If you are lending money to friends and family, lend to Women Business Owners in Canada

Better Educated

“On average, women entrepreneurs in high-income countries are better educated than those in low/middle-income countries. Also, in both country groups, the level of educational attainment is somewhat higher for women who are established business owners than for women who are early stage entrepreneurs, suggesting that education may be positively correlated to survival rates” (p. 8).

More Prepared If They Build a Business

“In both country groups, and similarly to men, the likelihood of being involved in entrepreneurial activity is significantly higher for those women who also are employed in a wage job (whether full or part time) compared to those who are not working, are retired, or are students. This suggests that working provides access to resources, social capital, and ideas that may aid in establishing an entrepreneurial venture (p. 10).”

Some of the study’s findings:

• a flexible work schedule is a greater motivator for women planning to open their own business (63%) than for men planning to do so (51%).
• 36 percent of men planning to open a business plan to do so to become wealthy, while only 23 percent of women planning to open a business do so for the same reason.
• The majority of women and men entrepreneurs (69 and 64 percent respectively) seem to be equally driven by a love for what they do or hope to do.
• Women are less likely than men to start a business because they want to be their own boss. Women are more likely to employ a spouse or a child and to be first-time business owners.

Women are adverse to risk and don’t grow too quickly. This is a positive for lenders…

Dec. 2007, Women Entrepreneurs of Canada

“Where women differ from their male counterparts is how they view growth. Women business owners view growth to be less important, less likely and of lower value than men. They view the personal demands related to growth as negative and adding stress to their lives. An overwhelming 84% of women feel their business has reached a size they are comfortable with and don’t want to grow.