The information era witnessed the introduction of new-age entrepreneurial activities unknown before, and today women are spearheading this dynamic revolution in large numbers. However, in spite of remarkable development, even today women entrepreneurs have to struggle against abnormal challenges against them.
This is an article on the changing scenario of women entrepreneurship in the information era where their opportunities and challenges which they leverage in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs come into focus.
Introduction to Women Entrepreneurship
Women entrepreneurship has witnessed a revolutionized boom with the advent of technology and changing socio-economic trends. With the growth of the web, women entrepreneurs bridged geographical distances and emerged in every sphere of business. Ease and convenience of the web have taken entrepreneurship to every nook and corner eliminating entry barriers in the form of limited access to capital and physical capital. It is a positive change in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in making them the empowerees in command of achieving their goals.
Problems Faced by Women Entrepreneurs
There are several issues with which women entrepreneurs are plagued during the time of the internet despite the chances:
- Limited Access to Finance: Women are most affected with regards to access to finance due to gender bias in the financial sector. Women business angel investors, crowdfunding, or women business grants are some of the funds that can bypass this limitation and empower Empowering Women Entrepreneurs as part of the financial sector.
- Digital Skills Gap: Where the reach of digital technology and tools is low, competitiveness would be eroded. Investment in digital literacy, sector-specific skills in e-commerce, digital marketing, and data analysis is needed to Empower Women Entrepreneurs for the digital economy.
- Online Sexism and Harassment: Sexism and harassment online can be faced by women entrepreneurs, which impacts their confidence and business growth. It can be dealt with through proper support systems and participating in healthy online forums and Empower Women Entrepreneurs by building a healthy atmosphere.
- Domestic and Business Life Balance: Domestic and business life balance is an issue more commonly encountered by women. There needs to be proper boundaries and time management tools to be adopted in order to balance life for a better life, which is highly crucial to empower women entrepreneurs so that they can effectively manage their business.
- Shortage of Role Models/Mentors: Without role models or mentors, women entrepreneurs may be deprived of proper guidance and counselling. Network creation via online systems and interfaces to women entrepreneur groups could be an effective contact point and Empower Women Entrepreneurs by offering points for mentoring.
- Market Saturation and Visibility: It is challenging to leave a mark in a saturated market. Unconventional branding, customer service, and good quality SEO practices will guarantee online visibility.
- Cybersecurity Threats: Cyber threat is a concern. Spending money on good quality security software and educating employees on cybersecurity best practices is necessary.
Opportunities and Solutions
The technology era has brought women entrepreneurs to more than a window of opportunity through which bridges must be built in facilitating Empowering Women Entrepreneurs. Business locations have opened up the levelling playing field of market accessibility for women entrepreneurs such that they can access customers anywhere in the globe without necessarily having to be physically there. Social networking websites are strong instruments of brand name creation, customer engagement, and placing goods or services for sale.
Initiatives Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
There are some initiatives which are striving to Empower Women Entrepreneurs in the age of the Internet:
- Digital Sarthak: DEF’s initiative to empower women entrepreneurship by making rural women nano-entrepreneurs connect online and upgrade their business through digital platforms.
- UNCTAD Reports: Advances towards action on how to speed up a more gender-balanced digital economy to empower economic and social empowerment of women.
Conclusion
In a few words, the internet age has opened infinite windows of opportunity for women entrepreneurship and has introduced a window of innovation, out-of-the-box thinking, and economic empowerment. Because of technology literacy and online platforms, not only do women entrepreneurs challenge themselves in order to thrive, but also, they generate entrepreneurial culture that dominates. In spite of adversity before them, it demands embracing an integration of education, networking, and policy intervention. While women are shattering ceilings in the online world, empowerment of women will be a source of economic expansion and social reform and hence increasingly important to Empower Women Entrepreneurs.