many of these companies start to grow and as opportunities unfold we begin to see that these companies can and will become bigger than we originally thought. That is exciting and I want to support that.

Is there a void in the investment market for companies that will become $50-100 million dollar exits, absolutely.  Yet VC's do not want to invest in companies that will only be that big not that they do not have exits like that but they did not believe that would be the dollar amount it would only grow to. 

Perhaps because there are so many start-ups that are being funded by angels and super angels that over time more women will be funded.  The amount it takes to get a company up and running gets smaller each day.  I hope so because supporting women entrepreneurs is important for the next generation, particularly our daughters, who see that the opportunities to be your own person, to be a supported entrepreneur does not have to be a dream but it can be a reality.