A recent DNA of an Entrepreneur report from Hiscox, a leading specialty insurer, looked at the sentiment of female small business owners and what’s top of mind for them. A few of the key data points can be found below:
Sentiment of female small business owners:
- 38% believe they are better off financially this year compared to last year
- 70% are optimistic about the year ahead
- 19% plan to take on new staff in the year ahead
- All work and no play – 20% don’t take a lunch break and 23% take zero vacation days
- 61% have no succession plan in place
- 31% do not believe the government’s policies are supportive of entrepreneurs; 46% of these respondents believe this has gotten worse compared to 5 years ago
- 38% developed a new product or service in the past 12 months; 50% plan to do so in the next 12 months
- The biggest fear of female small business owners surveyed is not being able to attract new clients (24%)
- Alternative sources of funding – 26% have used a credit card to fund their business in the past 12 months
- 9% have been affected by a cyber crime; 8% don’t know if they have been
