Women Make Strides in Business Ownership

By Ruth Simon.  Published in The Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2015.

The growth rate of new businesses remains stalled, but the share of women-owned firms has climbed.

While the growth rate of new businesses remains stalled, fresh government data shows that the share of women-owned firms has climbed. The total number of U.S. firms edged up 2% to 27.6 million between 2007 and 2012, according to preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data released this week. But the number of women-owned firms grew much faster, rising 27% during that time. The overall figures provide the latest evidence of a worrisome decline in business formation. The number of firms with paid employees fell by 5% to 5.4 million between 2007 and 2012 and is 2% below 2002 levels, according to the new census data. To read the full article, visit: http://www.wsj.com/articles/women-make-strides-in-business-ownership-1440028664