So, we are heading into a new year! Are you ready to kickstart your January and carry on through to December? Enthusiasm is great, but even in 2025, you will face many outdated challenges for women in business. From networking to imposter syndrome, here are a few.
Risks to Your Business
Risk is everywhere. Therefore, legal experts are vital for running a business as a woman. The predatory nature of entrepreneurship puts you at a disadvantage just by being female. Many legal systems are designed around favoring male counterparts instead of women, even in 2025. Risks come from everywhere, even from within. However, a whistleblower lawyer can advise about a conflict that might arise and offer support for dealing with an incoming or inflating issue.
Building Networks and Relationships
Networking is the backbone of business. When you meet more interested parties who align with your work ethic, outlook on life, and values, you grow an invaluable base of contacts for future endeavors. However, there is still the issue of the “Boy’s Club”! Women face a harder time penetrating inner circles, many of which are where the real meat of business happens. But like the guys do, building a solid network of relationships with other females can be a lifeline.
Legal Challenges for Women in Business
Even today, 40% of countries all over the world use laws that favor men over women in business when it comes to accessing property and capital. These can seriously hamper your efforts as an entrepreneur and make it so much harder to establish or expand a business.
Balancing personal commitments
Work-life balance is vital for anyone. But it can be much harder for women when issues such as menstruation, menopause, and looking after children are largely ignored or even shunned.
Gender bias
DEI issues such as unconscious bias in the modern workplace. For females in work, it is known that you may need to prove yourself much more than a male counterpart for a job.
Limited access to resources
Challenges for women in business are still prevalent today, with predatory and discriminatory laws that prejudice women seeking to access certain resources. This can make it harder to secure funds to expand a business.
Feeling Like an Imposter
Imposter syndrome is pretty common, even for men. It usually comes from a feeling of unease and insecurity. However, not being recognized for your achievements can also make you feel out of place. Peer acceptance is one of the easiest ways to combat this. Celebrate the small wins as well as the bio achievements. Making a point of recognizing the hard work and commitment of female employees, colleagues, and partners can help eliminate this altogether.
Lack of Adequate Funding for Women
The first thing you need as a budding business owner is capital. Startup money and investing in sustaining a business is vital. However, it can be more challenging for women to access the necessary funding they need. Out of 1.3 million investments in the UK in 2021, only 12% went to female business owners. We can all agree that’s a terrible figure! However, there are female-led initiatives for funding, such as the Female Founders Fund dedicated to women.
Summary
Risk from within and external factors are always some of the biggest challenges for women in business. Yet legal challenges such as gender bias and limited resources pose a great threat. You can overcome the huge investment gap by reaching out to female-led funding initiatives.
