Women Make Inroads

Startup Journal:

For women business owners, some traditionally male-dominated fields are becoming more popular.

Between 1997 and 2004, the number of women-owned firms without employees rose 28.6% in agriculture services, 26.7% in construction, and 25.6% in transportation, communications and public utilities, according to a report by the Center for Women’s Business Research, in Washington, D.C., and Wells Fargo & Co.

Still, while the increases have been strong, the actual percentages of women owners in these industries remain low. For instance, only 2.1% of women-owned businesses without employees are in the construction industry, while 53.2% are in services. Growth in the number of firms in the services sector was 11.9%, in finance, insurance and real estate, 17.2%; and 5.2% in retail trade.

Meanwhile, the overall number of women-owned firms without employees grew 18% between 1997 and 2004, compared with a national rate of 9% for all nonemployee businesses. The top states for the fastest growth in the number of women-owned nonemployee firms were: Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, South Dakota and Oregon.